Term 3 Week 1 of 9.
Friday, 25th July 2025
Message from the Principal
Dear parents/carers,
We celebrated our grandparents in our school today by sharing in a liturgy, having them in our classrooms and having a morning tea.
We celebrate a very special group of people our grandparents. Whether they're cooking our favourite meals, doing pickups and drop off, telling stories, or simply offering a warm hug, grandparents are the anchors of love, wisdom, and tradition in our families and in our society. They are so important.
Grandparents hold a unique place in our lives. Their love is unconditional, their advice often timeless, and their stories remind us of where we came from. They are a link with the past and a door to the future. As adults we have cherished memories of time spent with our grandparents—quiet afternoons, homemade meals, or bedtime tales from a world that seems far away yet somehow familiar.
I was lucky to have both sets of grandparents in my life for a very long time. I’ll focus today on two of them.
My amazing Pa, Alf lived until 99 and was in my life until only about 5 years ago. He was at my 50th birthday, so I’m lucky to have had in my life for so long. His stories always amazed and captivated me. He served in the Navy in the second world war. His stories of his travels and journeys taught me so much about the past and are part of my present as I often think about them. He was born in 1920. We went to the AFL football together every week in winter, played golf, shared ANZAC day every year and went out to dinner to his local RSL. He had a clever way of offering me advice and his wisdom and pulling me up if I got too far ahead of myself. I know he had a great role in helping to form me as an adult. He was also very funny and would sing old songs that had me and my children always laughing, even though we had heard them many times before.
My Nan, Joan (Alf’s wife) passed away earlier at 83, she was the quieter one of the duo but always showed me and my family unconditional love and was always on your side. She was a wonderful cook who made the best soup and rabbit stew. Nan and Pa were working class children of the depression in Melbourne, they grew up in the inner city, in hard times. They instilled an appreciation for the small things in our whole family and were big on developing resilience, even though they didn't say that word. They encouraged us to do our best, never give up, to bounce back from hard times and treat all people with respect. Just like they had.
To all the grandparents we thank you for your love, care, stories, time, devotion and the special place you have in our lives. To the grandparents of the students on Resurrection please know you are part of our school family, we see many of you at drop off and pickups. We thank you for all you do for our students.
Best wishes,
Deputy Principal: Learning & Organisation
Parent Teacher Interviews
The School Interview booking system is now open for bookings for our upcoming Parent Teacher Conversations scheduled for Week 3, Wednesday 6th August from 12:45pm to 8pm. Students will finish at 12pm on this day.
Please note that bookings to meet with Mrs Belinda Collins will take place in Week 4, Wednesday 13th August from 8:30am to 6pm. Bookings for this day are also open.
The bookings are allocated to 15 minute time slots to allow teachers to meet with each family. The meetings will be held in your child’s classroom.
Here is the link to make your bookings: https://www.schoolinterviews.com.au/code/478aa
Otherwise, you can scan the QR code on your device!
Scholastic Book Fair
A very exciting time as we welcome our Scholastic Book Fair back to Resurrection in Week 3! The fair will be open from Tuesday 5th August to Friday 8th August for purchasing items at the following times:
Tuesday 5th August: 2:30pm - 3:45pm
Wednesday 6th August: (PTIs) - 12pm - 8pm
Thursday 7th & Friday 8th August: 8:15am - 9am and 2:30pm - 3:45pm
Students will have an opportunity to browse in the school day and may come home with a ‘wishlist’. You may also make purchases online! Purchases can be made via cash or card.
This event was an overwhelming success last year and we look forward to creating more opportunities to spread the love and magic of reading. More information to come next week.
Book Week (Week 5) - Children’s Book Week Celebrates 80 Years in 2025!
Get ready to celebrate Children’s Book Week from Saturday 16 August to Saturday 23 August! This special week is the biggest event of the year for the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA), and in 2025, it marks an incredible 80 years of celebrating books, reading, and young imaginations.
The theme for 2025 is “Book an Adventure!” – encouraging every child to discover the amazing journeys that reading can offer.
This year’s feature artist, Jess McGeachin, has brought this adventurous theme to life with a magical illustration full of imaginary characters and whimsical landscapes. As an award-winning Australian picture book illustrator, Jess’ work inspires children to imagine, explore, and create their own adventures through reading.
We’re proud to join in celebrating 80 years of storytelling, imagination, and the power of books to transport young readers to new worlds. Here’s to the next 80 years of adventures in reading!
Have you got your costume organised?
