School Newsletter

“I liked the study skills session, because it will help me with future school work.”

Ben Gutierrez (7R)

Years 9 & 10

“ I feel this Seminar Day benefited everyone that attended. The style and atmosphere was very different to previous Seminar Days and I can say I definitely enjoyed it. I particularly loved Mr Foxe’s speech and I know what he taught us will help us in the future.”

Daniel Yu (Year 10 Castor)

Years 11 & 12

“ I liked the fact that we had more character-focused presentations instead of study skills. Mr Anderson's presentation was fantastic, with the stories and concepts very relatable to my life.”

Peter Stoodley (Year 12 Hydrus)

I know that many of your sons are excited about the Redfield Leadership Program. The program commences next week on Wednesday (Years 6-11) and Friday (Years 2-5) at lunchtime. Students in Primary need to be registered by their parents using the link below: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScBHzYWAA08h0IIU85kTGmvBGHU8b0UoCK8gmyAkBFMa_YKGg/viewform?usp=sf_linkand Secondary students can register themselves via the email link that they have been sent. Registrations will close this Friday, 26 February.

Trent Thomas
Director of Formation

Our Lord acts through events and people, and while a lot of these acts are seldom mentioned in scripture, it is important that we take the time to understand that, as Pope Francis put it,“those who appear hidden or in the shadows can play an incomparable role in the history of salvation.”Saint Joseph is an incredibly venerable example of such a role, as he was the spouse of Mary and the father of Jesus, and in this way, he placed himself at the service of the entire plan of salvation. There is much we can learn from St Joseph, and with the trials and hardships faced by families due to the COVID pandemic, these lessons are all the more relevant.

Joseph was an obedient father. Though he was deeply troubled by Mary’s pregnancy, it was his obedience which made it possible for him to accept the Lord’s will, surmount his difficulties and spare Mary. Furthermore, when the Lord asked him to flee to Egypt to escape Herod, guided his return and then ensured his safety in Nazareth, Joseph trusted in the will of the Lord and obeyed his commands. It was by passing on this same patriarchal obedience to Jesus which made him a minister in God’s plan for salvation. We should all understand that, whilst we live in the moment, God sees the bigger picture. No matter the hardships thrust upon us and our families during times of tribulation like the Holy Family’s escape from Herod, or our current day COVID-19 pandemic, we should all trust in the will of our Lord, as his plan transcends our immediate comprehension and only through obedience, can we carry it out and begin to understand it.

Joseph was also a working father, an exemplary patron of the importance of dignified work. He was a carpenter who earned an honest living to provide for his family. From him, Jesus learned the value, dignity, and joy of what it means to “eat the bread that is the fruit of one’s own labour”.Work is an opportunity for the fulfilment not only of oneself, but also of that primary cell of society: the family. The loss of employment, which has greatly increased as a result of the pandemic, is a terrible thing because it hampers this opportunity. No individual, no family should be without work, however, we should let this serve as a summons to review our priorities and, by looking to the life of St Joseph, fully understand the value, importance, and necessity of work in the fulfillment of ourselves, our purpose within our family, and the collective journey to God’s grace.

By looking to St Joseph affords us lessons that will better ourselves and our family, and bring us all closer to God’s grace. In light of recent events, the venerability of St Joseph’s character is plainly apparent, and we should strive to share his virtue and trust in our Lord.

Jacob Raffoul
Year 12 Student

The day commenced with our Ash Wednesday Mass in the Chapel, before boarding the buses and making our way to South Windsor. The energy of the boys throughout the day was almost matched by the amazing tunes that pumped over the PA system from Mr Zhang's playlist. We burst into the races and were so impressed by the efforts of the boys in the pool, especially as some boys were in a 50-metre pool for the very first time. Mr Hatcher, 'The Voice on the Mic', ensured that everything ran smoothly and controlled the event with a resonating and calm voice that thundered throughout the site. Each race produced some intensity and the fun nature of the carnival was not lost in the incredible routines of the House chants and competitive war cries. Each swimmer was resoundly supported by his House members, led by the House Captains. It was wonderful to witness such a healthy and encouraging sporting atmosphere.

With very close results, the winning house of the events held in the main pool was Hydrusand for house participation, Castor. Very well done to everyone!

We are very proud of the efforts and achievements of each of the boys. We especially wish to pass on a big THANK YOU to all the incredible teachers who helped organise and make this carnival such a wonderful display of skill, celebration and fun!

Thanks again,

Justin Roberts (Head of Primary Sport) and Francisco Nodrid (PDHPE)

This isn’t good. I ignore the ache in my foot. I calm my screaming lungs but I can’t stop the water from gushing in. My name is Thallous and I am in Year 6. I am competing in the 50-metre freestyle race and I am determined to win. I swim at the speed of a dolphin as my brain repeats the same words: “1, 2, 3, breathe”. I don’t bother to look at who’s first or last as it will slow me down. My eyes suddenly bulge out for a second and it hurts. It’s like a bullet has just greeted my left foot and my speed starts to descend swiftly due to the sudden pain. The air in my lungs is used up and I struggle to keep my breath. Steady; 1,2,3, breathe. I open my mouth wide enough to swallow a couch and I let air pour into my lungs. That is my biggest mistake. The water dives into my mouth. I gag and cough and my face is as red as a tomato. That does it! I stand up and take deep breathes of precious air. Multiple seconds have ticked away and the other contestants did not even wait! I plunge into the water again and my legs beat the water and my arms slash the water like I am trying to murder it. Faster, FASTER I keep swimming. My body is wearing out. Slower and slower I go. Suddenly my hand meets a familiar wall. I scramble out and there is only one kid in front of me. I’m second! Though I may not have been first, I gave it my best shot and that’s all I care about. That effort will be pinned in my mind, forever.

Johnson Zeng (Year 6B)

This goal arose from the recognition of the fact that Redfield is simply a gold mine of diversely gifted children. And we, as student leaders, want to showcase these gifts. However, sometimes, amongst the rigidity of schooling, these unique gifts are not able to be fully expressed, supported or recognised. In order to rectify this, we aim to find ways to encourage the development of students’ idiosyncratic talents, regardless of how specific they may be. This can come through more student-run clubs and societies or even talent exhibitions to name a few proposals.

We simply want to bring the most out of each of our students, holistically developing them into well-rounded young men.

Elijah Touma
College Captain, 2021

Time: 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm

Location: Via ZOOM

Log-in details: Log-in access details to the Zoom presentation / workshop will be emailed to those that register.

Cost: FREE

Parents can now book online by visiting: https://www.hornsby.nsw.gov.au/learnerdrivers.

Click on this linkto access the flyer for more details.