Honoring a Visionary: Farewell to Father Peter Foley

This week, our community gathers with heavy hearts but profound gratitude to farewell Father Peter Foley, a man of immense vision, deep pastoral care, and enduring courage. As we reflect on his legacy, we recognise that every student, teacher, and family at Clairvaux Catholic School stands in the footsteps of a giant in Catholic education.

Father Peter’s impact on the Belmont and Highton parishes cannot be overstated. He possessed the rare foresight to see what our community could become. By working with the forward planning group and parishioners, together they forged a path together.  Fr Foley could not have done this alone, only with others who were committed to a collective goal.

Joining two distinct school communities into one was no simple feat; it required meticulous planning and the bravery to navigate change.

Fr Foley understood that true leadership is built on social interdependence and trust. By leading with faith and keeping God by his side, he created the conditions necessary for our school to flourish. His willingness to take on difficult tasks and persist through challenges is the reason we enjoy the vibrant, solid community we call Clairvaux today.

While many of our current children may only know him through the landmarks of our school campus, his influence is woven into the very fabric of our school:

• The Foley Centre: Our major meeting room, which is a hub for gathering and collaboration, is named in his honor.
• Foley House: Our Red House proudly carries his name, inspiring students to lead with his trademark persistence and spirit.
• Generational Reach: Father Peter’s "net" was cast far and wide. He touched the lives of countless families, reaching back to the grandparents of our current students, modeling a Church that is inclusive and far-reaching.

A Final Guard of Honour

Today, the community will gather at St. Bernard’s and Clairvaux to pay their final respects. In a special tribute, our Year 6 students will form a Guard of Honour as Father Peter leaves the parish for the last time.

These students will stand as representatives for every child currently at CCS, as well as the thousands of alumni who walked these halls before them. We thank Father Peter for his service, his grit, and his heart. He leaves behind not just buildings and names, but a living, breathing community of faith.

Rest in peace, Father Peter Foley.

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A Prayer of Thanksgiving 

We thank you for the gift of Father Peter Foley. 

We thank you for the life of St. Bernard, whose wisdom and devotion inspired Father Peter's vision. We thank you for the legacy of the Mercia and St. Bernard’s communities, the "living stones" that became the foundation of our school. 

We pray in deep gratitude for Father Peter: For his tired feet that walked the halls of the old schools, For his sharp mind that navigated the path to this new site, And for his shepherd’s heart that loved every family in his care. 

May we, the staff and students of Clairvaux, honour his memory by living out the values of faith, unity, friendship and excellence that he championed so fiercely. 

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Mothers Day

This Sunday we celebrate all our Mums.  Many thanks to all the mums and dad who packaged up each of the gifts on Wednesday and also for the stall today.  The joy that the little purchase will bring on Sunday will be a sign of the love that we have for all our Mothers.  I just hope that if the gift is hidden tonight that it can be found on Sunday morning.

A reminder for all of our Mums to come to school tomorrow to engage in Maths games and then attend the morning tea.  We hope to see many Mums tomorrow.

A prayer in gratitude for our mothers

Good and Gentle God,
We pray in gratitude for our mothers and for all the women who have joined with you in the wonder of bringing forth new life. You who became human through a woman, grant to all mothers the courage they need to face the uncertain future that life with children always brings.

Give them the strength to live and to be loved in return, not perfectly, but humanly.
Give them the support of family and friends as they care for the physical and spiritual growth of their children.

Give them joy and delight in their children to sustain them through the trials of motherhood.

Most of all, give them the wisdom to turn to you for help when they need it most.

Author Unknown

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Catholic School Professional Learning

Next week on May 13th we will have 4 Catholic schools visiting Clairvaux to observe our Maths planning and implementation.

• St Mary MacKillop, Keilor Downs
  Cana, Hillside
  St Margaret’s, East Geelong
  St Margaret Mary's, Spotswood

The primary objective of this visit is to foster a collaborative learning environment where visiting educators from these Catholic schools  can witness high-quality Mathematics instruction in a live setting. This is a "colleagues learning from colleagues" initiative.  In the visit they will have the opportunity to 

1.Observe Effective Practice: To see our  "Maths processes" in action, providing in real time  how theories are applied in the classroom.

3.Professional Dialogue: Creating a space for the teachers to discuss challenges, successes, and the "why" behind specific instructional choices.

The visitation is strategically connected to our Flourishing Learners Network day occurring later this term and aligned with each school's Annual Action Plans (AAP) and their individual improvement goals for the year. The System-Wide Support: Contributes to the overarching goal of supporting professional learning across all Western region schools.

Sacramental News

Presentation Masses - Thank you    
We extend our sincere thanks to all families who attended the Presentation Masses over the weekend. It was wonderful to see our Year 4 Eucharist candidates and Year 6 Confirmation candidates presented to the St Bernard’s Parish community across the three Masses. Your presence was a strong sign of support and a reflection of the value you place on your child’s faith journey. Together with our parish and school community, your continued involvement plays an important role in guiding and nurturing our young people as they prepare to receive these Sacraments of Initiation.

Sacrament of Eucharist 

The next important date for the Year 4 Eucharist candidates and their families is the Family Faith Formation evening on Wednesday 27th May at 6.30pm at St. Bernard’s Church.

Information regarding stole orders was sent home last week to families and students also brought home a labelled plastic bag for stoles once orders have been placed (if using Gracious Glyphs)

Bookings for the Sacrament of Eucharist ceremonies will open on the school interviews booking platform at 9am on Thursday 28th May. Booking code will be provided prior to the date.

Sacrament of Eucharist ceremonies:

• Sat 13th June 5pm
• Sun 14th June 9am or 10.30am

Sacrament of Confirmation      
Important dates:  
Confirmation Family Faith night -Thursday 23rd July 6.30 pm 
Confirmation Preparation day - Wednesday 26th August 
Sacrament of Confirmation - Sunday 30th August 1pm and 3.30pm                                                                                                         

Year Level Masses

** Please note the change of date for the Year 3 Mother’s day mass due to Fr. Peter Foley’s funeral today**

• Year 3 Mother’s day Mass - Thursday 14th May 9.30am
• Year 5 National Reconciliation Day Mass- Wednesday 27th May 9.30am
• Year 2 Care for Creation Mass - Thursday 11 June 9.30am

It has been an exciting term for our Prep students in Italian Studies! Their enthusiasm for learning about the Italian language and culture has been truly inspiring to witness. They have been learning how to introduce themselves in Italian and ask one another how they are feeling. This week, they began practising a “new friends” conversation—perhaps in the coming weeks, they can share their new skills with you at home!

In Years 4, 5 and 6, the focus has been on food! Students have been expanding their vocabulary by identifying common food items they might find in their fridges and pantries at home. Next week, our Year 4 students will be researching Italian ingredients and participating in a Kahoot quiz to test their knowledge. Year 5 students are learning how to order a meal in Italian, while Year 6 students are completing their Italian “three-course menu” posters, which they have been working on brilliantly.

The “Italian Food” topic is always a favourite, as it connects so closely to real-life experiences. By Week 9, it might be time to enjoy a family meal at an Italian restaurant—with the students taking the lead on ordering of course!