Wellbeing, Child Safety & Community Leader
Learning Diversity Leader
We’re excited to welcome everyone back for another fantastic term of learning and growth. As students begin working toward their new goals, we kindly remind parents and caregivers to return a signed copy of their child’s Personalised Learning Plan (PLP) to the school for our records.
Last term, some students received an Adjustment Plan for the first time, which includes targeted goals through intervention programs such as MiniLit or MacqLit. If your child received one of these plans, we would greatly appreciate it if you could return the signed copy as soon as possible.
Thank you for your continued support—we’re looking forward to a productive and engaging term ahead!
Reminder - School Fees
School fee statements have been emailed to all families this week. To avoid any disruption, please double-check your inbox and make sure payments are up to date.
If you have any questions or need assistance with payment arrangements, don’t hesitate to contact the school bursar accounts@rskingspark.catholic.edu.au
New Gate – Gate Number 1
As many of you have noticed, over the holiday period we installed a brand-new gate at Gate 1 to improve access and safety. Please be aware that a small speed hump has also been added as you approach the gate. We kindly ask all parents to drive with care when entering and exiting Gate 1 to ensure a smooth and safe experience for everyone.
Thank you for your continued cooperation and understanding!
SUNDAY GOSPEL
This Sunday’s reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Luke 11:1-13
Ask, and it will be given to you.
Once Jesus was in a certain place praying, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’ He said to them, ‘Say this when you pray:
“Father, may your name be held holy,
your kingdom come;
give us each day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive each one who is in debt to us.
And do not put us to the test.”’
He also said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him in the middle of the night to say, “My friend, lend me three loaves, because a friend of mine on his travels has just arrived at my house and I have nothing to offer him”; and the man answers from inside the house, “Do not bother me. The door is bolted now, and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up to give it to you.” I tell you, if the man does not get up and give it him for friendship’s sake, persistence will be enough to make him get up and give his friend all he wants.
‘So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him. What father among you would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or hand him a snake instead of a fish? Or hand him a scorpion if he asked for an egg? If you then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’
Gospel Reflection
In today’s gospel, Jesus provides his disciples, and all Christians, with a model for prayer. In keeping with this modelling by Jesus, it is significant that the Lord’s Prayer, or Our Father, is the common prayer of all Christians, regardless of denomination.
The parable and teaching that follow the Lord’s Prayer make clear the particular purpose of prayer that Jesus was highlighting – prayer as petition. In this instance, Jesus assures us that if we pray for what we need with conviction and confidence, then God cannot fail to respond to our prayer. Jesus in fact encourages us to be demanding and persistent in our prayer. However, the parable used to demonstrate the persistent nature of prayer is not focused on demands for selfish purposes, but rather the neighbour needs assistance in fulfilling his obligations of hospitality to a traveller. He is not waking his neighbour in the middle of the night to ask for bread for himself; he asks for bread to give to his guest. He asks for help to fulfil his duty and responsibility. This gives us something of an idea about how we might focus our prayer. Praying for a pony or new bike isn’t quite in the same league!
The final element of the gospel passage provides us with a description of God’s love and care by something of a negative comparison: if human parents would not do harm instead of good to their children, God is even less likely to act like this towards us. It’s a bit of an odd way around of saying that God’s love is greater than anything within our experience or imagination.
Living the Gospel - Ask, Search, Knock
Jesus says in the gospel, ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.’ The actions of asking, searching and knocking are means by which we initiate the encounter with God. If we don’t ask, search and knock, how is anyone (including God) to know our needs or know what it is that we are searching for. Particularly in our spiritual lives, it is only through the search and the knocking on the doors of different experiences that we ever come closer to finding answers.
Historical Context - Stone for bread
The stone/bread, snake/fish and scorpion/egg comparisons seem a little far fetched to us, but would have made perfect sense to a 1st Century Palestinian audience. The flat, brown stones around Lake Galilee look very similar to the flat bread that was baked in the area. The ‘snake’ may refer to a sea-snake – an eel – which might be caught up in a fisherman’s nets but was regarded as unclean by the Jews. The poisonous scorpions of the region are very pale in colour and when curled up at rest could be mistaken for an egg.
Gospel Focus - Relationship
A crucial aspect of prayer is the attitude with which we view God. We trust in God’s character that it is not a pointless exercise to ask for something. We trust that God is even more loving than a parent who tries to give their child what they need. If we did not make these basic assumptions about God, there would be little point in prayer. When our prayer lives falter at times, perhaps we need to first check out our relationship with God and our attitude towards God before trying to ‘fix’ the ways we pray.
Parish News
Uganda Trip 2025
Our journey to Uganda took us far beyond miles, it took us into the heart of Resurrection Vocational Secondary School, where every smile, every story, and every handshake left an imprint on our souls.
