We pray that Pope Francis, who preached that Jesus is love and that we are saved in hope, may know God's love forever in heaven. May the tireless efforts of Pope Francis to proclaim the mercy and compassion of God, bear fruit in our outreach and the quest for peace and mission among all.  Amen 

Dear Friends,

Welcome to Week 1 of our second term and I hope you all had a holy Easter and a wonderful break.  As we are all well aware, on Easter Monday, our Pope Francis sadly passed away.  What an incredible gift Pope Francis has been as our Pope over these 12 years. He has been a Pope of many firsts:

• He was the first Pope (and there have been 266 Popes) who was a member of the
  Society of Jesus (Jesuits).
• He was also the first Pope from the Americas and the Southern Hemisphere. 
• He was the first Pope born and raised outside Europe since the 8th Century.
• Finally, he was the first Pope to have chosen the name "Francis" as his Papal name.

Pope Francis was an inspirational Catholic and world leader, who was humble, merciful and a strong advocate for all people, especially those feeling disengaged, and an advocate for the sustainability of our environment.  His greatest strength for me, that moved me the most, was his comfortability with those on the margins.  Just like Jesus, Pope Francis simply loved them, and he showed them he loved them.  There are many images that come to mind about Pope Francis, however the two I have chosen above, are ones that certainly encompass all that he was. 

In his final Easter message, Pope Francis shared with us that in Jesus' Resurrection, "He fills us with the certainty that we too are called to share in the life that knows no end." May Pope Francis forever now experience this life that knows no end.

On Tuesday, we began the term, acknowledging ANZAC Day and the many people who have served, and continue to serve for peace for all of us. It was special that ANZAC Day was only a week after Good Friday, the day of Christ's death.  There is much synergy between the two significant events for us as Christians, in regards to the endearing notion of sacrifice for others. We thank all in our community who continue to serve in our armed forces and sacrifice much time to ensure we live in a country of peace.

Easter Raffle

Congratulations to our Easter Raffle winners, what a lovely surprise for the last day of Term 1. A huge thank you to everyone that bought tickets and donated chocolate for these prizes. 

Mother's Day

Next Friday, 9th May at 2pm, we will be celebrating all mothers and mother figures in our lives.  This will begin with a special prayer Celebration in our Church followed by afternoon tea in our Kinder and Year 1 courtyard.  We will share together some scones and we will have a coffee cart available for complimentary drinks.  If any of our Dads in the community would like to please help with the serving of the afternoon tea, could you please email Miss Capper at emily.capper@cg.catholic.edu.au

Please note that we will not be holding a Mothers Day stall this year, however our students will certainly be preparing some very special gifts with their class.

Community Council AGM Tuesday 20th May 6:30pm

In a few weeks, we will be hosting our Community Council AGM, where all elective positions are open. Parents are also invited to nominate for a committee member, or a specific working party group.  Many of these are already set up, and are just needing some extra support.  Some of our working groups include Clothing pool, emergency meals, communications, fund-raising and community events.

The Council is a crucial point of connection between the Principal, school leaders and members of the School community. While the Council does not have governance responsibility or decision-making authority in relation to the School, the Council provides a means for members of the community to share their skills and talents for the common good, and a forum for the Principal and school leadership to draw on the collective wisdom and insights of the parent cohort.The Council operates in accordance with the School Community Council Charter, and the Council Executive provides leadership to the broader Council. If you would like to know more about our Council, please contact our current Chair, Cath Day (0413 319 899).  If you are interested in being a part of our Community Council this year, please fill in the nomination below and send back to me before Friday 16th of May, thank you. 

Holy_Trinity_Community_Council_Nomination.docx

We are excited to host our first Class Assembly tomorrow after recess, with 3G in our school hall and we will continue with another Open Day next week as we begin our enrolment period. Please note that if you have a child in our ELC and are wanting to continue at our school, you will need to enrol for Kindergarten 2026.  All important  dates for his term are highlighted each week in our newsletter and/or What's On Publication and are also on our school website.

Sacrament of Reconciliation 

Congratulations to our students who celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation in week 10 last term. 

Mother's Day Prayer Celebration and Afternoon Tea

We are delighted to invite all mothers and special women in our community to join us for our Mother’s Day Prayer Celebration, which will be held on Friday, May 9 at 2:00pm in the Church. This special event is an opportunity to honour and celebrate the incredible women who nurture, support, and inspire us every day.

