1. Principal's News Term 2 Week 4 2021

Pompellier Tournament

The Pompellier Tournament is played every year with the Under 9, Under 11 and Under 13 rugby clubs from Marist Albion, Ashburton Celtic, Celtic Timaru and St Joseph's Oamaru.  It is a Catholic Tournament and involves rugby, sprints and tug of war.  The combined efforts of our under 11 and under 13 year old teams meant that St Joseph's won the overall Pompellier Trophy.  Well done.

Reports

This year our reports are mainly in "real-time" through the See Saw App.  You will also receive a written report from your child's teacher in week 1 of term 3 with curriculum levels for Reading, Writing and Maths and comments for other curriculum areas.  Over the next few weeks, I will also share some of our learning progressions with you which will add a further dimension to our reporting.

There is a parent information session at 2.30pm and a repeat at 6.00pm on Monday 14 June in the staffroom.  This session will unpack our school report and give you some information to help understand them.

Welcome Mass

We had a lovely Welcome Mass on Sunday for new students which was reported in the Otago Daily Times

Confirmation

Confirmation is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as the apostles received at Pentecost.

In the early church people were Baptised by full immersion at the entrance to the church.  They then walked up to the front of the church where the Baptism was Confirmed by the priest.  Confirmation is the Sacrament of the Holy Spirit and brings the fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.

For children who have been Baptised before they could understand the Baptismal promises, the Sacrament of Confirmation gives them the opportunity to confirm their Baptism, and the promises made by their parents and godparents when they were Baptised.

Traditionally the Bishop confers Confirmation as the Bishops are successors of the apostles and this signifies the special gift of the Sacrament of the Holy Spirit, bringing the confirmed person into closer unity with the Church and the apostolic succession.

It's a pretty special thing!  So we look forward to celebrating the Confirmation of 24 children and young people this Sunday at 9.30am mass.

God Bless and Aroha

Lorraine