Dear Parents and Carers,

As I speak to others about how the experience of life in 2020 I have come to realise that we are all experiencing the impact of the disasters in very personal ways, and this recent history and present time is giving us time to reflect on our lives. This ‘conversation with God’ by author John Roedel provides food for thought for us as we process 2020 challenges and personal change.

Me: Hello God.

God: Hello...

Me: I'm falling apart. Can you put me back together?

God: I'd rather not.

Me: Why?

God: Because you're not a puzzle.

Me: What about all the pieces of my life that fall to the ground?

God: Leave them there for a while. They fell for a reason. Let them be there for a while and then decide if you need to get any of those pieces back.

Me: You don't understand! I'm breaking up!

God: No, you don't understand. You're transcending, evolving. What you feel are growing pains. You're getting rid of the things and people in your life that are holding you back. The pieces are not falling down. The pieces are putting in place. Relax. Take a deep breath and let those things you no longer need fall down. Stop clinging to pieces that are no longer for you. Let them fall. Let them go.

Me: Once I start doing that, what will I have left?

God: Only the best pieces of yours.

Me: I'm afraid to change.

God: I keep telling you: YOU'RE NOT CHANGING! YOU'RE BECOMING!

Me: Becoming, Who?

God: Becoming who I created you to be! A person of light, love, charity, hope, courage, joy, mercy, grace and compassion. I made you for so much more than those shallow pieces you decided to adorn yourself with and that you cling to with so much greed and fear. Let those things fall off you. I love you! Don't change! Become! Don't change! Become! Become who I want you to be, who I created. I'm gonna keep telling you this until you remember.

Me: There goes another piece.

God: Yes. Let it be like this.

Me: So... I'm not broken?

God: No, but you're breaking the darkness, like dawn. It's a new day. Become!! Become who you really are!!"

                                                            Author John Roedel

Changes to Staffing for Semester 2: Today we share the news with you of some changes to the St Pat’s team for next semester. It is with sadness that we will be saying farewell, by the end of this term, to four important members of our school staff team: Miss Russell, Mrs Kite, Mr Reynolds and Mrs Kettle. Letters to the community from these staff are at the end of the newsletter. As Mrs Kite writes in her letter, we do not know the full impact we have had on the people with whom we have worked, and yet it is true these four members of our team have had significant and lasting positive impact on the growth and development of our St Pat’s kids over their time in our school. I know they will be missed by many. I ask you to join me in wishing these four members of the staff well with their new endeavours both near and far.

We are currently recruiting for these positions and I look forward to sharing the new members of the team when this is finalised.

Now for some photos out and about at St Pat’s!