Dear Holy Cross Parents and Carers,

I hope your Easter break was restful and refreshing, filled with moments to reconnect as families and celebrate the joy and hope of the Resurrection.

It was an absolute joy to welcome our students back for the start of Term 2. My heart was truly full as I watched the classrooms slowly come alive with smiling faces and listened to the joyful stories of holiday adventures and (of course) chocolate!

This week, we received the sad news of the passing of Pope Francis. As a global Catholic community, we pause to give thanks for his extraordinary life of service. A man of deep humility and compassion, he dedicated his papacy to caring for the poor, the marginalised, and our common home. His legacy will continue to shape the Church and inspire hearts around the world. We hold him in our prayers and thank God for the wisdom and guidance he shared with us.

Returning to school straight after Easter gave us a beautiful opportunity to reflect deeply on what truly happened on that first Easter morning. Imagine being there - how astonishing it must have been to witness the miracle of the Resurrection.

In Luke’s Gospel, we read how Jesus, moved by compassion, raised the only son of a widow in the town of Naim:

“Young man! Get up, I tell you.” The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

Luke 7:11–17

In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus brings back to life the twelve-year-old daughter of Jairus:

“Little girl, I tell you to get up.” She immediately stood up and began to walk around.

Mark 5:22–24, 35–43

These were miraculous acts of restoration, of life returned, though only temporarily. In time, these individuals died again. But Jesus’ Resurrection was something entirely different.

His was not a return to normal life, it was a transformation into a new form of existence. Jesus broke through the limits of death to enter fully into God’s life, a life no longer subject to decay or time. Unlike those he raised, Jesus did not resume an ordinary human life. He opened a new dimension of human existence, offering a glimpse of what awaits us all through faith.

I often wonder what I would have thought if I had been there on that first Easter day.

The disciples were no strangers to Jesus performing miracles, restoring sight, healing disease, but this was something altogether new. Jesus had not merely come back; He had gone beyond, into God’s own life. And yet, He remained truly present with them. It was a unique and extraordinary experience, something that forever changed the course of history.

As Psalm 118 reminds us: “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

We rejoice, because Jesus has made resurrection a reality for us all. As He said to the once-doubting Thomas:

“You believe because you have seen me; blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”

John 20:29

May the joy of Easter continue to live in your hearts, and may there be plenty of chocolate eggs left to enjoy!

With fondest regards,

Sarah