Having gratitude means that you are thankful for the good things in your life. It is an attitude that seeks the good in every situation and tries to see a silver lining around every cloud. Instead of going straight to negativity and panic, a thankful person focuses on the positives and manages to maintain a healthy perspective, rather than thinking the world is out to get them.

So many stressful things happen in everyday life, whether conflicts with family members, financial concerns, or health problems. But thinking about everything you must be grateful for - from friends to family in your life to the clothes on your back to the food on your table can help put those challenges in perspective.

If we look to the bible, we see that it centres around gratitude or giving thanks continually. The faithful are called to give thanks to God for everything, and not only to be thankful but to rejoice. " Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! " Psalm 95:2.

Jesus began and ended his prayers with words of thanks and praise to his father and in the Lord's Prayer he taught his followers to do the same Matthe 6:9-13. He even thanked God for the opportunity to sacrifice his life for the world.

Teaching children an attitude of gratitude requires helping them to look at their situations from a point of appreciation rather than from a deficit. We can provide them with opportunities to express thanks daily through:

MOTHER'S DAY LITURGY and MORNING TEA

MOTHER'S DAY LITURGY - Readers

All year 6 students will have a special role within the Liturgy.  If your child will not be available on that day please contact Mrs Cuthbertson.

MOTHER'S DAY STALL at SCHOOL

The Community Council will be holding a Mother's Day Stall on Thursday the 11th of May for students to purchase a small gift for their mum.

Send your children to school with money to purchase a gift, the price range will be from $2- $10.

This year the parish will be undertaking the Sacrament of
Reconciliation and the First Eucharist for students in Year 3
and 4. The important dates to remember are shown below.

Sacrament of Reconciliation

  
Sacrament of Eucharist

    

Blair Bales, Trudy Sturgess, Poppi Barber and Louis Morton

who celebrate their birthdays during this week.

We hope you enjoy your special day.

With the change in the weather and uniform we usually find ourselves with a large number of unmarked polar fleece jumpers.

PLEASE label your child’s clothing so that we can save parents money by returning jumpers that are discarded on the playground and in classrooms.

Jumpers that are named often end up in the wrong backpack, so we also ask that you check the name on your child’s jumper & return to the rightful owner if necessary.

Our Year 5/6 students will be travelling to Young by bus on Wednesday the 31st of May to compete at the Mortimer Shield Rugby League Legends Day.

A bus has been organised by the school and will cost $10 per student.  The bus will leave St Mary's at 7.45am SHARP.

Please ensure your child is at school at this time with their school allocated uniform plus any personal items including boots, personal protective equipment (mouth guard / headgear).  Please also ensure your child has a hat, sunscreen, water bottle and the food they will require for the day.

There will be a canteen operating.

We also advise a change of clothes.

Mr Arms and Mrs Turner will be with the students on the bus and at the games.

Parents are most welcome to attend to cheer on the teams.  If you wish to travel in the bus with the students please call the school office.

Could parents of Year 5/6 students please logon to Compass to give consent and pay for your student.

St Mary's has organised a visit from The Super Science Circus Show on the 25th of May at 1:50pm in the school hall.

The show is an incredibly inventive, interactive and educational show that uses the fun of circus, comedy and magic to inspire scientific inquiry into the natural, physical and material world.

Our students will join the Ring Mistress and her cast of characters to question the HOW and the WHY of circus.

The cost of the show is $6 per student so please logon to COMPASS to give consent and payment.

The following events are in the calendar in the next few weeks.

The Compass Calendar is updated to show Mass times, sporting events, important events.

The SZAPP calendar is no longer updated, please do not refer to this calendar for important dates.

Day	Event	Location
Wednesday 3 May	School Counsellor Visit	At School
Thursday 4 May	Reconciliation Retreat Year 3/4	At School
Friday 5 May	MacKillop Rugby League Trials	Southwell Park, Lyneham ACT
Monday 8 May	School Counsellor Visit	At School
Thursday 11 May	Mothers Day Stall for students. Presents will cost between 3 - $15	At School
	Sacrament of Reconciliation @ 5pm	St Mary's Church
Friday 19 May	The Twits - Wagga Theatre Excursion Year 3-6	Wagga
	CG Cross Country - for those students who qualified	Stromlo
Monday 22 May	School Counseller Visit	At School
Wednesday 24 May	National Simultaneous Story Time and Book Fair	At School
Thursday 25 May	The Super Science Circus Show - all students	At School
Sunday 28 May	Eucharist Commitment Mass @ 9.30am	St Mary's Church
Monday 29 May	School Counsellor Visit	At School
Thursday 1 June	Eucharist Retreat Day	At School
Sunday 4 June	First Eucharist at 9.30am	St Mary's Church
Monday 5 June	School Counsellor Visit	At School