Mission and Identity

• Pentecost and Spirit Seekers
• Hub of Hope
• Year 9 Formation Day
• Winter Appeal

Pentecost and Spirit Seekers

This weekend we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost - The Birthday of the Church. The day when the Holy Spirit filled the disciples and enters as billowing wind and tongues of flame. The apostles, now filled with the necessary gifts to complete their evangelising mission, set out to baptise and spread the Good News to the four corners of the globe. 

Abbess Hilda Scott OSB challenges us to consider where and when do we seek the Holy Spirit? Always accessible and forever present, how often are we ‘Spirit seekers?’

'Yet who is it that sees the Spirit of God and hears His call?  Who is the person who actually feels the spirit propel them, push them through their life? Who is it that is so sensitive to the ways of God, that even His slightest breath is felt against the doors of the soul? Furthermore who is it when their eyes are blinded by tears, can still see hope in the midst of their pain?

I would put to you that person is the one who continually goes looking, the one who expects to find, the one whose continual practice it is to look for the marks of God. This is the person who so desperately needs and wants the Spirit, that they cannot but be in touch with it.

If Pentecost Sunday is to have its full impact then I would invite you to look inside your own life right now and ask yourself 'Where do I need the Spirit of God?' If you go through the Sequence for Pentecost, you will get a bit of a clue as to where the Spirit is for you this year, 2025.

For instance:

• Has grief or disturbance of whatever kind invaded your life, and do you need an understanding consoler?

• Is there darkness in your life for whatever reason and do you need light and clarity?

• Are you feeling unloved and unappreciated so that you need the warmth of a loved companion in your heart?

• Have the pressures of your life been so great recently that you stand in need of “refreshing coolness” and someone bigger and stronger than you to bear the load?

• Are you feeling incredibly empty, again for whatever reason, and do you need someone with enduring treasures to open an account in your name and give you the password?

• Are you feeling as though nothing much is working in your life right now? Things are perhaps dry and uninspiring? Do you need the morning dew of the Spirit to descend gently on your heart and give you the energy to start again?

• Finally are you carrying a burden that makes every step feel like the journey of a thousand miles? Do you therefore stand in need of the Spirit who will guide your step in the direction of joy?

If we ask God, then all of us will sense the Spirit in a different way and people from all over the world tonight will have their souls turned in the direction of the consuming fire on this mountain of ours; the fire that thrives on the tinder of weakness, need and pleading. We will know that fire has come because we will sense the fruits of the Spirit in one another, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.'

We wish all in our community a happy and holy Pentecost this weekend with this beautiful Pentecost prayer prepared by Year 5 Gold:

Come, Holy Spirit, 

Flame of divine love, Wind of heaven, 

Descend upon us now as You did upon the first disciples. 

Let Your fire fall - pure, bright, and true.

Unite our hearts, Lord, as one body, one voice, 

Beyond all boundaries of language, culture, and fear. 

Let Your Spirit be the bond that draws us together 

In mercy, in truth, in bold compassion.

Kindle in us the fire of Your love. 

May it burn away all division, pride, and doubt.

Ignite in each of us a holy passion 

To live for You, to speak Your Word, 

To serve with joy, and to love without limits.

Just as tongues of fire danced upon Your people long ago, 

Let that same flame blaze anew in our hearts today. 

Empower us, Holy Spirit - To be light in darkness, Peace in chaos, Hope in despair.

Come, Spirit of God, Unite us to ignite 

Your holy flame in each of us. Amen.

Hub of Hope

This week, students from St Pius X College joined peers from Mercy College and Brigidine College St Ives to pack 100 hygiene kits for those supported by the Matthew Talbot Hostel. This initiative, coordinated through the Hub of Hope at Chatswood Parish, reflects a shared commitment to stand in solidarity with people experiencing homelessness.

Each hygiene kit was filled with care and signed by a student - offering not only practical support but a personal message of dignity and presence. These Hub of Hope Hygiene Packs embody the Gospel imperative to accompany those on the margins, following Christ’s example to see, serve, and uplift those most in need.

The Hub of Hope is a fortnightly initiative grounded in Catholic Social Teaching and animated by a spirit of compassion. Developed in response to the Youth in Council gathering at Chatswood Parish, it provides young people from St Pius X and Mercy Colleges with a meaningful opportunity to lead through service, putting their faith into action in tangible ways.

Inspired by the words of the prophet Isaiah,“If you satisfy the needs of the afflicted, your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday,” - this project speaks to the transformative power of youth-led action within our Parish and College communities.

Only 2 gatherings into this new initiative, we are proud of what has already been achieved - and even more excited about what lies ahead. The Hub of Hope is a reminder of the Church’s role as not only a place of worship, but a place of action, where young people can lead with purpose, act with compassion, and discover their voice in service to others. We look forward to our next session as we continue this journey of faith, action, and hope.

Mr Ryan Balboa - Social Justice Coordinator

Year 9 Formation Day

During our Building Bridges Formation Day with Year 9, Session 1 asked them to explore the health of their relationship with God, family members, friends and other relationships of significance, as we explored what breaks bonds, what brings healing and how the Gospels call us to be instruments of forgiveness.

At the table of their life, they created the web of their relationships. If a relationship was healthy, they drew a thick bright line, if it was strained or struggling a dotted cold colour was used and so forth. Students then shared in homeroom groups with courage and vulnerability, while their brothers offered an atmosphere of support and active listening.

Again and again, students identified a strong relationship with God or one that was seeking Him. Our young people continue to buck the trend of census data. They are hungry for the divine.

May our young people remain in our prayers as they seek connection and belonging as they navigate the most important relationships at the table of their life. May a seat always be available for their loving God.

Thank you to Mr Callow, Mr Kovacic and the Year 9 Pastoral Team for a highly engaging offering of Formation.

SPX Winter Appeal: Supporting St Vincent de Paul and Jesuit Refugee Services

A warm reminder that we have commenced our annual SPX Winter Appeal, with the College collecting goods for St Vincent de Paul and Jesuit Refugee Services. In this difficult time, those in need have found themselves pushed further into the fringes of society, with many volunteer organisations not able to cater for those who are less fortunate. Students are encouraged to consider the plight of those around us, and to act by giving to the poor in handfuls.

Driven by the Edmund Rice Society, the appeal will run until Wednesday 18 June (Week 8, Day 3). Student volunteers will be collecting goods during homeroom.

 We are in need of the following items:

   Thank you in anticipation for your generosity.

Youth Canonisation Orchestra

Due to both Colleges being pupil free this Friday, our rehearsal has been moved to next week, Friday 13 June. 

We wish every family a joyous and safe long weekend.

Every Blessing,

Mr Daniel Petrie - Assistant Principal, Mission & Identity