Dear Parents and Friends of Holy Cross,

I warmly welcome everyone back to Term 2 at Holy Cross. This term is always a busy one, with teachers in the midst of gathering a range of learning and achievement data to inform Semester 1 reports. We look forward to the key community events of Mothers’ Day celebrations tomorrow, masses, Year 3’s Sacramental preparation for First Holy Communion, our acknowledgement of National Reconciliation Week with a day of activities designed for our students to experience and deepen their knowledge of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island first nations culture, as well as, of course, our annual Athletics Carnival.

I particularly thank our P&F, and especially Lisa Faulkner, for once again organising and setting up the annual Mothers’ Day Gift Stall, and to the fathers who man the stall this morning, for our students to be able to choose a special gift for their mums!

May - The month of Mary

The Month of May, traditionally dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a time for reflection, devotion, and celebration in the Catholic Church. It's a period where the faithful are encouraged to deepen their relationship with Mary, honoring her unique role in salvation history and her ongoing intercession for humanity. This month provides an opportunity to contemplate Mary's virtues—her humility, obedience, and unwavering faith—and to seek her guidance in our own spiritual journeys.

During May, many Catholics engage in special practices such as praying the Rosary, participating in May Crownings, and visiting Marian shrines. These acts of devotion are not only expressions of love and veneration for Mary but also serve as reminders of her maternal care and her powerful intercession. The Month of Mary invites us to draw closer to Jesus through Mary, recognizing her as a model of discipleship and a source of comfort and hope. It is a time to renew our commitment to living a life of faith, inspired by Mary's example.

With our late Pope Francis laid to rest in The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore (St. Mary Major), much has been written about his many visits there and his devotion to the image Salus Populi Romani: The Protectress of the Roman People. The Marian image is one of the oldest that exists, and it is traditionally attributed to St. Luke. According to tradition St. Luke was a very talented young man. He not only wrote a Gospel account and the Acts of the Apostles, he was also a Greek physician and an artist. It is believed that he was close to Our Lady, as his Gospel is the only one with certain details of the Annunciation and the birth of Jesus.

He is held by the Eastern Church as the original “iconographer,” responsible for writing the first icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Many painters throughout the centuries have depicted this scene by placing St. Luke in front of an easel, painting a portrait of the Blessed Mother holding the Child Jesus. Similar to Our Lady of Czestochowa, it is believed this image was discovered by St. Helena (the mother of Emperor Constantine) and taken first to Constantinople. By the 6th century the image was transferred to Rome and ever since has been enshrined in the church of Saint Mary Major.

Last year, Year 6 gifted our school with an outdoor statue of Mary. She will find her home in our front garden next to our office, once a plinth is made for her to be elevated upon. At school, throughout this month we too will honour Mary through the prayer of the Rosary, our office and classroom prayer spaces, and in a special way, when we celebrate Mary Help of Christians with a Prayer Liturgy in our Church (Friday 24th May, 9am), which focuses on Mary’s help to those in need through her intercession. 

ENROLMENTS FOR 2026 ARE OPEN

Enrolment Interviews continue throughout May. The online application form is accessible from the home page of our school website. https://www.hchdow.catholic.edu.au/enrol/

INTERVIEW BOOKING REMINDER : If you have a younger sibling enrolled, please hop online or call our school office to book a time for an interview. 

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: 

LONG SERVICE LEAVE

Mrs Rowles, Year 3 teacher, will be taking leave in Week 10 of this term. Mr Body, Year 4 teacher, will also be on LSL Tuesday 1- Friday 4th July. Year 3 and 4 Reports will therefore be available a week earlier than other classes, and Parent Teacher Interviews for Year 3 and 4  parents will take place in Week 9. 

TELL THEM FROM ME SURVEY- TERM 2

This term all schools in the Wollongong diocese will survey the voice of parents, staff and students in Years 4-6 via the 'Tell Them From Me' survey. The survey will provide important feedback which informs our work in designing improvement priorities that are responsive to the needs of our school community. We greatly value the role of parents and carers within our school community and would greatly appreciate your feedback. The information you provide will be used to maintain our commitment to working together in partnership to further improve student learning and wellbeing at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School.

A detailed letter was sent via compass earlier today, which provides parents with the details to complete the survey. You are able to access the parent survey on your computer or mobile device by using this URL LINK : http://tellthemfromme.com/g959x

We would appreciate parents completing the survey by Friday 30 May, 2025.

May the peace of Christ be with you, 
Milena Colussi
Principal