Newsletter

Dear Parents and Caregivers 

It’s unlikely that anyone in Australia over the past few weeks hasn’t seen or heard of the cultural phenomenon associated with tours by two of the world’s biggest pop stars, Taylor Swift and Pink. 

I can’t recall when two women have so effectively captivated the attention, minds, and hearts of so many young (and not so young) people. It would be naïve to dismiss their impact as fleeting. Their messages of kindness, being true to yourself, standing up for what’s right and body positivity are challenging social norms, influencing behaviour, and changing the social discourse.

This social change is occurring on the back of the revolution in women’s sports associated with the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 when the Matildas became household names and had us staying up late and glued to the edge of our seats. 

As a community founded on Catherine McAuley’s belief that “no work of charity can be more productive of good to society than the careful instruction of women”, I think Catherine and the founding Sisters would be overjoyed to see the undeniable impact that strong, powerful, kind women are having on our modern society. How lucky our AHSisters are to live in a time of such relatable role models who are forever changing social conventions and creating new opportunities for the next generation.  

Guided by the life and service of Catherine McAuley, our Mercy Action program forms an integral part of our holistic education, helping students understand social justice issues and make a tangible difference in the lives of others. Students in all year levels can be involved with our annual Red Tie Day, one of the most popular events for our Year 11 students every year.  

This Friday, our Year 11 students will once again adorn themselves in all manner of red ribbons, red tutus and red accessories and take to the streets of the Brisbane CBD to raise money for Muscular Dystrophy Queensland to help increase community awareness of muscular dystrophy and similar conditions. Funds from the sale of a variety of merchandise, as well as donations, are used to purchase much-needed equipment and support further research into this debilitating genetic condition.

Students’ enthusiasm for our Mercy Action program is a wonderful example of service, compassion, and love, and we commend them on their involvement. We also thank our caring and compassionate staff, who have coordinated both Year 11 Red Tie Day and the many other social justice-related activities that our wonderful community so selflessly supports each year.

Our Term 1 co-curricular program, including sporting and cultural activities, is well underway, with our AHSisters enthusiastically participating in a wide variety of activities designed to build new skills and attributes such as collaboration, teamwork, and confidence. 

These activities would not be possible without the service of the many parents and caregivers who so kindly share their skills, time, and energy with our community. Our nine Parent Support Groups, Mothers’ Network, Parents & Friends Association and various other volunteer groups are the heart of All Hallows’ and we are so grateful for their ongoing support. 

The old saying “many hands make light work” is very true, and I encourage any members of our community who are not yet involved to consider joining one of our many parent volunteer groups. Your assistance will benefit our students, staff, and community, in addition to creating cherished friendships and memories that will endure for many years to come. 

May God bless you and your family in the week ahead.

Ms. Carolyn Liddy (Deputy Principal).

Pope Francis has asked that 2024 be marked as a Year of Prayer.  "2024 will be dedicated to a great ‘symphony’ of prayer. First of all, to recover the desire to be in the presence of the Lord, to listen to him ...”

In his announcement on 23 January, Pope Francis said:

"There are many people who pray every day; perhaps, I dare say, everyone prays. No statistic can give us a true picture, with figures and percentages, of this very intimate experience of people who know the multi-faceted nature of prayer in a completely personal way. From those who quickly make the sign of the cross, to those who participate in the daily Eucharist, there is such a vast range of ways of praying … From quick to distracted prayer; from contemplative prayer to prayer filled with tears of pain ... prayer cannot be captured in a pre-established pattern because it is a manifestation of the believer's personal relationship with God himself within that intimate and exclusive relationship that distinguishes our faith. The Year of Prayer, therefore, fits into this context as a way of fostering the relationship with the Lord, offering moments of genuine spiritual rest. It is like an oasis sheltered from daily stress where prayer becomes nourishment for the Christian life of faith, hope and charity".

So, what does this symphony of prayer look like at All Hallows' School? As Pope Francis said, prayer is many and varied, and so it is for us. Each day begins with prayer in the Home Group. Students are also encouraged to write their own prayers for sharing their prayer intentions, which is a beautiful way of uniting the community and focusing on the needs of others. All Religious Education classes begin with prayer, and all gatherings of staff include prayer.

Every house has a Mass and every year level, a liturgy, as part of our Wednesday morning liturgy program. Religious Education classes run the alternate liturgies on Wednesdays too. Each day at 12.00pm, two students from Year 10 ring the Charles Borromeo Bell in the Walk and say the Angelus on behalf of the whole school. We are blessed to have so much iconography around the school, which reminds us to pause and reflect. From St Patrick in the Main Building vestibule, St Joseph in Kirinari Place and Mary who greets us on the Convent drive, we are reminded of our tradition and of the role models in our story.

Our expressions of prayer are personal and communal, traditional and contemporary, but all are designed to put us in contact with our God and the global community in need of our attention.

The Chapel was brimming with students and staff last Wednesday as we commissioned our 2024 Mercy Action Program. 

Our school theme, Listen with Curiosity, Speak with Courage, Act with Integrity, lends itself so beautifully to the works of Mercy that form part of our program. In the liturgy, we were reminded about Catherine McAuley's theology of action.

Catherine McAuley believed religious piety was best expressed through action; as she is quoted in the Retreat Instructions, a manual written after Catherine’s death for women preparing for joining the Sisters of Mercy, “It is not sufficient that Jesus Christ be formed in us – he must be recognised in our conduct” (Purcell 72). 

She urged others — both her Sisters and her lay neighbours — to embody the humility and kindness she saw in Christ, reminding them, “He must be recognised in our conduct…Ever complying, ever forbearing, ever charitable, ever compassionate to the weakness and frailty of others — by thus imitating his life, we can testify our gratitude for His signal mercy in selecting us…”

She knew that people listen more carefully to those they esteem highly, so by acting out her religious convictions, she believed she might more successfully draw others to her. 

Our school value of integrity means that we must follow our principles and live our lives according to our beliefs. 

For us today, this means:

To listen: and find the strength to hear the Cry of the Poor, the Cry of the Earth, the Cry of Mercy, the Cry of the Faithful and the Cry of our Church

To speak: to find the courage to speak out of the silence ourselves and to seek opportunities to help those with no voice to speak their silence

To act: with Justice, Compassion, Integrity, Loyalty, Responsibility and Mutual Respect, and with a hospitality that recognises the dignity of all and our stewardship of our shared home.

Our extensive Mercy Action program offers many opportunities to listen, speak and act. We look forward to sharing news of our 20 activities throughout the year.

Mrs. Tina Pond (Teacher)

On Friday, 23 February, our Year 5 students gathered in the Potter Room for their Year 5 Retreat.  The theme for the retreat was, ‘Friendship, Mercy and Community.’  Throughout the day, students participated in a number of whole group, class, House and individual activities.

During the day, we learnt more about the story of Catherine McAuley and how we can live out our School values every day.  We also learnt about what it means to be a part of the AHSisterhood and how we can be a good friend to others, following in Catherine’s footsteps.

The focus of the afternoon session was very special as we invited parents and grandparents to join us for the introduction to our Mercy Action project of knitting squares for our blankets.  These blankets will then be donated to St Vincent de Paul for the Winter Appeal during Term 2.  It was lovely to see our students, parents and grandparents sitting together in knitting circles, sharing conversations, and learning new skills together.  We then moved to the All Hallows’ Chapel for our Year 5 Liturgy.  This was a lovely way to conclude our day together, especially when we all joined together in song for the ‘Circle of Mercy.’

The Year 5 students thoroughly enjoyed experiencing their first retreat together and had many positive comments to share about their day.