2007 Opening School Year Mass for Holy Cross Primary School

On the Feast of Sts Cyril and Methodius, February 14th, we celebrated our Opening School Year Mass with the children, parents and teachers of Holy Cross. Various grades prepared different parts of the Mass with Year 6 and their dramatic interpretation of the story of Noah encouraging us to trust in the Lord.

Mrs R was joined on the keyboard by Mr J with his electric guitar and Mrs P and the choir led us in the singing. Father Stephen and many parents were able to join us on this occasion as were the new Kindergarten children who were welcomed into Mass after Communion.

Fr Paul bestowed a special blessing on the new Kinders, other children and staff new to the school. All the teachers were invited forward and received a poster of a prayer for their classrooms. The Mass concluded with the singing of the school song, "This Holy Cross". After Mass the children joined their parents for a picnic in the school grounds.

Opening School Mass for the Learning Community of Blessed John XXIII Parish

On Monday 29th January 2007 the staffs of the three schools who comprise the Learning Community of the Parish of Blessed John XXIII, Glenwood-Stanhope Gardens gathered together to celebrate the Beginning of the School Year with Mass which was concelebrated by Fathers Paul and Stephen.

This was an historic occasion and Mass was celebrated in the library of Blessed John XXIII School, Stanhope Gardens. After Mass morning tea was hosted by the Stanhope Gardens staff and the three school staffs were taken on a tour of the new church by Fr Paul who explained the various parts and vessels within the new Church. We were then led down to St Marks College and shown around the new school which was preparing for its Year 7 intake of 80 students.