Assistant Principal – Religious Identity & Mission

Bruny Island Camp

This week, our Middle Years Aboriginal students had the opportunity to visit Murrayfield Station, a working sheep farm owned by the weetapoona Aboriginal Corporation on Bruny Island, lunnawanna alonnah. While there, they connected with Tasmanian Aboriginal culture, walking on the lands of the nueone Nation, hearing stories of its peoples, learning about cultural foods, and understanding the deep connection First Nations people have to the Island. This camp focused strongly on the Aboriginal history of Bruny Island and sought to enable our students to gain a strong connection to this environment through swimming, diving, bushwalking, fishing, food gathering, storytelling, and other cultural activities, such as walking to the mutton bird rookeries on the Cape Queen Elizabeth Track, visiting the Ochre Quarry and Missionary Bay at Murrayfield, and swimming, fishing, diving, and learning the finer skills of paddleboarding.

On Tuesday 13 August, the students went fishing, while Trent Prouse and Jake Terhell went diving for abalone/nitipa. While cleaning the abalone, Trent spoke about how their ancestors would go out to catch a feed, but only what was needed. They never took more. Then they would start a fire and cook up their catch fresh from the sea.

Students also participated in a smoking ceremony to cleanse any bad energy brought along with them. They acknowledged the land and Sea Country, the people of the nueone Nation, connected to the Country they were on, and paid their respects to the traditional owners who cared for the land. They expressed deep appreciation for the local Aboriginal community for facilitating ongoing opportunities for our students to connect to their culture and learn about the Country and tradition.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

On Thursday, 15 August, the Church celebrates the Feast Day of the Assumption of Our Lady, when, according to our faith, the Holy Mother, "having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory." When Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, died, her body was "assumed" into heaven to be reunited with her soul, instead of going through the normal process of physical decay upon death.

The Assumption signals the end of Mary’s earthly life and marks her return to heaven to be reunited with Jesus. While the bodies of both Jesus and Mary are now in heaven, there is a difference between the Assumption and the Resurrection. Where Jesus arose from the tomb and ascended into heaven by His own power, Mary’s body was taken up to heaven by the power of her Son.

The Feast of the Assumption is a Holy Day of Obligation, meaning all Catholics should attend Mass on this day. The Feast of the Assumption reminds us that we shall be with Christ as Mary now is. It promises that after the struggles and losses of this life, we shall find happiness and companionship with God.