Dear colleagues, This week is Marriage and Family week and our schools are all taking opportunities to celebrate marriage and family life in their school communities. I have drawn on two pieces of work for my reflection on this issue. The first is drawn from the prayer prepared by the CSO Employee Services team for our weekly prayer at the office.
‘Pope Francis in his homily on Oct. 26 during morning Mass in the Domus Sanctae Marthae.
reflected on the day’s first reading from St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians (4:1-6).
Pope Francis spoke of the importance of humility, kindness and generosity as requirements for creating peace in the world, starting in one’s own family. “To create peace, unity among us [it takes] humility, gentleness—we who are used to insulting each other, yelling at each other—gentleness, and magnanimity,” he said. “But can you really make peace in the world with these three little things? Yes, it is the journey. Can you reach unity? Yes, that [is] the journey: humility, gentleness and magnanimity,” he said.
“Jesus’ advice is to find agreement in the beginning, make peace right away,” before problems escalate. “This is humility, gentleness, this is magnanimity. The world needs peace, we need peace, our families need peace. Start practicing these simple things at home and start walking on a path of unity.” ’
The second source for my reflection is from a longer reflection by Gerard Hore (Education Officer: Catholic Life) in our CSO weekly internal staff bulletin (the full version can be found in 'Worth A Quick Thought' in this eBulletin). It provides an insight into the challenges faced by all families, even those who practice humility and gentleness and the changing face of families in our school communities.
“No one can doubt the great good that family life can be and should be. On the other hand, no one can doubt that family life can also provide some of the deepest anxieties and hurts people can experience. This situation, this tension, is as old as humanity. Much of the Book of Genesis can be seen as the story of the rights and wrongs done within a family’s life; the family that began with Abraham and Sarah. Today too, we live in a time where it is obvious that many family structures, different from what was considered the norm, are accepted in society. No matter how they are constructed, all families deserve acknowledgement as mini-communities, based on the mutual love of their members who are striving to make life better for each other. If that is what they are trying to do, then, whether they know it or not, the Holy Spirit is at work in those families.”
I hope that your conversations with your students about marriage and family are both positive about the challenges of family life, and respectful of those who are hurting. Our students’ encounter with Christ through the humility, gentleness, gratitude and humour that you model will influence their understanding of the teachings of the Catholic faith on marriage and family, whilst showing that judgement is not our role.
God bless,
Chris Smyth
Director of Schools
This week our Diocese marks Marriage and Family Week. Since its inception it has been held close to 26 July, the feast of St Joachim and Anne, names given in an ancient story to the parents of Mary and, so, Jesus’ grandparents.
Pope Francis has in the last few months designated the fourth Sunday of July each year as a World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly. The Pope’s messagefor 2021 regarding this is magnificent and I urge you, young and old, to sit down with a cuppa and read it. As usual, Pope Francis is down-to-earth and very spiritual at the same time. The message that the family is, for most people, the setting in which human solidarity is learned and expressed comes through very clearly.
So, in our Diocese, the two come together; Marriage and Family Week and the World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly.
No one can doubt the great good that family life can be and should be. On the other hand, no one can doubt that family life can also provide some of the deepest anxieties and hurts people can experience. This situation, this tension, is as old as humanity. Much of the Book of Genesis can be seen as the story of the rights and wrongs done within a family’s life; the family that began with Abraham and Sarah.
Today too we live in a time where it is obvious that many family structures, different from what was considered the norm, are accepted in society. No matter how they are constructed, all families deserve acknowledgement as mini-communities, based on the mutual love of their members who are striving to make life better for each other. If that is what they are trying to do, then, whether they know it or not, the Holy Spirit is at work in those families.
Enjoy Marriage and Family Week!
Gerard Hore,
Education Officer: Catholic Life
Expression of Interest to be appointed to another Armidale Diocesean School Expressions of interest are now open for teachers to express an interest in being appointed to another Armidale Diocesean School. Expressions of interest are made through the principal at the school where the teacher is employed using the Expression of Interest To be appointed to Another Diocesan School Form.
The current principal provides a statement endorsing the application. Expressions of interest are to be forwarded to the Employee Services Team at the Catholic Schools Office by Friday 6 August 2021, email jobs@arm.catholic.edu.au
(Leanne Woods)
Working With Children Check Extended For Three Months
The Office of the Children’s Guardian(OCG) has advised that working with children checks due to expire between 19 July 2021 and 26 September 2021 have been extended for three months. The three-month period applies from the date of the person’s current expiry date. Anyone granted an extension will be advised by email from the OCG.
