College News
CEDWW has rolled out a system wide Literacy Initiative for 2021-2022: Targeting Writing. The initiative aims to implement and deliver a consistent system improvement plan that targets, tracks and prioritises student performance in writing for Early Years/Stage 1 and Stage 4 cohorts across the diocese.
As the Literacy Instructional Teacher (LIT) at MCC I have the opportunity to work alongside all faculties and predominantly Stage 4 students to build our literacy capacity at the College. With the guidance of Mr Herb, Mrs Segrave and Mr Le Brocque the initiative has been named, ‘Igniting Writing at MCC’.
So far, I have quizzed Year 7 on what writing means to them through an online survey. I have also collaborated with the English Department to roll out and collect the first work sample from Year 7 where they were asked to transform a poem into a short story. I witnessed some exciting analysis of the poem and ideas used to build an engaging narrative during my observations. The students' narratives were submitted via our ‘Igniting Writing’ Google Classroom which all students have access to. This online platform will be a space where I engage with all Year 7 on their writing journey.
I am very excited to see how this initiative helps to develop our students and their writing and look forward to tracking their progress over the next two years.
Mrs Morris
Literacy Instructional Teacher
Year 10 English
This is a poem from Year 10 student Jess Moraschi inspired by our Year 10 English work on Conflict in texts. Her poem was inspired by World War 1 poets.
Home
A world of unknown plains.
Where horror is your only friend.
And the piercing cries of a thousand lost souls echo through the thick air of no man’s land.
Home.
Where do you go, when before your eyes, your mate’s life lay.
Futile as they come.
With a wistful stare, rendered to none.
A victim of the lie.
When you are seized from your mother's arms to die alone.
In an instant. Your life is gone.
You race towards a wave of hope and are whisked away to sea.
Home.
Where do you go when your cries go unheard.
When the bitter cold drains away all signs of life.
Without any dream to wake up from.
Home.
With our mothers remembering our innocent gaze.
As our mates laid moribund in a foreign land.
Crucifix in hand.
Their blood forever staining the cold hard ground where they lay.
Home.
Back to the torment of the night.
When the echo of shots becomes our only friend.
The embracing crack of gunfire calming our souls, breaking the bitter silence of the dark hours.
Silence is the enemy.
Home.
Fighting for an ideal, dying in vain.
Death is death.
Home.
Where do you go when all is over.
Hearts no longer broken.
Lives no longer lost.
With inner demons still to battle.
With stories still to share.
Where do you go when you are home, back to the horror.
Home.
Where do you go when you have been left astray.
Lost in a sea of hungry beings.
Hungry for safety.
Hungry for peace.
Hungry for home.
Home.
As the wood creaks with her hopeful footsteps,
The mother’s heart comes to a sudden halt.
The anguish.
The sorrow.
Her boy.
Her only boy.
Never to be home.
Belinda Mckellar
English Teacher
MORALITY OF CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate change is not just a scientific issue – it is also a moral one. While scientists may record the changes that are happening to the earth’s climate and eco-systems, it is vital to also be aware of the impacts these changes are having on the people of the world, and how we are related to both the causes of, and the solutions to, climate change. Climate change is unfolding in our time - let’s rise up in prayer and join those around the world who are coming together to demonstrate to our politicians and policy makers that it is time to act here and now.
Laudato si‘ (Praise Be to You) is the second encyclical of Pope Francis. The encyclical has the subtitle “on care for our common home”. In it, the pope critiques consumerism and irresponsible development, laments environmental degradation and global warming, and calls all people of the world to take “swift and unified global action.”
Please join together for the following:
A Confession
God our Creator and Healer
We confess that we have sinned:
We have used creation not cherished it;
We have lived selfishly; not watched the balance of life;
We have been greedy – not sharing earth's gifts;
And our footprints are heavy, not gentle.
Forgive us the damage that disturbs our planet.
Grant to us to live for the world's healing and our own.
In you lies our hope for transformation
Lent Challenge 2008, Lichfield Diocese
Prayer for A Just Climate
God of Creation,
You created night and day.
You separated the sea from the sky.
You gave life to all living creatures and saw that it was good.
Help us to reconnect with the majesty of your creation.
God of Love,
Fill us with your love for all creation.
Empty us of apathy, selfishness and fear.
Inspire us to live simply and in harmony with creation.
Help us to be good stewards, caring for all creation with self-sacrificing and nurturing love.
God of Compassion,
Breathe into us solidarity with all who suffer now
and the future generations who will suffer
because of our environmental irresponsibility.
Help us to put people before profit and 'being' before 'having'.
God of Justice,
Empower us to work together as one global community,
To find creative and just solutions to protect those most vulnerable in our world, and all of creation for future generations.
Move us into action for climate justice and to restore your creation.
Amen.
Caritas Australia
Thank you. This ends our acknowledgement of the Global Day of Action on Climate Change.
Mrs Munro