Thursday 22nd May 2025

A Prayer for Pope Leo XIV

Loving God,

We pray for Pope Leo XIV our new shepherd and

leader. We ask you to guide his work and dedication to all in

your church. Be with him in this time of immense social

change and his commitment to the core social teachings of

your Church. Just as you reached out to those whose lives

were impacted by injustice and prejudice, grant him strength

to lead the faithful and all your human family to an accessible

Hope filled future.

Holy Spirit, light his path, allowing him to always know your

Will, as he sows the seeds of desire for Your Kingdom.

Enkindle in us too, your people, the flame ignited by the Good

News as we pray with thanks to you God, our Father and light

to all the world.

Amen.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Hi All,

This week we welcome a new leader of the Catholic Church in Pope Leo XIV. Below are some words of introduction from Paul Greaves, the Director of Catholic Education Northern Territory:

‘‘We celebrate the election of a new Pope - Leo XIV. His namesake predecessor, Leo XIII, led the church in the late 1800’s in such a way that social justice and social reform were given importance and precedence. His revolutionary encyclical Rerum Novarum was a catalyst for placing the rights of workers front and centre in a world experiencing the impact of the Industrial Revolution.

In a world again experiencing significant change we are hopeful our new Pope Leo, inspired by Pope Francis and the previous Pope Leo, will now bring his own gifts to the task of sharing the light of Christ - especially with the most vulnerable, the forgotten and the outcast.’’

Catholic Aboriginal Leadership Team (CALT) Visit

We were very lucky to welcome members of the Catholic Aboriginal Leadership Team to St Francis of Assisi for a visit recently. Each of the Catholic schools in the Northern Territory’s Aboriginal Communities has a CALT group to support the education and Catholic Identity of the school. The CALT members also come together to work with Catholic Education Northern Territory to embed First Nations perspectives in planning and decision making across the Territory.

We welcomed CALT members from Ltyentye Apurte (Santa Teresa), Nauiya (Daly River) and Wurrumiyanga on the Tiwi Islands. The CALT member shared stories and culture from their communities to our students. It was a wonderful opportunity for everyone at St Francis of Assisi to learn more about our First Nations people.

We Are One Concert - Save the Date!

Students are busily preparing for our upcoming We Are One school concert. This year we will be performing the musical, ‘Jukebox Time Machine’. This well-loved performance takes audiences on a nostalgic journey through music history, featuring iconic songs from the 1940s to the 2000s. It is bound to be a great night for all so we look forward to seeing lots of family and friends on Friday June 13th.

Uniform Reminder

The dry season is definitely here with some cold mornings. A reminder that if students do not have a school jacket we ask that they wear a plain blue or black jumper if they are cold.

Staffing Update

It is with a heavy heart that I announce that Miss Zheng has informed me that she will be finishing at St Francis of Assisi at the end of the term and relocating to Melbourne. Miss Zheng has become a highly respected and valued teacher who will be sadly missed by students, staff and families.

On behalf of the whole school community I would like to thank her for her contribution and wish her all the best. The school will now begin the recruitment process to find a replacement for the remainder of the school year.

A reminder that the school, Early Learning Centre and After School Care will all close on Friday June 6th for staff to attend our Catholic Identity Day.

Upcoming Dates

School Photos; Monday, June 2nd

Catholic Identity Day - School, ELC, ASC Closure; Friday, June 6th

King's Birthday Public Holiday; Monday, June 9th

We Are One Concert; Friday, June 13th

With Faith in their Future

Chris McAloon