Get ready to dance! Our Monster Mash Disco! is on TONIGHT from 5:30–8:00pm in Josephite Hall. Students can look forward to music, fun, and plenty of energy on the dance floor, with families invited to come along and share in the excitement of this much-loved community event.

FIRST SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST

This past Sunday, 24th August, our parish and school community gathered at the Church of the Apostles to celebrate with nine of our students as they received the Sacrament of First Eucharist. Surrounded by their families and the wider parish, our children received the Body of Christ for the very first time, stepping more deeply into the life of the Church and its great mystery.

The Eucharist, as Vatican II reminds us, is the “source and summit of the Christian life” (Lumen Gentium, 11). It is here that the Church is most fully itself: gathered in thanksgiving, nourished by the presence of Christ, and sent forth to live lives of compassion and service. Sunday’s Mass was not only a milestone for the children, but also a reminder for us all that the Eucharist shapes us into a people of communion; bound together across generations, stories, and struggles by the one table and the one bread.

Our school has the joyful responsibility of walking beside our students as they discover their place in this mystery. In classrooms, prayers, assemblies, and moments of quiet wonder, we help them find language and practice to nurture their faith. Richard Rohr often says that “we do not think ourselves into new ways of living, we live ourselves into new ways of thinking.” Eucharist is precisely this: a practice that forms us, again and again, into people who recognise Christ in bread, in community, and in one another.

We congratulate Samuel, Stella, Imogen, Kade, Phoebe, Alice, Jerome, Willow, and Eden on this profound step in their faith journey. May their lives be continually nourished by this sacred meal, and may our parish and school remain places where they always feel welcomed, cherished, and called into the love of Christ that has no end.

Today (Friday 29th August), our students who are preparing for the Sacraments of Confirmation joined with our recent First Eucharist recipients and with candidates from across the Launceston Parish, for the annual Faith & Fun Day. Held at St Ailbe’s Hall, this special gathering gave our young people the chance to deepen their understanding of the Sacraments, while also enjoying the gift of friendship and community.

The day was filled with games, reflection, and shared learning. Just as the Sacraments themselves remind us that faith is not lived in isolation but in relationship, the Faith & Fun Day allowed our students to see that they are part of a wider Church family; one that laughs, learns, prays, and plays together. In simple but powerful ways, they were reminded that the Christian journey is one of joy and belonging.

St Paul reminds us that the body of Christ has many parts, but it is one body. Experiences like this help our children to see how their own faith journey is woven into the life of our parish and the wider Church. These moments of encounter, faith wrapped in fun, prayer lived in play, are precious steps as our students prepare for the Sacraments.

We thank Mrs Belinda Taylor, our Instructional Leader: Religious Education, for her organisation and care in supporting our students’ participation in the day. Her guidance ensures that these experiences are not just well-run events, but truly meaningful encounters with faith and community.

Today (Friday 29th August) our three Grade 5/6 classes travelled to the Star Theatre for a special screening of the documentary Future Council. 

Future Council, directed by Damon Gameau (2040, That Sugar Film), follows eight young people on a school bus journey across Europe, powered by biofuel. Their mission is to learn more about our planet’s challenges, explore solutions, and bring the voices of children from the streets into the boardrooms of the world’s most powerful companies. The film highlights the passion, creativity, and determination of young people to influence change and work towards a sustainable, regenerative future.

For our students, the film was both thought-provoking and empowering. It connected closely with the issues they discuss in class; sustainability, social responsibility, and the power of young voices to make a difference. This excursion beautifully aligned with our Strategic Plan theme of “Empowering every child to find their voice”, encouraging our students to see themselves as active contributors to shaping a better world.

We extend our sincere thanks to Ms Jessica McLauchlan for her organisation of this valuable learning experience, and to our dedicated Grade 5/6 teachers for supervising and supporting our students throughout the day. Together, they created the conditions for a rich and meaningful excursion.

Next week, our School Choir will take the stage at Singfest 2025, a much-loved choral celebration bringing together primary schools from across Northern Tasmania. This year’s concerts will be held at the Launceston Conference Centre on Tuesday 2nd and Wednesday 3rd September at 6.30pm.

St Thomas More’s Catholic School will be performing on Wednesday 3rd September, and I am very much looking forward to being there to support our talented singers as they share their voices with the wider community. It promises to be a wonderful evening of music, collaboration, and joy.

I warmly encourage families and friends to come along and cheer on our students. Tickets are available for just $10.50 per person, and can be purchased quickly and easily using the QR code in the poster below.

A big thank you to Mrs Natalie Zegveld for her dedication and hard work in preparing our School Choir for this special event. We are proud of our students and excited to see them shine on stage!