DEPUTY PRINCIPAL - COMMUNITY & CULTURE 

Embracing Compassion in Our College Community

As we end this term, I have found myself reflecting deeply on the meaning and power of compassion - a value that sits at the very heart of our Catholic identity and community life.

In today’s world, where competition often overshadows collaboration and where noise can drown out the quiet needs of others, compassion calls us to pause, to see, and to respond. Compassion is not simply about feeling sorry for someone; it’s about walking with others in their struggles, joys, and journeys. It’s an active, courageous, and often countercultural choice.

Here at St Mary MacKillop College, we are continually striving to cultivate a culture where compassion is not just a word, but a way of being. Whether it's through our community programs, student-led initiatives, classroom relationships, or the simple everyday interactions in the corridors, compassion is lived out in countless ways - often in moments that may go unseen, but never unfelt.

As followers of Christ, we look to His example. Jesus was the ultimate model of compassion - reaching out to the marginalized, listening to the voiceless, healing the broken, and reminding every person of their God-given dignity. We are called to do the same. As Pope Francis reminded us: “Compassion is the language of God.”

Our challenge, then, is to ask ourselves:

• How am I showing compassion to those around me?
• Do I notice the student who sits alone at lunch, the teacher who might be having a tough day, or the family that needs a helping hand?

• How can I bring light into someone else’s life, even in small, quiet ways?

   

I encourage all members of our college community to embrace this challenge. Let’s continue to nurture an environment where kindness is instinctive, where difference is met with understanding, and where every person feels seen, valued, and supported.

As a college, may we keep compassion at the core of all we do, not just in word, but in spirit and action. And may we always remember that through small acts of love, we participate in something far greater: the building of God’s Kingdom here among us.

Kath Jones

Deputy Principal Community & Culture