Learning to pass on the skills of resilience
Q I am interested in learning ways to teach my seven-year-old daughter some resilience skills. She seems to become emotionally overwhelmed every time she is presented with a challenging situation or when she ‘loses’ in a game with us at home or at school. Sometimes she gives up trying because her emotions take over. I really want to teach her that it is okay not to be the best at everything, and also not to give up on something just because it feels too hard. Where do I start?
A temple of God, built of living stones, is dedicated
For many months St John’s Church at Maitland has been being restored and will soon serve as a place of worship again. Rev Andrew Doohan explains how the transition will be marked.
"Do you love me the same as the other children in your family?"
It was a sunny autumn afternoon and my class of Year 2 students had just left for the day when I opened a newsletter in my emails. I was reading through it when an advertisement from CatholicCare, calling for foster carers, caught my eye. There was a phone number to call. I picked up the phone…
Minister for Education learns much from his visit to St James' Muswellbrook
St James’ Primary, Muswellbrook celebrated the fruits of our work with the State Action Plan (SAP) by sharing our fantastic results with NSW Minister for Education, The Hon Adrian Piccoli, at our school during a special ministerial visit last month. St James’ NAPLAN results for 2014 and 2015 showed tremendous growth and the school was recognised by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) for this growth in 2016. Over 70% of the student population gained results at or above expected growth.
Is there a place at your table for the people of wisdom?
Among many others, one of Pope Francis’ gifts to the Church and the world is the example he embodies of the wisdom, faith, energy and vitality of the elderly. Pope Francis will turn 80 just before Christmas, and we don’t see any slowing down or stepping back from travel or daily engagement with God’s people.
The pursuit of happiness
Yes, I’m in pursuit of it. Happiness. I’m on the lookout for notable examples of the phenomenon, to see if I can make any sense of where it happens and where it doesn’t. I might record them in a book, too, as something to turn to on rough days, to lift the spirits a bit by the recollection of being caught up in the infectiousness of an unaffectedly happy person. Hey, it’s no sillier than collecting spoons or snow domes, is it? Little reminders.
THE WAY WE WERE: Having a (debutante!) ball
For many decades St John’s Pro-Cathedral Parish, Maitland, held an annual Debutantes’ Ball at Maitland Town Hall, where the young ladies of the parish would be presented to the Bishop of Maitland.
AURORA EXTRA: Two sides to the divestment debate
I write in reference to Thea Ormerod’s article in the September 2016 issue of Aurora magazine where she is promoting and applauding Catholic organisations divesting in the coal industry.
