Samantha pretending to walk to Mater Dei

Samantha wanted to send a little message to Coogee via her website. She got a little gift at Mater Dei to carry her reading books.......

Walking to Mater Dei....singing in the yard

Sammy didn't take long to settle in.....

Sammy's orientation day at Mater Dei.

Samantha and Dad went off to Sammy's first day at Mater Dei, her new school next year to meet the teachers and all the other preppies. She met Mrs Scott and Mrs Orchard and saw Chloe Corboy singing and dancing in the church. She had a great day once she saw some of her 'old' friends from the Woods.

Mater Dei here we come.......

Halloween costumes...

 

Champagnat Week Celebrations

It has been a big few weeks planning for one of the big events on our annual calendar, Founders day celebrations and now it is all over. Things began on Thurs 3 June with whole school singing and liturgy practices and then that afternoon the Superior General and Vicar General of the Marist Brothers' dropped in to chat with about 50 keen teachers and supporters to listen. Friday was D Day - Champagant Day  with the day beginning with mass with our 2 special guests from Rome. Our theme in the year of the priest was 'Come Follow Me'. A highlight was one of our spanish speaking boys welcoming and introducing Br Emili in Brother's native language which greatly impressed him, before presenting him with a Socceroos jumper.

The day followed with games, barbeques, cross country and staff/student touch football games before finishing the day with staff drinks......but later that evening in a Brazilian restaurant (we couldn't find a french one) about 20 keen Marists gathered around the table to end the day with good food and some wine!

A great finish to a fabulous day. Onwards and upwards for planning for 2011.

'Now is the Time'

This was the catch cry and theme for our recent Joint Formation Encounter between Marist Brothers' and Lay Marists in Mittagong. In the words of Br Pau Fornells, the Director of Marist Bureau of the Laity, he said

• It is a time of thinking of the Church being born.


• It is a time of building together, as Marist Companions, the Church that Jesus spirit wants here today in Oceania.


• It is a time of listening to the call of God together again.


• Yes, it is a time of sharing our call: “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in the whole Judea and Samaria, and until the confines of the earth” (Act 1, 8).


• It is a time of being brothers and sisters in the same mission trusted by the Lord: the children and young, especially the most in need.


• It is the time of the Spirit that He wants to outpour once again on his Church.


• Yes, it is a time of making community, gathered around the same table.

Attached is the photo of the members who attended the Formation.

Joint Formation GF 10

Have just returned from 5 wonderful days on Joint Formation Encounter with the greatest bunch people (minus one I work with!!..haha Peter if you're reading) in Mittagong, the spiritual home of the Marists just outside of Sydney.

Arrived back home in Brisbane last night about 8:30pm and started trying to explain to my wife what had been happening over the past 5 days. I realised today talking to many people at work who thought I had been on holiday that like many deep spiritual encounters it is hard to explain it. To all my new companions who shared the few days of intensity they will know what I mean.

I am so grateful for being invited and received so much that I hope I can pay back with a little revitalisation in my own community. Here's to all of us growing the marist family a little bit more each day.

The Hermitage France

Rob and Luke on holidays in France

Capt Steve at ACEC 2010!!

Capt Steve!!
Originally uploaded by LearningForward

Hey Stevo,
Good to see you are keeping busy. You never just take holidays do you? Anyway laid up with sprained ankle watching the waves roll in from Star of the Sea Terrigal. Will follow your feeds and hope to bring the Ashgrove team down to visit the new mecca at Northern Beaches.
soon.
Cheers
Mark

Samantha

Aunty Trine has returned home from the shops with a little toy for Sammy!

Project Based Learning (PBL)

Injured on the job

Twisted my ankle badly last night coming home from dinner. Had little Samantha in one arm and fell into a pothole and crashed onto the street. Here is the foot. Not a great way to start holidays!

Health Care Reform in USA

P032310CK-0627
Originally uploaded by The White House

A big day in American history. They said it couldn't happen but President Obama signd the Health Insurance Bill with 22 different pens.