WONDERFUL ANZAC DAY CELEBRATIONS 

Anzac Day is such an important time in our country. To remember, celebrate and pay respects to those who served our country to allow us to have what we do today. In the following pages you will see how the school worked with the local communities and also had its own celebration.

 We were privileged, at the school assembly, to hear from Warrant Officer William McConnell as our keynote speaker and then a stirring speech from Mr Gary Gilligan of the Nowra RSL. Finally, Fr Michael spoke beautifully about the often unrecognised work and key role of military Chaplains.

 LEST WE FORGET

 At St John’s we focus on quality education and peaceful relationships. This takes some hard work and a bit of focus to achieve. But is so worth it in today’s society where spur of the moment and sometimes thoughtless actions seem to become the norm.

 So, I was devastated to read of some of the gun violence that continues to be inflicted upon society in the USA. 44 mass shootings in the month of April so far. When will this stop? We give thanks for the society that we have in Australia, not perfect, but so much better than so many other places.

MY LONG SERVICE LEAVE THIS TERM

 I am a bit of a cricket tragic. And a few years ago I had organised some Long Service Leave (LSL) to go to England and watch some of the Ashes. That was postponed because of covid and travel implications. So last year it was discussed with the Director of Schools, approved and booked for this year. That was before I knew that I was coming to St John’s. 

 So I will be absent for Week’s 8, 9 and 10 of this Term. I am very pleased to announce that Mr Eirth has been appointed as the Acting Principal during my absence.

 A GLIMPSE INTO THE HEART OF GOD...

Life is not an exercise to be endured. It is a mystery to be unfolded. Life comes from the living of it, from the attitudes we bring to it and the understandings we take away from

each of the moments that touch our own. The truth is that life is the only commodity each of us actually owns. It is the only thing, in the universe over which we have any real control whatsoever, slim as that may be.

 It is a busy world. A frightfully busy world. It is the kind of world that consumes us, drains our soul, dries out our hearts, damps our spirits, and makes living more a series of duties than a kind of joyful mystery. We find ourselves spending life too tired to garden, too distracted to read, too busy to talk, too plagued by people and deadlines to organise our lives to reflect on our futures, to appreciate our present. We simply go on, day after day after day.

Where is what it means to be human in all of that? Where is God in all of that? How shall we ever get the most out of life if life itself is our greatest obstacle to it?

Joan Chittister CONTEMPLATION IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS