Welcome from our CSPWA President - Alan Buckley

Friends, as we begin term 2 our Catholic community is still mourning the loss of our beloved Pope Francis. The impact of his leadership, humility and love was clearly evident in the outpouring of grief that followed his passing, every corner of the world seemed to be shocked and touched by the news. In an age where so many demand recognition of authority and indulge in the trappings of power Francis showed us another path, a different way to view the humanity and beauty of everyone in society. This is by no means an easy road to walk, but as Francis demonstrated time and time again it is one that is of vital importance in our modern world where the poor and downtrodden are so often overlooked as we go about our busy lives.  It is fitting that in the months ahead we will continue to celebrate the Jubilee year of Hope and as we do so let us remember to pray for Francis who brought so much hope to those who needed it most. May his soul and souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace.

I recently came across an article that highlighted a growing trend for families to volunteer together. Those interviewed spoke of the wonderful joy that came from working together to benefit local groups and the increased closeness of the family unit as a result of their efforts. As winter approaches and so many in our society are in need of support services, the demand for volunteers increases. Is this an area that you can help in? To start finding the right volunteer opportunities for your family, consider exploring local community boards, checking with schools for any community service initiatives, or browsing the websites of nearby nonprofit organisations. Your help will be greatly appreciated and remember that service is the greatest of gifts, it brings joy to both the giver and receiver.

I extend warm congratulations to Annette Morey on her appointment as Executive Director of Catholic Education WA. Annette has served as the CEWA representative on CSPWA and has always been a valuable contributor who recognises the key role parents play in the education of their children. Those of us who have had the privilege of serving with Annete have no doubt her appointment in an excellent decision and all of us at CSPWA look forward to continuing our close working relationship in her new role.

On behalf of everyone at CSPWA I wish you all the best, students, parents and school staff for Term 2. As we move through the first few weeks of the term let’s keep in mind that it is the Marian month and remembering the example of Pope Francis let us pray for the intersession of our Blessed Mother, to keep us safe, to allow us to see the many blessings that we so often take for granted and to continue to give us the opportunity to work together as family and community.

God Bless

Alan