Throughout 2019, Mark Spencer and Andrew Slater from the Religious Education and Spirituality team, led the staff on a spiritual journey towards discernment of a new Vision and Mission statement that would honour and respect the Mercy Charism. The school community overwhelmingly endorsed these statements as well as parish priest Fr Paul O’Neill.

The staff and students presented these statements to the community in a very meaningful and visual way. It was especially moving to witness four Sisters of Mercy, Sr Mary O’Hearn, Sr Pat Lake, Sr Pauline Burg and Sr Paula Redgrove carry a Mercy Cross made of red cedar into the ceremony. Sr Paula taught at the school in 1954. Fr Paul blessed the cross, and the community as it embarks on its mission. This cross will now be a presence in the school as a symbol of the Mercy Charism, the Vision and Mission by which Our Lady of Lourdes strives to live each day.

Fr Paul then led the school in a Beginning of the Year Mass in which principal Cheryl Henderson addressed the community on “culture of growth”, the school’s theme for 2020. The school’s  2020 leaders were awarded their badges, and the new Kinder students received a goodie bag from their buddies to help them start the year off on the right foot.

This day of great celebration for Our Lady of Lourdes culminated at the Diocesan Called to Serve Mass where the school received the Emmaus award for school community, and Pastoral Care worker Karen Tucker received the Emmaus award for school support.

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