It is hard believe that our 2025, a Year of Hope and Hospitality, has come to an end. At the heart of our faith is the hospitality of God. God who created humanity out of a desire for relationship and love. In Christ we see the embodiment of hospitality and hope. We have had a busy end of the year in Mission at the College and we have much to be thankful for.

Last week, thirty Year 11 students from the Justice In Action class visited the residents of McQuoin Park Residential Care Home in Wahroonga to deliver some Christmas cheer. Along with some Year 7 students, they created 122 individual gifts with personalised cards for the residents. We had a lovely time singing carols with the residents finishing up with the College Song, complete with clapping and stomping. The visit was a rewarding experience for the residents and our community. Both the College and Catholic Healthcare are excited about strengthening this new intergenerational partnership, with greater connection planned for 2026. Imogen and Rianna both share their reflections on the visit below.

In the busyness of daily life—school drop-offs, assessments, work meetings, and the ever-growing to-do lists, it’s easy to become consumed by what’s going wrong or what still needs to be done. But what if we paused, just for a moment, to notice what’s going right?

These moments of light are what researcher Deb Dana calls “glimmers”—small, everyday cues of safety, connection, and joy that spark a sense of wellbeing. Unlike “triggers,” which activate stress or anxiety, glimmers help regulate our nervous system and remind us that we are safe, seen, and supported.

At Mount St Benedict College, our Benedictine values of Peace, Hospitality, Stewardship, and Community invite us to be present, to notice the sacred in the ordinary, and to nurture relationships. Seeking glimmers is a deeply Benedictine practice—it’s about slowing down, being attentive, and finding gratitude in the now.

The Science Behind the Spark

TransportNSW have informed us of changes to public bus routes commencing Sunday 30 November 2025, including routes; Click here to see schedule.

590, 605, 607X, 610X, 611, 612X, 613X, 614X, 615X, 616X, 620X, 622, 642X, 643, 652X, 660, 662, 665 and new route 634.

Parents and students using these buses can now plan their travel and see the new timetables on https://transportnsw.info/

The following changes apply to the school advice for Mount St Benedict College.

Morning Buses:

590 - times updated (8am bus due to arrive at Pennant Hills Station at 8.26am instead of 8.19am).

660 - times updated (6.42am bus route added departing initially from Winston Hills).

660 - in Castlewood replaced by route 634.

Afternoon Bus:

662 - times updated (departs Castle Hill Stand A, 6 minutes earlier).

We remind students they must have a valid Opal card to travel on all public transport, and must tap on and off morning and afternoon.

To access the College calendar log in to BenniesLink (Parent Portal) Calendar.
Click here

* College Assemblies For Parents

College Assemblies are livestreamed for the MSB parent community at 9:40-10:45am on the dates specified in the schedule above. The livestream link is here.

Term One 2026 Social Sport and Physical Activity Registrations are now open.

The following Social Sport and Physical Activity programs will be offered in Term One, 2026:

🧘‍♀️ Yoga

🏃‍♀️ Run Club

Please follow the links above to access the Activity Fact Sheets for each program, which contain further information and registration details.

🏋️‍♀️ Registration information for the Bennies Fitness Centre was sent to parents via an email from Mrs Christina He. Please note this activity is only open to students in Years 10-12, 2026.
Registrations for Physical Activity Programs including Yoga and Run Club close on Sunday 1 February 2026.

Last Tuesday, we held our second annual Sport Awards Presentation Breakfast at the College. It was wonderful to see so many families joining us to support their child and celebrate their achievements. The morning was a fantastic opportunity to acknowledge our talented student athletes who represented the College and progressed through higher pathways.

Special congratulations to the following students who were named Athlete of the Year for their respective year groups:

Year 7 – Sienna M
Year 8 – Zoe L
Year 9 – Millie K
Year 10 – Sophie P
Year 11 – Sarah H
Year 12 – Tianna B

This year's two major award winners were:

Overall College Athlete of the Year – Sarah H (Year 11)
The Polding Award – Jasmin S (Year 12)

Thank you once again to every student who trialled, trained, and competed for MSB in our Representative Sport programs this year. I would also like to extend my thanks to all the parents who drove their child to early morning trainings and supported them at events throughout the year.

Interschool Sport:

Term Four Sport Wrap-up

Term Four marked another outstanding chapter for our sporting program, with Rugby 7s and Volleyball teams continuing to build on the momentum created earlier in the year.

Chloe Dalton Rugby 7s
Our Junior and Intermediate Barker Rugby 7s teams delivered an exceptional campaign, both proudly finishing as runners-up in their divisions. Throughout the season, players demonstrated impressive physicality, teamwork, and resilience, consistently representing the College with determination and school spirit. Their performances highlighted not only their growth as athletes, but also the strong culture within our Rugby 7s program.

Interschool Volleyball
Volleyball also enjoyed a successful Term Four, with 10 teams taking to the court across various year groups and divisions. The depth of talent on display was clear, with three of those teams claiming runner-up positions in their competitions. This capped off a fantastic year for Volleyball—a year marked by incredible participation numbers, strong skill development, and a sense of enthusiasm that continues to elevate the program.

Congratulations to all students and coaches involved for their commitment, effort, and sportsmanship. Term Four has been a fitting end to an exceptional year of sport at the College, and we look forward to building on this success in the year ahead.

Darren Nosti
Sport Academy Coordinator

CGSSSA Touch Football Championships:

Last week, twelve students represented the College at the CGSSSA Touch Football Championships held at Macquarie University. Competing in the Open division, our team was made up of a lot of our under 15s players. After five round games, we finished second on the ladder and qualified for the semi-finals, with our only loss being a close 2–3 match against Monte. In the semi-final, we faced a strong Stella Maris outfit and were defeated 4–2. Congratulations to the following students on a fantastic performance: Amelia B, Annabel C, Annika F, Cate G, Claudia M, Elise W, Isabelle M, Mackenzie M, Mia S, Millie K, Zoe M and Zoe L.

NSW All Schools Cricket Championships:

Last week, Eve B (Year 8) represented NSWCCC in the Under 15s Cricket team at the NSW All Schools Championships. On the first day, her team played two T20 matches against the Barbarians and NSWCHS, performing well despite narrow losses in both games. On day two, NSWCCC faced CIS in a 50-over match and elected to bat first, posting a total of 177 runs. However, when it was time to field, play was delayed due to lightning, and the match was eventually abandoned as the storm made it unsafe to continue. On the final day, NSWCCC played another 50-over match for third place against the Barbarians. It was another tough contest, with NSWCCC finishing in fourth place overall. Congratulations Eve on a fantastic achievement.

Darren Nosti
Sport Academy Coordinator

This Advent, we invite you to join us in prayer and reflection through a series of weekly videos. Across December, we’ll light a candle and share a weekly prayer to shine a light on four key themes of Advent.

Week 1: 30 November – Justice | Week 2: 7 December - Repentance

Week 3: 14 December – Joy | Week 4: 21 December – Love

You can view each video on the dates above at: https://goodsamsfoundation.org.au/advent/

With a small gift of $5 , your family can “light a candle” and help provide education, food and care to those that need it the most.

Donate today: goodsamsfoundation.org.au/donate