Compassion at Brigidine College, St. Ives
How Brigidine College St Ives has given expression to the Kildare Ministries theme of ‘Compassion’ in 2022.
2022 began with a Staff liturgy focusing on the key theme of ‘Compassion’. The following short informative video on the Biblical underpinnings of the term Compassion was shown as part of the Liturgy.
This image from the Church Year of Mercy in 2015, was also used to express the link between God’s mercy and human mercy. The figure shows God carrying ‘Adam’ and they share an eye together. As God shows His compassion for humanity, so too must humanity be the eye of God in the world expressing God’s compassion for others and the earth.
The College spent time exploring the theme of Compassion with students in Chapel time and in the Religious Education program. During the season of Lent, a strong connection with the work of Caritas Australia was maintained. Project Compassion was taken up as a primary focus with the education of the community of the stories and issues of the people being supported, and then charity fundraising as an act of solidarity with them. Our annual ‘Rice Day’ was held in late Term 1. This act of solidarity was designed to build empathy and compassion with the funds raised going to Caritas.
Compassion for others was clearly manifested in the work of many students in supporting programs such as ‘Dignity Dishes’ and ‘Days for Girls’, and eco-awareness.The Dignity program became an essential framework for compassion and advocacy during the pandemic as it enabled support to be provided from home, via the cooking of meals for the homeless and disadvantaged, and that it also could be safely stored and collected via the College. The College has created over 4,000 meals for this community by the end of Term 1 2022. Meals made for this community provide hope and give dignity to other people and enabling them to be nourished and seek the best options for their future.
The ‘Days for Girls’ program demonstrates compassion and empathy for young women around the world without access to items for their menstrual cycle. The packs created by our community are away of enabling young women to have safe and hygienic support and the opportunity to maintain their education while using the kits created by our students. Every week large groups of compassionate young women from Years 7-12 and staff gather in their lunchbreak to create the kits which are packaged and sent overseas to many communities.
Compassion for God’s creation, our precious earth, was given expression in 2022 by our community. The students participated in an eco-awareness program in Sydney Harbour. They paddled in Manly Cove on Kayaks and walked along the shoreline collecting rubbish and plastic items that are of great risk to sea creatures and that destroy the pristine nature of the water as well. This work will enable our students to demonstrate compassion for God’s creation in their actions to renew the coastal environment.
As Covid restrictions eased, more opportunities were created to allow students and staff to work in the wider community supporting the marginalized. The ‘Dignity’ organization provided time for our senior girls to build and create furniture and help set up temporary housing for marginalized people in Sydney’s west. They worked all day with volunteers setting up kitchens, building beds, and creating home spaces for people to live in temporary accommodation while they find their way in life.
In 2022 the theme of Compassion is clearly in focus in this brief synopsis and is being lived out in the expression of faith at Brigidine College St Ives. For the remainder of the year, we all hope this important Christian value can be further enabled in both word and action in the community and beyond it to the wider world. The work of Skye Wacher, as the Brigidine College Social Justice Coordinator, as an instigator and animator of these many activities, is gratefully acknowledged and appreciated in enabling our young women and staff to live out our mission and demonstrate compassion for others.
Brian Loughland
Deputy Principal – Faith and Mission