Mission and Identity
- Parish in Council III
- Brigidine Social Justice Forum
- St Pius X and Mercy College Youth Mass
- The Feast of Pentecost
Parish in Council III
Last Saturday, the College had the privilege of engaging with the third Parish in Council for Our Lady of Dolours Parish Chatswood. The day was an integrated one, where ‘communities within our parish to discern what God is calling of us individually and collectively.
We have embarked on a journey together, guided by the Spirit, to discover as a parish what it means to be a Church in the city. Our journey together will continues to unfold following the following six steps:
This process has led to the following priorities for 2024-2025:
The College is most grateful to our student volunteers from Year 10 and Year 11 who volunteered throughout the day, and to Mr Davies and Mr Balboa for assisting the students and the flow of the third Parish in Council.
Brigidine Social Justice Forum
We are delighted to offer a report from the College student representatives at the Brigidine Social Justice Forum. They are to be congratulated on their engagement and maturity during the event. They have each provided a snapshot of the organisation and ministry that they resonated with during the evening:
Last Week Thursday on 16 May, five Year 11 students as well as one Year 10 student journeyed to Brigidine College St Ives for a Social Justice Forum. It was a great opportunity for St Pius X students to immerse themselves in the community and gain a better understanding of the ongoing social issues occurring in Australia. The evening began with a lecture regarding the struggles of those seeking asylum which was followed by a series of seminars given by different charitable organisations. The topics of the evening included the homeless epidemic, the struggles of Indigenous Australians, the ongoing issues of women in poverty as well as the decline in mental health in young people. The night also consisted of interactive workshops where boys made reusable pads for women experiencing period poverty.
Gaimaragal Group – Adam Fitrzyk:
The Gaimaragal Group is dedicated to uniting people for social change and improving the lives of Australia's First Nations Peoples. They emphasise the importance of sharing the rich cultural beliefs and teachings of First Nations Peoples to foster well-being and connectedness for all Australians. The organisation highlights the widespread lack of understanding about the history and current marginalisation of First Nations Peoples. Through storytelling, they illustrate the deep connection First Nations Peoples have with the land and its significance for community wellbeing. Their goal is to break the stigma around First Nations Peoples, promoting a more inclusive society where everyone stands up for each other and embraces diversity.
BATYR – Ethan Auer:
BATYR is an organisation that advocates for mental health driven by young people, for young people. Their app, ‘OurHerd’ aims to share the stories of those who have been stricken down by mental health and have come back stronger than ever afterwards. They take a preventative approach to mental health and mental illness, aiming to stop mental health issues before they begin to have a grand-scale effect upon individuals and the collective. We discussed this in an interactive session, where we talked about ways that schools can improve the mental health of their community. Solutions including a cultural shift, counsellors, anonymous counselling and the sacrament of healing were put forth as ideas to nurture mental health in the community.
Dignity – Ethan Rahme:
Dignity is an organisation aiming to combat the rising homeless epidemic in Australia in 3 distinct ways with a holistic and compassionate approach. Their homeless prevention strategy focuses on stopping individuals from having to choose between putting food on the table and paying rent. The organisation has locations where home-cooked meals can be picked up with no questions asked, relieving the pressure of feeding yourself and those dependent on you. They provide supported temporary accommodation through Guest Homes, creating safe havens that go beyond mere shelter. Their 'Ready to Work Housing' program offers not only stable housing for up to 12 months but also employment opportunities, helping individuals regain dignity and independence. The Intergenerational Studios brings together young and older people in supportive communities, fostering mutual growth and life skills. Additionally, Dignity offers, new clothing, and educational programs to empower individuals and break down the stigmas surrounding homelessness, ensuring everyone is treated with respect and care.
Hope in a Suitcase – Anthony Parissis:
Hope in a Suitcase aims to make a difference in the lives of foster children state-wide. They realise that, throughout the average 42 movements from home to home such children experience throughout the span of their childhoods, their identity is forged around their belongings – those tangible items that they carry with them. That’s why Hope in a Suitcase is committed to restoring dignity and identity by packing a personalised suitcase filled with personal belongings, toys, games, toiletries, clothes and essentials for each and every child who enters the foster system within Willoughby Council and beyond. They even have a donation box situated on High Street for new items to be donated towards their cause.