Following the prayer celebration, we warmly welcome you to join us for afternoon tea, where we can continue the celebration together as a community in the garden.

To help make this event a success, the Community Council is seeking volunteers to assist with the set-up and clean-up of the afternoon tea. If you are available to lend a hand, your support would be greatly appreciated. Please email emily.capper@cg.catholic.edu.au. 

Finally, if you have not sent in a photo of the special women in your life, please email these to krystal.coker@cg.catholic.edu.au

Sacrament of Confirmation

The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated on Tuesday 24^th and Wednesday 25^th of June. Enrolments are now open (via Parish of Transfiguration QKR!) for students who are in Year 6 and who have received the Sacrament of First Reconciliation and First Eucharist. 

Please see attached letter from the parish regarding the Sacrament of Confirmation. 

The Parent Information Night (PIN) will be on Tuesday 6^th May at 6pm via MSTeams. 

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 458 830 629 851 1

Passcode: GS67jR6K

We are also looking for group leaders. For more information please email Emily Capper or join the MSTeams meeting at 530pm. 

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Holy Week 

Thank you to the classes that presented a Prayer Celebration during Holy Week. It was a beautiful way to end our school term. 

School Holiday Program

Our ELC children thoroughly enjoyed the recent school holiday program. From baking ANZAC biscuits, bike rides and dress ups, to leaf exploration and dinosaur hunts - the children had the opportunity to experience it all!

Request for Parent Help

We are looking for some parents who like to paint... specifically parents who would like to paint some concrete squares in our ELC playground (they need a little refresh).

I anticipate it will require us finding a paint suitable for concrete (red and green). You will then be able to carry out the painting outside of school hours - perhaps the weekend would work best.

If this piques your interest and you can support this little project, please reach out to Damien.

New Direct Debit Payment Option Coming Soon!

 We are pleased to announce that  Holy Trinity has recently introduced the BPoint Enterprise Solution to manage direct debit arrangements for the payment of school fees.

 What is BPoint and What Do You Need to Do?

BPoint is a secure Commonwealth Bank payment processing platform designed to facilitate online payments, while ensuring the highest security standards. This system safeguards your financial information using industry-leading security measures.

Our new direct debit platform will allow you to pay school fees using either a bank account or a credit card (excluding AMEX). Please note that payments made via credit card will incur a 0.5% surcharge.

 Establishing Direct Debits.

Very soon, families will receive an email outlining estimated weekly, fortnightly, and monthly repayment options to ensure all fees are paid by the end of the year. These amounts will also include any outstanding 2024 balances.

 What next?

 You will receive an email that will provide a start date for direct debits and options for selecting your preferred payment frequency. Once a payment frequency is selected, you will be directed to enter your bank/credit card details. Once the information is entered, you will receive an email from no-reply@bpoint.com.au . The email will contain two links,

1.         The first link requires confirmation of the direct debit arrangement. Please note that the link will expire within 7 days.

2.         The second link provides a copy of the eDDRSA for your records.

 While using the direct debit payment option is not compulsory, many families find it helpful in staying up to date with their financial obligations.

For any questions or further assistance, please contact NIkki at our front office.

Swimming

Congratulations to all the students who competed at the South Weston Regional Swimming Carnival! Your dedication, sportsmanship, and effort in representing our school was truly outstanding. A special congratulations goes to those who have qualified for the ACT Swimming Championships! We wish Lewis B, Zara Z, Ella F, Spencer C, Sophia H, and Jacob H the best of luck for the ACT Carnival next Tuesday!

Cross Country

We had a fantastic day at our annual School Cross Country event, filled with energy, enthusiasm, and a strong sense of community spirit. It was wonderful to see all students getting involved, giving their best, and cheering each other on throughout the day. The support from families and staff added to the vibrant atmosphere, making it a truly memorable event. Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to such a positive and inclusive community event!

Futsal

Congratulations to all the students who participated in the ACT School Futsal Titles! Your hard work, teamwork, and sportsmanship were outstanding, and we’re so proud of how you represented our school.

A huge shoutout to our 3/4 Girls team, who went undefeated across 9 games to be crowned champions on the day! Congratulations to Alice M, Ivy E, Lucy M, and Georgia C, who also received ACT Schools team offers.

Well done to our 3/4 Boys team, who played with great spirit and narrowly missed the finals. Congrats to Xavi N, Christian N, and Sam E on their ACT Schools team selections.

Our 5/6 Boys team had an impressive run, winning 5 of 6 games—an amazing effort, especially for a team new to futsal!