(Leanne Woods)
Income Statements for 2020-21 Financial Year
The Catholic Schools Office has finalised our employee’s pay and superannuation data for the 2020-21 financial year and this information has been forwarded to the Australian Taxation Office.
With the introduction of Single Touch Payroll the Catholic Schools Office is no longer required to issue Payment Summaries (aka Group Certificates) to our employees. Your end-of-year financial information (Income Statement) is now available in your ATO online account (via myGov) or from your accountant.
CSO Pilgrimage - In the Footsteps of Mary MacKillop
The Catholic Schools Office is pleased to provide senior school leadership team members and senior CSO staff with the opportunity to participate in the CSO Harvest Pilgrimage - Footsteps of Mary MacKillop. 11 Day Pilgrimage 22 September - 2 October, 2021. Please note pilgrims will be responsible for the flight from their home to Sydney on 22 Sept and then from Adelaide back home on 2 October.
See Itinerary - Update Flyer - Footsteps of Mary MacKillop Expression of Interest - closes 20th August 2021
(Gary McSweeney)
Pressures on Teachers' Time - Survey
The Grattan Institute is running a survey about pressures on teachers’ time.
Principals, deputy or assistant principals are invited to take part in the school leader surveyhere.
Primary and secondary teachers are invited to take part in the teacher survey here.
The survey is anonymous and will take around 10 minutes. Your responses will help the Grattan Institute to develop a better understanding of issues affecting Australian teachers’ time.
Mental Health Education Program
The Mental Health Education Program is a Schools Suicide Prevention Initiative designed to support school wellbeing strategies, build mental health literacy and enhance coping strategies and support-seeking skills through the facilitation of workshops directly with secondary school students. There are also workshops for parents and carers. More information is availablehere.
(Vicki Hartley)
Roger O'Sullivan Memorial Award
Applications for the 2021 Roger O’Sullivan Memorial Award for Family, School and Community Partnerships for Learning. The due date is now Wednesday 20 October 2021.
The goal of this retreat is to provide an opportunity for you to deepen your relationship with Christ and to experience how Catholic rituals and practices support us in growing and deepening this relationship. There will be times of input, time for personal reflection and reading and times to join in Catholic faith practices and prayer.
Available to: Classroom teachers, Educational Assistants and Administration Assistants who have at least 3yrs experience in our Diocesan schools.
This is the week. Schools are reminded to have at least one lesson this week on this topic. Materials were sent to schools electronically some weeks ago.
(Gerard Hore)
Diocesan Men's Gathering
These gatherings are a project of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference. See link. There are two phases but participation in the first, while recommended, is not a prerequisite for participation in the second. In the first, available from early August, men in small groups from parishes, schools etc. are invited to come together for three one hour sessions, each based on a pre-recorded talk of about 20 mins. For Phase 2, a gathering is planned to take place at St Nicholas’s Tamworth on Saturday 16 October. Male staff members are urged to consider taking part, either as part of a parish group or by forming a school-based group. If the group is school-based, a leader should contact the organisers as indicate in the linked flyer.
(Gerard Hore)
Catholic Mission: “One Heart, Many Voices” Virtual Conference
RECs may wish to consider their schools’ being involved in this event (1-3 September). Registration not only leads to participation if and when time allows but also to access conference materials after conclusion of the event.
(Gerard Hore)
Health and Safety Committee Training For High Schools POSTPONED
The event scheduled for 12 August 2021 to be held at McCarthy Catholic College has been postponed until further notice.
(Geraldine Chapman)
New CSO Safety Support Focus for this Semester - Focus on Mental Health. Available in your E Learning Education Safety Hub. Please take the time to focus on your mental health.
(Geraldine Chapman)
Professional Development Update
NESA is still updating eTAMS to reflect the new PD policy changes. Please continue to log Elective PD on your NESA account. The CSO will communicate to schools the new processes once NESA has updated eTAMS. Please contact Millie Woolaston if you need assistance.
(Millie Woolaston)
New Teachers Updating Employment on eTAMS
Please ensure you update your employment by attaching yourself to your current school on your NESA account. Please Contact Millie Woolaston if you need assistance. (Millie Woolaston)
