Archives for April 2020

Kia ora e te whānau,
 
We hope that Term 2 and our distance learning programme has been a success for you so far. We know there will have been any number of challenges for you to deal with but we have been getting some great feedback about the learning that is happening and thank you for all your support.
 
Today the Government decided that we will move into Alert Level 3 on 28 April.  That means we will be open to receive students from the 29 April.  We will start to prepare our site from tomorrow.

Here is a summary of what our Prime Minister shared at today’s press conference:

“Schools and early learning centres can be accessed this week for cleaning, maintenance and any other preparations. The current plan is for schools to be able to re-open for a Teacher Only Day on 28 April as part of their preparation, and we expect those who need to attend, to be able to from 29 April.  It may take a bit longer for some schools and early learning centres to be ready.”
 
“So here’s a reminder of the principles for Level 3 when we get there.

1. Stay home. If you are not at work, school, exercising or getting essentials, then you must be at home, the same as at Level 4.
    
2. Work and learn from home if you can. We still want the vast majority of people working from home, and children and young people learning from home. At-risk students and staff should also stay at home, and they will be supported to do so. Early learning centres and schools will physically be open for up to Year 10 for families that need them.”

 
The key message for you is that if you can, you should keep your child at home. You should only physically send your child to school if you need to. If your child has a health condition that means they are at a greater risk of a severe illness you must keep them at home.  If your child is sick please also ensure you keep them at home.  I want to assure you that we will continue to support your child’s learning at home.

In order to ensure the safety of those tamariki and our staff who do come to school, we will be operating with strict enforcement of health and safety measures.

The Ministry of Education has advised that they are working closely with health to develop clear guidance that will support schools to safely re-open their premises to students and staff. This will help us work through the public health requirements that we all need to meet. As you will be doing, we want to be sure that what we do will keep our community as safe as possible.
 
For our school distance learning will continue throughout Alert Level 3 for all of our tamariki, including any tamariki that need to be at school.

To help us plan for Alert level 3 we first need to know how many tamariki will be coming to school during Alert Level 3 please complete the below survey. We need 100% completion of this survey and ask that you complete this by Wednesday 22^nd of April.  

https://forms.gle/jjZLBcQcV8UPEfcdA

Ngā mihi nui,

Tania

  

Cardinal McKeefry School office@cardinalmckeefry.school.nz https://www.cardinalmckeefry.school.nz/ Ph: 04 475 3262

April 9 Newsletter

Welcome to the latest edition of our Schoolzine eNewsletter!Visit the link below to view your newsletter: https://cardinalmckeefry.schoolzineplus.com/schoolnews?nid=28Regards, Tania Savage Principal

Suggestions for Prayer at Home over Holy Week

Prepared by Fr Patrick Bridgman, Liturgy Adviser Archdiocese of Wellington

In these days as we approach Holy Week, we are like our ancestors not having the full rituals of the Church available. How we remember the Most Holy of Weeks will be by our own choice personally or as a family; yet we know that we are in communion with the faith community of our parish and the local Church; our diocese, and the Church world-wide.
The following are simple suggestions for Palm Sunday, and the Triduum; Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. These moments of prayer are sourced in the Missal from which we pray when we are together, and so the words and symbols are familiar to us. They are already part of our prayer life. You may like to pray at the times you would normally gather with your faith community in the parish so to emphasis the reality of our communion with each other.

Palm Sunday

Each year we gather to commemorate the Lord’s Entrance into Jerusalem. For our prayer today we could go into our gardens and cut a small branch in readiness for the blessing.
If children are present in the house, they may enjoy this task. If the weather is fine you could gather outside with the branches and pray with the words of the Church. In prayer someone could speak aloud how we have been preparing our hearts during Lent by penance and charitable works, and that now we announce with the whole Church the beginning of the celebration of the Lord’s Paschal Mystery, that is to say, of his Passion and Resurrection.
With branches held high we could pray with these words or similar:

Almighty ever-living God,
make holy these branches with your blessing,
that we who follow Christ the King with joy,
may reach the heavenly Jerusalem through him.
who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen
Following the blessing it would be good to read the account of the ‘Entry into Jerusalem’ from the Gospel of Matthew 21:1-11. After a time of reflection, and if possible, a sharing on the Gospel, then you could pray Intercessions which may arise in your hearts at this time.

This time of prayer could conclude:

O Lord, look upon your family,
for whom our Lord Jesus Christ did not
hesitate to be delivered to death.
May his resurrection give us perseverance
And lead us to salvation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.

