Mission News

This Tuesday 14 September the Queensland Government will begin debate on the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021.

Old Boy and current parent, Dr Luke Garske has recently led a health professional lobby group supporting palliative care and opposing voluntary assisted dying (VAD). The link below is a series of brief videos from a group of concerned Medical Professionals (Dr Garske and amongst others, local GP and former President of the QMA and AMA, Dr Steve Hambleton, former Ashgrove parent) who through the Queensland Care Alliance speak succinctly and with compassion on matters relating to the upcoming bill. These video messages are an important contribution to the conversation around this matter.

 https://vimeo.com/showcase/8773584 

If you so desire, below is a link which was widely circulated in Catholic communities is a direct link to petition the rejection of the bill. 

CLICK HERE TO SEND AN EMAIL DIRECTLY TO YOUR MP ASKING THEY REJECT THE BILL

Toiletries Drive Thank You

…for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. (extract from Matthew 25: 35-37)

A huge thank you to the Marist College Ashgrove Community for the generous donations to the toiletries drive. This small act of kindness will mean a lot to those who often find themselves on the margins of our society. 

Staff PD Breakfast 

Pictured here are some College staff attending a Religious Education Professional Development breakfast on the topic of Women in the Church: Naming the Nameless.

The session was run by Dr Maeve Louise Heaney who is the Director of the Xavier Centre for Theological Formation at Australian Catholic University, and a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy. Born in Dublin, Ireland, she is a consecrated missionary of a Catholic Institute for consecrated life, the Verbum Dei Community. 

As a musician and composer, Maeve was able to interweave the fields of theological aesthetics, spirituality and the arts in the presentation with her own composition titled “Nameless”. This sung reflection on the passage in John’s gospel (4: 1-42) where Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well was one of the central aspects of the presentation. Maeve challenged Staff to a different interpretation of the story, seeing the woman at the well as a “type” story, Jesus in the story speaking metaphorically about Samaria’s infidelity. The good news of the story is that true worship in spirit and in truth comes about from the Samaritan woman’s lengthy dialogue with Jesus and that as a result both she and Jesus are changed. This interpretation, attributed to scripture scholar Sandra Schneiders, concludes: “The reader cannot fail to be affected by the fact that the recipient of Jesus’ universal invitation to inclusion is a woman, universal representative of the despised and excluded ‘other’ not only in ancient Israel but throughout history and all over the world. Not only is she included, but she is engaged with respect, even asked for a gift (water) that she might receive a greater gift (living water). Her legitimate inquiries, even her objections, are met and responded to with integrity. And even more strikingly, she is made an active participant in the establishment of the universalist reign of the Saviour of the world.”

Prayers

We pray for all in our community who are sick or suffering. 

We pray especially for Ryan Apps (staff member) father who is extremely unwell.

We pray for those called home to heaven.

We pray for our country and our world still living in this pandemic and we remember the many who have suffered through COVID-19.

May our loving God, with Mary and Champagnat, walk with all members of the Marist family. Amen