Dear Parents and Friends of Holy Cross,

As we reach the end of Term 3, it is with a grateful heart that I reflect on the many blessings we've shared as a community. This term has been a period of significant growth and rich learning for our students and staff, and the celebration of many vibrant events enabling the strong and welcoming community spirit that characterises Holy Cross and who we are.

A particular highlight was our recent Feast Day celebrations of the Holy Cross. It was a powerful reminder of our school's founding story and a beautiful opportunity for our students and staff to come together in faith. The day was filled with reverence, joy, and a shared sense of belonging as we honored the ultimate act of love and sacrifice, remembered our school’s history, and celebrated our grandparents who joined us for Mass, morning tea and classroom visits.

This year's celebration feels especially significant within the context of the broader Catholic Church's Jubilee Year. This special time is a call to renewal and hope, encouraging us all to deepen our connection with our faith and with one another. It’s a wonderful opportunity to reflect on what gives our lives meaning and to be a source of light for those around us.

My call to pilgrimage

As I reflect on my own faith journey, and prepare to be a pilgrim to Ireland, Rome and Assisi in the coming weeks, alongside a group of educators, and led by Bishop Brian, the concept of a pilgrimage is particularly relevant to me, and for us all in different ways too. A pilgrimage is not just a physical journey to a holy place; it is a spiritual journey of the heart. It’s an opportunity to step away from the ordinary and to intentionally seek a deeper connection with God and with our own purpose. In a world that prizes speed and efficiency, a “pilgrimage” invites us to slow down, to be present, and to recognize that our entire life is a journey toward God.

Every day presents us with small opportunities for pilgrimage—a quiet moment of reflection, a walk in nature, or a dedicated act of service. These "mini-pilgrimages" can help us cultivate a sense of inner peace and purpose. They remind us that our faith is not static; it is a living, breathing path that we walk each day.

Peace Be With You

These words are a part of our school’s motto, and are the words that the risen Jesus used in greeting. We repeat these each time we gather as both a school and Eucharistic community—the body of Christ. It is a profound expression of how we wish to be with each other and in the world.

In a world that often feels fractured, loud, and relentlessly chaotic, the concept of peace can seem like a distant and fragile dream. We are bombarded daily with headlines of conflict, images of division, and the constant hum of global unrest. It is easy to feel overwhelmed, to believe that peace is a monumental task, a political ideal achievable only by nations and leaders. Yet, from a spiritual perspective, true and lasting peace begins in the quietest, most sacred place: within the human heart.

Peace is not merely the absence of war; it is the presence of an inner stillness that can hold the world's turmoil without being consumed by it. This is the peace that transcends understanding, the one that we cultivate through intentional practice. It is found not by silencing the world's noise, but by finding a deeper, more resonant desire within ourselves—a desire for calm, compassion, and unwavering hope. This is being and living in relationship with God, the source from which all other forms of peace flow.

When we are centered in God, our actions, words, and even our mere presence become instruments of love and peace. We are able to see the shared humanity in those we might otherwise consider "other." We can listen without judgment, respond with empathy, and seek common ground instead of drawing lines. The path to a peaceful world is not paved with grand gestures alone, but with the millions of small, daily acts of kindness, forgiveness, and understanding that spring from a peaceful soul.

To a world in turmoil, the spiritual perspective offers a radical truth: the most powerful revolution begins not in the streets, but in the sanctuary of the heart. By cultivating our own inner peace, we contribute to a collective field of peace that can transform the world, one breath, one thought, one act of love at a time.

I encourage you to take some time in stillness and silence to be in relationship with God and to cultivate your own inner peace.

Reflect on the words of St. Francis of Assisi and consider how you are called to be an

instrument of peace in your own life.

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Wishing all our families a safe and restful break. We look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed and ready for a wonderful Term 4.

Staffing News

In my absence whilst on pilgrimage overseas, Lindsay Burns will be the delegated Acting Principal, over the holiday break and all of Week 1 in Term 4.

Staffing Announcement

Schools across our Wollongong Diocese have been in a process of recruitment this past month. In our profession, as with many other professions, growth, change and improvement are an integral part of our employment and vocation. This includes experiencing a different school setting.

It is with congratulations that I share that, after almost 7 years of teaching at Holy Cross, Elise Facci has successfully been appointed to Stella Maris Catholic Primary School Shellharbour, commencing in the 2026 school year. I acknowledge Elise’s passionate service and thank her for many contributions to Holy Cross over the years, and the wonderful teaching and nurturing of faith, learning and wellbeing she has given to many students. We will certainly miss her! Recruitment for her position will take place into Term 4. 

TEACHER PROFESSIONALISM

Our school’s Annual Improvement Plan’s impact on improving students’ faith, learning and wellbeing is highly dependent upon the ongoing professional learning and capacity building of our staff. The professional learning opportunities and official events that staff have engaged with the last two weeks: 

Students Return on Monday 13th October

TERM 4 PARENT CALENDAR- Term_4_2025_Parent_Calendar_.pdf

May the peace of Christ be with you,

Milena Colussi
Principal