Especean Logo
Especean
Banner Photo

Faith, Justice and Formation

Reconciliation Round of Co-Curricular

National Reconciliation Week takes place each year from 27 May (the anniversary of the 1967 Referendum which removed the article in our constitution that Aboriginal Australians were a sub-category of native flora and fauna) to 3 June (acknowledging the anniversary of the High Court of Australia removing the legislation of “Terra Nullius” and recognising Native Title rights of First Nations peoples after the 1992 Mabo vs Queensland court case). 

 

The theme for National Reconciliation Week this year is ‘ALL IN for Reconciliation’, which is a call for all Australians to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation every single day. “All In makes clear that reconciliation is not a spectator sport and that all of us must step away from the sidelines and take action to make change. The theme also reminds us that reconciliation and advancing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights isn’t a passive activity, and it is not solely the responsibility of First Nations people, who have carried the weight of championing, explaining and acting for far too long. Reconciliation will not happen by itself, and it will not happen without all of us.” (National Reconciliation Week - Reconciliation Australia).

 

The College will mark this week during the actual week. However, due to draws in Sport, the Reconciliation Round of Co-Curricular will take place this weekend, with some Cultural Co-Curricular taking place between now and National Reconciliation Week.

 

All teams within the College will take time to Acknowledge Country before competition begins, showing respect for all who cared for this land continuously for tens of thousands of years before European settlement. Prior to all Firsts fixtures we will Acknowledge Country and perform a short ritual showcasing the significance of this time. It will be good for the community to be alerted to the upcoming National Reconciliation Week with this weekend calling our attention to what is coming. 

 

All Firsts Teams at the College will wear the SPC First Nations strip which highlights our significant artwork in the Hickey Building and the design created in collaboration with St Joseph’s Flexible Learning Centre in Alice Springs while our students were on Immersion. The captains of each Firsts team will be presented with these at the Assembly on Friday and all who wear the design will be briefed on protocol for wearing it during the week.

 

We have much to learn and much to be grateful for from our First Nations peoples. This event and the subsequent National Reconciliation Week allows us the opportunity to be sorry for the wrongs of the past (we may not have caused them but now that we know, if we do nothing and allow harm to continue we are still to blame), while celebrating the oldest living culture on Earth. This is something our nation should be really proud of, so during this weekend and at the end of the month we will celebrate the power and strength of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

 

As a College, we will not tolerate racism or disrespect. It is not who we are as Catholics within the Edmund Rice Tradition. We are committed to building an inclusive community grounded in the Gospels, welcoming the stranger, embracing difference and celebrating our diversity. I trust we will compete with sportsmanship and celebrate with pride through this Reconciliation Round of Co-Curricular.

Great Gratitude

Thank you to all who attended our Mothers’ Day Mass on Friday and a special thank you to all who volunteered to take on a role. As mentioned on the day, we also particularly thank Fr Tom Stevens for celebrating Mass with us, and Dr Taylor with the Orchestra and Choir who provided the music.

___________________________________

 

We also wanted to thank the whole College community for their contribution to the SPC Lenten Appeal last term the biggest fundraising initiative at the College. All funds from the appeal will go to the Edmund Rice Centre, Nairobi, supporting students with disabilities from the Kibera slum, and Edmund Rice Catholic Education College, Nairobi Kenya whom we have an ongoing relationship with. 

 

Along with donations and Homeroom stalls, the Lenten Dances and Junior School Fun Run combined to raise a very generous amount of money for our Lenten Partners. Every part of this will go to helping the lives of those who have virtually nothing. 

 

In relation to our Lenten Appeal, Ms Liz Mwanga, the Director of the Ruben Centre in Nairobi, Kenya visited the College last Wednesday with Mr Simon Gregory from the Edmund Rice Foundation Australia. They spoke with members of the Social Justice Action Group and Junior School Justice as well as staff and anybody else who wanted to attend. They shared powerful insights into advocacy from a global perspective and Liz reflected on her experiences living and working in Kenya. Her message challenged us to think beyond temporary solutions, and she spoke passionately about the connection between faith and social justice, inspiring all in attendance to consider how compassion, dignity and action can work hand in hand to create lasting change. 

 

We thank Liz and Simon for their presence, and the Identity Prefects for their leadership in this area.

Winter Appeal and Winter Sleep Out

Just a reminder that the SPC Winter Appeal items will be collected next week with: 

 

  • Berg, Coghlan, and Crichton donating on Wednesday 20 May 

  • Hanrahan, Hickey, and Rice donating on Thursday 21 May.

 

All details, including what we request, are in last week’s Especean and your sons should know from Homeroom. We will not be able to take donations the following week. Thank you in advance!

 

At the Winter Sleep Out on Friday 19 June, we will use the donated toiletry items to make packs for those sleeping rough. 

 

ALL students from Years 5 to 12 are invited to take part in the Winter Sleep Out. Some details for the event:

 

  • From after school on Friday 19 June to 8:30 AM on Saturday 20 June (or earlier if needing to leave for Co-Curricular.

  • We will sleep out in the Senior Yard near Breen Oval, engaging in various activities in the evening and partaking in a very simple meal.

  • Students must supply their own sleeping bag plus cardboard to sleep on. 

  • SOL Service points will only be awarded to students who are going for an Extra Service Award.

  • There are no lollies and treats at the Winter Sleep Out, and students are to be respectful of the process and others.

  • More details to come.

     

Doing the Winter Sleep Out is not about points, but about an experience in empathy. It is about having a small taste of what it means to sleep rough, often through no fault of one’s own. Senior students are encouraged to engage with this experience, showing leadership and commitment to who we are as Edmund Rice people.

 

Students who are interested in taking part can collect a Winter Sleep Out form from the Hickey Building from Recess this Friday. The return slip and $20 are to be returned to me from Monday 25 May at Recess (not before) and no later than Friday 12 June.

 

We look forward to another successful event helping our students to understand ‘the other’.

 

Gillian Daley

Director of Identity