Mel Maria Catholic Primary School
Dear Parents and Staff
During the first week of November our Catholic Christian community commemorates two important feast days namely, The Feast of All Saints and the Feast of All Souls. The ‘Feast of All Saints’ celebrates the recognition given to ordinary people who developed their personal qualities to an exemplary degree – saints. ‘The Feast of All Souls’ celebrates the life of people, especially those people who have gone before us in our own family and who are now part of the Resurrection that Christ showed and promised.
The concept of “holy souls” is somewhat easier to grasp than that of “sainthood,” for we have all experienced the departure of family or friends. We pray for them after they have gone and hope that they are with God and enjoying the perfection of whom they strove to be whilst they were alive.
However, “saints” are far more difficult to comprehend as we have never had first-hand experience of a “saint” and tend to rely on the traditional names. Probably, we have never thought too much about some of the ordinary people in our lives as being saints in the making or that we are called to sainthood from the time of our Baptism.
Sometimes, when I read the story about Jesus and the little children coming to him, I think what a wonderful expression of love and concern. However, after a few minutes Jesus could hand them back to their parents who were the real carers and who had the real experiences - not always positive - of trying to provide total care.
Parents are the ones with the responsibility to provide a “home” where children can develop and learn to discern what is helpful and what is harmful; where they can ask questions without fear of rejection; where they can discover their own identity and develop the esteem and confidence to eventually leave home and travel on. So, in effect, children are “guests” to whom we respond and never “possessions” to use for our own ends.
Additionally, we have this wonderful role to encourage children to “sainthood” by allowing them to develop their qualities to the highest degree. As well, I suppose we are revealing ourselves to them by what we do and say to them; I wonder what type of “holy souls” we’ll be remembered as being!
Sacrament of First Eucharist
On Saturday and Sunday, 9 and 10 November, students from the school and parish (St Joseph Pignatelli Campus) will celebrate their First Holy Communion.
The Sacrament of Holy Communion is a special moment in the life of our faith community. For Catholics, it is one of the most important sacraments because it allows us to receive Jesus in a unique and personal way. During Holy Communion, we believe that the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. By receiving these sacred gifts, we are not only reminded of Jesus’ love for us but are also strengthened in our faith and united more deeply with Him.
Holy Communion is part of the Mass, where we come together as a community to pray, sing, and give thanks. This sacrament, also known as the Eucharist, comes from a Greek word meaning “thanksgiving.” Through the Eucharist, we remember Jesus’ sacrifice and celebrate His resurrection, which brings hope and life to us all. By taking part in Holy Communion, we are saying “yes” to Jesus and His teachings, inviting Him to be a greater part of our lives.
For our young students preparing for First Holy Communion, this journey is especially meaningful. They learn about the significance of the Eucharist, deepen their understanding of God’s love, and begin to appreciate how Holy Communion connects us to the wider Catholic community. It is a joyful step in their faith journey, one that will nourish their spirits and guide them as they continue to grow in their relationship with God and with each other.
We wish all our Year Four students at SJP all the very best for their First Holy Communion and keep them, and their families in our prayers.
Term 4 Calendar – Key Dates
The Term Four Calendar has been attached to this newsletter. It has been updated to reflect the term and the events scheduled.
Some important events take place in the first two weeks of the term. These include:
- First Communion (SJP) – Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 November
- P&F Meeting 12 November at 9.30am
- SAC Meeting 12 November at 6.00pm
- Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Parent Information afternoon Wednesday 13 November commencing at 4.30pm
- Annual Community Meeting - Tuesday 19 November commencing at 3.30pm
Prayer to Mary MacKillop
Ever-generous God,
You inspired St Mary MacKillop
to live her life faithful
to the Gospel of Jesus Christ
and constant in bringing hope
and encouragement
to those who were disheartened, lonely, or needy.
With confidence in your generous providence
and joining with St Mary MacKillop, we ask that you grant our request.
We ask that our faith and hope
be fired afresh by the Holy Spirit so that we too,
like Mary MacKillop, may live with courage,
trust, and openness.
Ever-generous God, hear our prayer.
We ask this through Jesus Christ.
Amen
Thought for the Week
“What sculpture is to a block of marble; education is to the soul.”
Christmas Carols
Join us for our annual Christmas Carols on Friday, November 22 on the SJP oval, a joyous celebration marking the end of another successful year! Starting at 6:00pm and concluding at 7:30pm. This event will feature performances by all students, showcasing their festive spirit and talent. As a special treat, there will be a surprise finale that you won't want to miss!
Additionally, we will honour our outstanding students with school and parish awards. Come and share in the holiday cheer as we gather to celebrate the season and reflect on a wonderful year!
Kindergarten 2025 – Applications are Now Due
In 2025, we will have a whole new Early Childhood space for students from Pre-Kindergarten to Year Two. This is going to be very exciting for the students, teachers and parents.
Enrolments are now being taken for siblings and new students wishing to commence Kindergarten at Mel Maria Catholic Primary School in 2025. Families with children eligible for Kindergarten in 2025 are required to fill out an Enrolment Application Form. These can be collected from the office or please follow the link provided. https://melmaria.wa.edu.au/assets/Uploads/General/Application-for-Enrolment-Form.pdf.
Kindergarten places are limited so it is important that parents within the Mel Maria Catholic Primary School community submit their applications as soon as possible.
How to help children calm down
Some kids have big emotions that they can’t control, so they have tantrums and outbursts. This is called emotional dysregulation. The good news is that there are lots of calming techniques that parents can teach kids.
An important first step is teaching kids to notice their emotions and name them. If they can say to themselves, “I’m feeling angry,” they’ll be more able to get control over that feeling before they hit someone or have a meltdown. It’s important for kids to know that big feelings are normal, and to validate how hard they can be.
If a child’s misbehavior is minor, ignoring it often works best. The flip side of this is to give the child praise when they do a good job controlling their feelings, even something small like taking a deep breath.
Often, moving from one activity to another is especially hard for kids. Try giving a warning: “In 15 minutes we’re going to sit down to dinner so you’ll have to stop playing.” Giving a child choices can help, too: “You can come to the grocery store with me or stay home with Mom.”
You can also try making plans together to handle upsetting situations. For example, if your child often gets mad at the stricter rules at their grandparents’ house, you can talk before a visit about how they can handle those tough feelings. If your child does have a tantrum, talk with them later about what happened and what could have made it better.
Finally, pick some time every day for your kid to choose an activity to do together. Knowing that they’ll have that time can reduce the stress they feel during the rest of the day. Consistent special time with you also reminds kids that you love them no matter what, even on hard days.
The link below provides extra suggestions that may help
https://childmind.org/article/how-to-help-children-calm-down/
