Kia ora whānau

We hope you've had a chance to pop in and see our tamariki’s incredible interpretations of Colin McCahon’s artwork through their own creative lens. As this term's art journey wraps up, we’re proud to share our latest collaborative effort — the whole school has come together to create the 14 Stations of the Cross, beautifully displayed here.

Ka pai to our tamariki for their thoughtful and imaginative contributions — their work truly inspires reflection and conversation!

As Holy Week approaches next week, we warmly invite you to join us in Week 1 of Term 2, on Wednesday, April 30 at 5:30 pm, for kai and an Easter celebration. Together, we’ll reflect on the journey of Holy Week and celebrate the joy of Our Lord’s Resurrection. We’re also excited to host our Easter Scavenger Hunt. We look forward to seeing everyone take part, so please mark the date in your calendars now.

This term has been a wonderful one, beginning with an outstanding community event — our school Bazaar — and followed by our tamariki settling beautifully into a term full of rich learning. Ngā mihi to all the whānau who have engaged with the Hero posts your child/ren have shared. They truly enjoy showcasing their progress and love receiving your feedback — please continue to support and celebrate their efforts!

Tomorrow, the staff from of St Patrick’s, Holy Cross, and Clifton Model Terrace School will be joining us at St Anthony's as we explore the refreshed Mathematics and Statistics learning area together. So we wish you all a fantastic day tomorrow, and a restful start to the holidays!

Kia pai te Rā Aranga | May your Easter be good 

And may the Easter break be one of joy and peace. 

Denise 

As we enter the final week before Holy Week, I share with you the challenge of John 8 to consider how like Jesus we are in our own lives...

Something Old, Something New
John 8: 1 - 11 is the story of when Jesus, after going to the Mount of Olives, teachers in the temple, where the scribes and Pharisees bring a woman caught in adultery, seeking to trap him.   Jesus, instead of condemning her, tells them "let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her," causing her accusers to leave, and then tells the woman "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more". 
 
“What do you have to say about the case?”
 
You know one thing for sure: they did not drag the woman to Jesus out of respect for his great learning. The leaders wanted him to come down either for or against the law, either way trapping him by his response. If Jesus chose the law, the memory of that horrific stoning would stay with his disciples forever. And if he chose against the law, people would say he was soft on sin.
 
Of course, Jesus finds a third way to answer. Instead of dismissing her sin, he universalises the reality of sin by daring the sinless one to strike first. What is someone had picked up a stone? A neighbour might call out his secret fault. Or Jesus, who well knew the human heart, might publicly remind the crowd of that one’s indiscretions against the law. Rather than saying sin is unimportant, he made it too important for mere humans to arbitrate. And Jesus took that testimony all the way to the cross.
 
Questions for Reflection

• Have you ever been saved from anything? What does it mean for you to say “God saves”?
• What do you have faith in? Do you put your faith in Jesus? If so, why and how? 
• Over whom do you stand in judgment? What would it take to put that stone down? 

 
Kids’ Corner
 
Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. (John 8: 7)
 
Finger-pointing is tricky business. We’ve all done it because it’s so easy to do. We might point at someone and say, “Look at the way that person acts!” And they really might be doing something wrong. But Jesus asks more of us. He asks us to look inside ourselves and be honest about our own actions. Jesus asks us to pay attention to him and what he does and then work on being more like him. That will keep us so busy, we probably won’t even notice what others are doing!
 
Jesus, help me see my own wrong-doing and ask your forgiveness.

Action Response
 
Spend the week in active awareness of the new things God is doing in the world around you. Participate in the signs of new life you discover. Celebrate and be grateful.

The Commissioning
 
Don’t dwell on the past; don’t get hung up on what has happened.
Look expectantly, look confidently, to what is now possible.
 
In Christ, those without hope will find hope.
In Christ, those in wheelchairs will get everywhere.
In Christ, women and children will get the respect they deserve.
In Christ, the refugee will find a home.
In Christ, the infirm elderly person will find support.
In Christ, the mentally ill will know compassion.
 
Is this wishful thinking?
In the spirit of Christ, all is possible.

Written by GPBS eNews

“The Seatoun AFC Junior Football Holiday Programme will be on during Week 2 of the Autumn School Holidays. Please see the poster below for more information and email seatounafcjuniors@xtra.co.nz if you have any questions. We hope to see you there!” 

AUTUMN FOOTBALL JUNIOR HOLIDAY PROGRAMME:

Week 2 of the School Holidays

Mon 21 April - Thurs 24 April

9am-12pm, Seatoun Park

S E A T O U N A F C

Boys & Girls ages 4-12

1 Child $25, 2 $40, 3 $60 per day

REGISTER HERE! seatounafcjuniors@xtra.co.nz 
CLICK TO SIGN UP OR VISIT WWW.SEATOUNAFC.CO.NZ

Kind regards,

James

St Catherine’s College, a high-performing Catholic school located in Kilbirnie, is looking for a Personal Assistant to support the Principal in managing daily administrative and operational tasks. 

This is a pivotal role that requires exceptional communication skills, discretion, and the ability to multitask in a dynamic educational environment.

The full advert along with the application form and job description can be found on the St Catherine's College website.

Applications close on Friday 2 May at noon.

• All Star: Years 6-8, 14th and 15th of April.
• Swish: Years 3-6, 22nd and 23rd of April.
• Bounce: Years 1-3, 24th of April
• Girls Got Game: 16 & 17 April, School years 3-8
  A girls-only camp dedicated to empowering young athletes through basketball.