From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed not as guests, but as family. The resilience, passion, and warmth of this incredible community moved us deeply, and we carry their spirit with us now and forever.
To the students, teachers, staff & Fr Nestus - thank you for inspiring us, for teaching us the power of hope and for reminding us that connection knows no boundaries.
Resurrection Vocational Secondary School is no longer just a place we visited, it’s a part of who we are.
Have you ever wondered what $10 a month can do? For many children in need, it means everything, access to nutritious food, vital educational resources, and the opportunity to learn and grow in a safe environment.
By choosing to support a child through our sponsorship program, you're contributing to transform a young life. Your generosity helps provide:
Daily meals while at school
Educational tools to empower their minds
Resources that support knowledge and growth
Together, we’re building a future where every child has the chance to thrive.
Please contact the parish office for further information.
TERM THREE DATES 2025
Week 2
Monday 28/7
Years 3-6 Assembly at 2:30pm
Tuesday 29/7
Wednesday 30/7
Executive Team Leadership Huddle 4 of 6
Thursday 31/7
Friday 1/8
Principal’s Network
Saturday 2/8
Sunday 3/8
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Week 4
Monday 11/8
Year 3 Camp to Camp Weekaway
Years 3-6 Assembly at 2:30pm
Tuesday 12/8
Year 3 Camp to Camp Weekaway
Wednesday 13/8
School Advisory Council (SAC) at 7pm
Thursday 14/8
Bishop Martin visiting at 2:30pm and 4pm
Friday 15/8
Whole School Liturgy at 9am: The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Saturday 16/8
Sunday 17/8
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Week 6
Monday 25/8
Makeup/Photo Day for Year 6 Production
Years 3-6 Assembly at 2:30pm
Tuesday 26/8
Parent support group meetings (PSGs)
Wednesday 27/8
Parent support group meetings (PSGs)
Thursday 28/8
Parent support group meetings (PSGs)
Friday 29/8
Pyjama Day Fundraiser
Saturday 30/8
Sacrament of Confirmation at 11am & 1.30pm
Sunday 31/8
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Parish & School Family Mass 10.30am
Week 8
Monday 8/9
Years 3-6 Assembly at 2:30pm
Tuesday 9/9
Wednesday 10/9
Executive Team Leadership Huddle 5 of 6
Thursday 11/9
Friday 12/9
Saturday 13/9
Sunday 14/9
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Week 1
Monday 21/7
School Closure (TIL Day)
Tuesday 22/7
Wednesday 23/7
Year 3 Camp Parent Information Night at 5pm
Thursday 24/7
Friday 25/7
Grandparents Day (9am Mass) and open classrooms until 10:30am followed by morning tea
Saturday 26/7
Sunday 27/7
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Week 3
Monday 4/8
Prep - Year 2 Assembly at 2:30pm
Tuesday 5/8
Scholastic Book Fair
Wednesday 6/8
Scholastic Book Fair
School Improvement Network - leadership (off-site)
Parent Teacher Conversations (12pm finish) 12:45pm - 8pm meetings (dinner provided)
Thursday 7/8
Scholastic Book Fair
Friday 8/8
Scholastic Book Fair
Saturday 9/8
Sunday 10/8
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Week 5
Monday 18/8
SCHOOL CLOSURE: PBL Day with Jo from MACS
Tuesday 19/8
Wednesday 20/8
Thursday 21/8
Friday 22/8
Book Week Parade at 9am
Regional Deputy Principal’s Network
Saturday 23/8
Sunday 24/8
Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Week 7
Monday 1/9
Prep and Junior School Tabloid Sports (11:30am - 1:30pm)
Prep - Year 2 Assembly at 2:30pm
Tuesday 2/9
Father’s Day stall
Wednesday 3/9
Thursday 4/9
Friday 5/9
Father’s Day Celebration at 7am Blessing and BBQ
Principal’s Network
Saturday 6/9
Sacrament of Confirmation at 11am & 1.30pm
Sunday 7/9
Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Week 9
Monday 15/9
Grade 4 Camp to Camp Wyuna
Prep - Year 2 Assembly at 2:30pm
Tuesday 16/9
Grade 4 Camp to Camp Wyuna
Wednesday 17/9
Grade 4 Camp to Camp Wyuna
Senior School Production - Matinee and Night 1 performance
Thursday 18/9
Senior School Production - Night 2 performance
Friday 19/9
Last day of Term 3
Whole School Mass at 9am
Footy Colours Day/Crazy sock day - gold coin donation!
Saturday 20/9
Sunday 21/9
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
