Faith and Mission

Honouring the legacy of Pope Francis with compassion in action

This week, we join the global Catholic community in mourning the death of Pope Francis, giving thanks for his extraordinary life of service, humility, and deep love for those on the margins. His papacy was marked by a call to simplicity, mercy, and justice—values that continue to shape our mission as a Catholic school.

As Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re movingly reflected at his funeral in Saint Peter’s Square:

'Despite his frailty and suffering towards the end, Pope Francis chose to follow the path of self-giving until the last day of his earthly life... close to his flock, the Church of God... mindful of the words of Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

In honour of Pope Francis’ legacy and inspired by his commitment to the poor, we invite all students to participate in a practical act of compassion. Next week, we ask each student to bring a non-perishable food item for donation to either Shopfront or CARAD, two local organisations supporting vulnerable members of our community.

Items most needed include:

• Pasta
• Rice
• Long-life milk
• Tea and coffee
• Tinned fruit and vegetables
• Toiletries

Please bring all donations to homeroom throughout next week.

In this moment of reflection on servant leadership, we also turn our thoughts to the upcoming Federal Election this Saturday. As citizens, we are called to participate thoughtfully and responsibly in shaping a more just society. You may be interested in discerning on the guidance offered in the Australian Catholic Bishops’ statement on voting Election Statement 2025 as well as the insights from Catholic Religious Australia CRA urges informed, discerning participation in the Federal election — Catholic Religious Australia, both of which urge us to prioritise the common good, especially the needs of the poor and the planet.

Pope Francis showed us what it means to lead with mercy, courage, and joy. May we honour him—not only with our prayers—but through compassionate action, thoughtful citizenship, and a deep commitment to a more just and loving world.

'Dear Pope Francis, we now ask you to pray for us. May you bless the Church, bless Rome, and bless the whole world from heaven.'

(Cardinal Re, Funeral Homily)

Janeen Murphy

Deputy Principal Faith and Mission

Community Mass

Thank you to Year 7 students who beautifully prepared today’s Community Mass. While Easter Sunday has passed, the Church continues to celebrate, in word and ritual, the season of Easter for another five weeks. In today’s liturgy, we were sprinkled with blessed water as a reminder of our Baptism. We also offered prayers for Pope Francis and for the Conclave which begins next Wednesday. To conclude the liturgy, our community processed outside to witness the ringing of the Chapel Bell – 88 chimes in total, one for each year of the life of Pope Francis.

The next Community Mass will be on Friday, 16 May, and will be prepared by Loreto House. All Loreto students and families are especially welcome!

Next Friday, Primary and Secondary students and families will combine to celebrate the annual Mass dedicated to mothers and mother figures. This Eucharist will take place in the St Louis Sports Centre and will begin at the earlier time of 7:30 am. 

Community Mass details

• College Chapel
• Fridays in term time
• Starts at 8:00am; concludes at 8:30am.

Exception: Friday 9 May – Mass commences at 7:30am, St Louis Sports Centre

If you have any questions about Community Mass, please contact Mary-Anne Lumley: 

mary-anne.lumley@johnxxiii.edu.au

Good News for 3rd Sunday of Easter

The Scripture 

…It was light by now and there stood Jesus on the shore, though the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus. Jesus called out, ‘Have you caught anything, friends?’ And when they answered, ‘No’, he said, ‘Throw the net out to starboard and you’ll find something.’ So they dropped the net, and there were so many fish that they could not haul it in. The disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord.’ At these words ‘It is the Lord’, Simon Peter, who had practically nothing on, wrapped his cloak round him and jumped into the water. The other disciples came on in the boat, towing the net and the fish; they were only about a hundred yards from land.

As soon as they came ashore they saw that there was some bread there, and a charcoal fire with fish cooking on it. Jesus said, ‘Bring some of the fish you have just caught.’ Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore, full of big fish, one hundred and fifty-three of them; and in spite of there being so many the net was not broken. Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the disciples was bold enough to ask, ‘Who are you?’; they knew quite well it was the Lord. Jesus then stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish. This was the third time that Jesus showed himself to the disciples after rising from the dead…

John 21:1-19

The Reflection

Considering Peter’s return to fishing, Pope Francis reminds us that Peter had long since left it behind to follow Jesus.

The episode shows us how easy it is to return to comfortable routines. ‘It can happen to us too’, Francis says, ‘that, out of tiredness, disappointment, perhaps out of laziness, we forget the Lord and neglect the great choices we have made, to settle for something else.’ Each of us faces the temptation to return to our fishing at some point.

But without Jesus in our lives our nets will always feel empty.

Sometimes being busy distracts us from what really matters. Perhaps, Francis says, ‘we forget prayer, letting ourselves be wrapped up in our own needs.’ Sometimes, he adds, ‘we neglect charity, with the excuse of daily urgencies.’

Here Peter’s swim is instructive. Professionally, it makes little sense. He reached Jesus first, yes, but had to return to the boat for some fish! Yet, as Francis reminds us, in plunging into the water Peter shows us that ‘love goes beyond usefulness, convenience or duty.’ Peter swam for joy!

What we might ask ourselves now, then, is: how can I respond to the call: ‘It is the Lord!’ Dare we dive in and swim, like Peter, and ‘put out to sea again with Jesus’? 

© Nick Brodie

Nick Brodie is an Australian historian and writer who is currently Dean of Academic Studies of Jane Franklin Hall in Hobart and the author of several books and essays.