People may also want to reflect with the Readings of the Day from the Liturgy of the Word for Palm Sunday (Is 50: 4-7; Ps 21, Phil 2: 6-11, Matt 26: 14-27:66) You will be able to access a chanted version of the Gospel through the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Wellington, YouTube page.
Cardinal John’s Palm Sunday Mass will be online at 10am.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFl_puUtk-lIZdqrequ-nQw/

Holy Thursday

During the day we could prepare a prayer focus in the house with a bowl of water and a plate with a cup/glass. (That, again, could be an activity if there are children in the house)
In the evening at table, before or after the meal, there may be an opportunity to read one or more of the scripture passages suggested for the Lord’s Super liturgy. (Ex 12: 1-8, 11-14; Ps 115; 1 Cor: 11:23-26; Jn 13: 1-15).
Our grace before the evening meal could remember the call for Christians to serve others and how we long to gather again for the celebration of the Eucharist.
And finally, we could pray:

Almighty God
We receive new life
From the supper your Son gave us in the world.
May we find full contentment
In the meal we hope to share
In your eternal kingdom.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen

Good Friday

Today is an opportunity to place a Cross in a central place in our house or garden. For children, maybe they could create one from some branches that have fallen from the trees in recent winds. Through the day, as we pass the Cross, we keep in mind what Christ has done for us.
At 3pm, before the Cross we could read the Passion of the Lord: John 18: 1-19:42 (we may like to also read Is 52: 13-53:12; Ps 30; Heb. 4: 14-16, 5: 7-9).

As, when we are together at Church, if there are a few people in your ‘bubble’ different people could read parts. A time to reflect could follow, if possible. The Prayers of Intercession today include prayers for: the Church, the Pope, all the faithful and clergy, all those preparing for baptism, the unity of Christians, the Jewish people, those who do not believe in Christ, those who do not believe in God, those in public office, those in tribulation, and a special prayer at this time for the sick, those who have died, and those
who feel lost or dismayed.

Again, this is an opportunity for children to have prepared some prayers around these themes. There could follow a time of silent prayer before the Cross. A concluding blessing could follow:

May abundant blessing, O Lord,
come down upon you people,
who have honoured the Death of your Son
in the hope of their resurrection:
may pardon come,
comfort be given,
faith increase,
and everlasting life be made secure.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen

Easter Sunday

Whether in the darkness of the Saturday evening, or in the Sunday morning light, we could gather, at the time we normally would with our parish community, in our home to rejoice in the truth that the Lord is Risen!

If there are children present, they could prepare for the prayer by painting a candle with bright colours and a Cross. Maybe with the numbers of the Year, 2020, at the intersection corners of the Cross. As well they could have a bowl with water and maybe some flowers around the base of the bowl.
The candle could be lit and placed beside the bowl of water. And we could pray:

O God, who on this night/day,
through your Only Begotten Son,
have conquered death and unlocked for us the path to eternity,
grant, we pray, that we who keep the day of the Lord’s Resurrection,
may, through the renewal brought by your Spirit,
rise up in the light of life.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, you Son,
who lives and reigns for ever and ever, Amen.

There are many readings which the Church offers for reflection at this time and may be found in your Missal or online. The Gospel for the Easter Vigil is Matthew 28: 1-10, and for the Day is John 20:1-9.

If children are present it could be an opportunity for them to have prepared a dramatization of the Gospel chosen. Sharing or reflection could follow on the Gospel and any other readings chosen.
Our focus could then turn to the bowl of water, and we could reflect on our own baptisms and on what we believe. The renewal of Baptismal Promises includes a rejection of Satan, his works, and all his empty promises. Then follows a profession of our faith in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth; in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord, born of the Virgin Mary, who was crucified, died, was buried, rose from the dead and is now seated at the right hand of the Father; in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
Prayers of the Faithful could follow remembering the needs of the faithful, the world, local communities, your family, the sick, those who have died, and special intentions for this time.

The prayer could be concluded with these or similar words:
Look upon your family, the Church, O Lord,
with unfailing love and care,
so that, renewed by this Easter celebration,
our hope may be restored
and we may come to the glory of the resurrection.
Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

HAPPY EASTER!

Kia ora e te whānau,

I hope you are keeping safe and well in your bubbles? Please do not hesitate to contact us if you need support. Our staff are available each day to support you.

Are you looking out for the teddy bears on family walks? I have attached a picture of our teddy looking out for family walkers.

How is your fort building going? Only a few more days to complete this challenge. We have had 8 entries so far and the standard is high! Entries close on the 3rd of April. https://www.cardinalmckeefry.school.nz/2020/03/25/cardinal-mckeefry-community-challenge-week-1/

We have added some more resources to our school holiday part of our home learning page if you are looking for activities to entertain your tamariki. https://www.cardinalmckeefry.school.nz/parents-and-caregivers/home-learning-support/

The 30 day Lego challenge is a great activity to keep tamariki occupied. If you send me pictures of your completed creations I can upload them for others to see in a special holiday newsletter to be published next week.

I look forward to seeing your pictures of Forts and Lego creations over the next few days.

Ngā mihi nui,
Tania