Last week, each campus had an end-of-year mass with a focus on the season of Advent. A number of our younger students have not had many opportunities to gather like this as a faith community and it was wonderful that we could once again come together to celebrate this way.

Our thanks to all our Faith Co-ordinators for the work they put in, not only in preparing the masses but creating the ambiance to turn a gym into a sacred space. They were supported by the liturgical music leaders and student singers at each campus who added to the reverence and joy of these liturgies. Thanks also to our local parish priests who joined us so these liturgical celebrations could take place.

It would be remiss of me not to let you know that Matthew Williams has been having a special time over the last three weeks accompanying five Victorian students including Mackenzie Dornom (Year 11 Bernard) along with students from NSW, to Rome and London to participate in a program run by ACU. There have been lectures and classes as well as visits to the Vatican, Assisi and other significant locations. They also managed to get up close with Pope Francis in St Peters Square.

Christmas Hampers

Throughout term four, students from all Junior homerooms actioned their Catholic social justice wings to collect food and festive items to make up around 60 hampers, wrapping and decorating each one with care in readiness for distribution to our families by staff. An added incentive was a campus-based homeroom competition for the best-dressed hamper. The winning homerooms were Romero 2 at Mornington, McCauley 2 at Rosebud and the joint winners at Tyabb were Geoghan 2 , Doyle 2, and McCormack 1. Students received a “limited edition” paw-print postcard of Luna our Padua dog and the opportunity to have a pat with her.

Meanwhile, our senior school maturely led the campaign to raise funds to buy vouchers through the Trybooking app. Following generous donations from families, students, and staff the wonderful sum of $3,615 was raised. An amazing result, thank you!

Throughout this time, the hamper drive has provided the opportunity for many valuable conversations both at home and at school around the importance of connecting with our community’s needs, whilst reflecting on our own blessings. It is also our Padua community’s way of acknowledging and lovingly witnessing some of the various challenges our families have experienced throughout 2022.

There is no hierarchy when it comes to experiencing life events and challenges, each is uniquely experienced by families. In no particular order, these include and are not limited to grief and loss, divorce or separation, chronic illness, disability, physical or mental illness, financial hardship, or a traumatic event such as a fire or flood, for example.

On behalf of our recipient families, we thank our Padua community for its generosity. It is our hope that these hampers and the prayers that are sent with them will bring blessings of joy and peace to all those who receive them.

Mo Cromar, Pastoral Associate and Luna our Padua dog

In Advent we wait. We listen. We hope.

And when Christmas comes in the form of a newborn baby,

We rejoice, we sing, we praise.

I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of all in the Faith Team to wish our Padua community a Christmas filled with many blessings as we welcome the Christ Child into our hearts once more.