Chaplain's Corner

Be proactive to make meaningful change

This term in chapel we really took the school theme RESPECT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT to the nines! Together with our Student Guild we addressed the topic to the highest degree of perfection making sure that when it comes to understanding what climate change or global warming is about, there would be no sixes and sevens among our students. However, James 1:22 says, “Do not merely listen to the word . . . do what it says!” 

He adds that if we only hear the word but do not do what it says we are like a person who looks at themself in the mirror, but as they walk away, they immediately forget what they look like. Our goal this term was to encourage students to be passionate about the environment and cultivate habits that show they are members of a school that advocates sustainable earth care as well as ones who look after the environment closer to home – in our classrooms, our school and the City of Perth..

Our students know the difference between good and bad stewardship. Among the good practices we emphasised in chapel are not taking long showers no matter how warm and nice the water is, not letting the tap water run while taking time brushing your teeth, when you go to Rottnest Island not feeding the quokkas with human food, reducing industrial use of fossil fuels, using public transport regularly instead of driving, not dumping fishing nets in the sea, putting solar panels on our houses, preserving animals in their natural habitats, using tougher laws against poaching, and recycling our water and drink bottles. 

The song ‘You’re the Voice,’ made popular by our very own Australian singer, John Farnham, invites us all to be proactive for meaningful change to happen. As Robert Swan says: “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” 

Whilst next term we move away from Respecting the Environment to Respecting our Learning, I hope that the students continue to prioritise respect for the environment both inside and outside of our school. 

Fr Gift Makwasha

School Chaplain