Every Little Bit Helps – Robert Owner:
ELBH is an organisation that provides bags/hampers with daily essentials to those people doing it rough in every single state in Australia. This may include toothbrush/toothpastes, sanitary items, soap etc. Something that stuck out to those for us present was the presence of an eye mask and ear plugs and it was explained that these were needed because people on the street often have to sleep during the day to avoid being assaulted or taken advantage of. ELBH relies on donations from companies and other organisations as well as individuals to provide the products for their hampers. Volunteers sort the products and assemble hampers and schools such as our own can even participate by helping out in the sorting and assembly processes.
Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project – Ethan Auer:
The Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project is an initiative that is actively exposing the injustices and complexities surrounding seeking asylum in Australia today. It provides hospitality and support for those seeking asylum and creates networks for asylum seekers and those which provide them with the Justice that they deserve. The Melbourne-based initiative run by the Brigidine Sisters advocates for the rights of Asylum seekers and in educating the younger generation of the issues they face on a daily basis. At Brigidine College last Thursday, Sister Brigid Arthur from the initiative, spoke to us about her personal experiences with refugees and asylum seekers in a heartfelt speech that displayed her commitment to faith in action.
Conclusion
All participating students are truly grateful for the opportunity to participate in the Brigidine Social Justice Forum, for the connections forged, the knowledge gained, and the common passion towards the fulfilment and achievement of equality for all people.
St Pius X and Mercy College Youth Mass
On Sunday evening we celebrated the commissioning of 20 new Eucharistic Ministers on the Feast of Pentecost at the St Pius X and Mercy College Youth Mass at Our Lady of Dolours Parish Chatswood.
We extend our gratitude to Father David Ranson for training the students and for celebrating this evening, as well as Mr Balboa for leading our student musicians with transcendent music.
Congratulations to the students from both colleges for reading, singing, altar serving and for your commitment to the Eucharist.
The Feast of Pentecost
The Feast of Pentecost is the birthday of the Church; the coming of the Holy Spirit through the evocative imagery of tongues of flame and gushing wind. It heralds that the Season of Easter is over, and we are now ready to carry forward the resurrection light as an Easter people.
Below is a thought provoking reflection adapted from a homily by Franciscan priest, Fr Richard Rohr on ‘giving away God’ at Pentecost:
'On this Feast of Pentecost, Father Richard reminds us that the Holy Spirit is as near to us as our own breath:
Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.' And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit,' (John 20:21–22).
God has been trying through all of history to give away God. Jesus shows us that the gift is free and totally available, as available as our breath. It seems that God has a hard time giving away God, however, because most of us aren’t interested. We’re interested in other things: money and power and success and good looks and politics. It takes a long time to get around to the one thing we were created for.
If you’ve ever ridden on the subways in London, before the doors open and you get out of the train, they say, 'Mind the gap.' When the doors open, it’s written in big words in front of every door: 'Mind the gap.' It means, of course, that there are a few inches between the doors and the sidewalk, and they don’t want anyone to fall in that gap.
In teaching on the Holy Spirit, what we need to do is 'mind the gap'—because the Holy Spirit fills the gaps of everything. First, we need to be aware that there usually is a gap. There’s a space because we don’t recognise that God is as available to us as our breath. We always allow God, by our own silliness and stupidity, to be distant, to be elsewhere. We always find a gap between ourselves and our neighbour, between ourselves and almost everything. We therefore feel quite lonely and isolated in this world. Without some awareness of the Holy Spirit’s presence, frankly, we’re not connected to anything or anybody. We just live an isolated life.
The Holy Spirit within us is the desire inside all of us that wants to keep connecting, relating, and communing. It isn’t above us. It isn’t beyond us—it is within us. It’s as available as our breath, and that’s why the Risen Christ gives the Holy Spirit by breathing upon the disciples. He’s saying, in effect, 'Here it is! Here it is! Can you breathe in what I have breathed out?'
As we grow on the journey, we’ll begin to experience that breath, that Spirit, as if it is the very air. It’s everywhere, all the time, and we can’t live one minute without it. Isn’t it amazing that air, the thing that’s most essential, most invisible to most people is the one thing that’s everywhere all the time and free? The Holy Spirit likewise has been given to us freely.'
Adapted from Richard Rohr, 'Pentecost Sunday: The Divine Sparkplug,' homily, May 15, 2016.
As we continue our pilgrimage of discovery, may we all breathe in and breathe in deeply, the divine and sacred that is in and around us always.
Blessings,
Mr Daniel Petrie - Assistant Principal, Mission and Identity