From the Principal

What is the story of the day?

At our wedding 25 years ago, the Priest reminded my wife (Robyn) and I to talk about ‘the story of the day’. It is a message that my wife constantly reinforces with our three children as we sit around the dinner table and share a meal. The television is off and mobile phones are out of sight as we share the family meal and more importantly tell ‘the stories of the day’.

There is a strong aspect of story-telling at our Year 12 Retreat. St Ignatius of Loyola gained most of his spiritual insights in the small village of Manresa in Northern Spain. In some European countries ‘to make a Manresa’ means to go on Retreat. It is within this context that our Year 12 students have attended their ‘Manresa Retreat’ this week.

Manresa is the Spanish town where St Ignatius Loyola stopped to pray on his way back from Montserrat in 1522 whilst on his Spiritual Pilgrimage.

We see the Year 12 Retreat as a place where students have an opportunity for spiritual reflection and discernment about their relationships with self, friends, family and God.  For them it forms part of their pilgrimage through life and faith, therefore aptly named ‘Manresa’.

The purpose of Manresa is to deepen the students’ appreciation of himself/herself as an individual and therefore a person of value to others and a person loved by God.  It is also an opportunity for the students to reach out to others in friendship and support whilst deepening their faith and spirituality. 

At the end of the three-day Retreat, attendees can be encouraged to ‘live the fourth’; the fourth day being the start of the rest of their lives. It is hoped that after appropriate prayer, reflection and contemplation, genuine changes can be made to lead a better life.

Thank you to our dedicated staff for guiding the process and congratulations to our Year 12 on their excellent participation in the ‘Manresa experience’.

END OF TERM

Best wishes to all John XXIII College families for the school holidays. I would like to thank the following members of staff for their contribution to the College and wish them well for the future:

• Ms Jane Hine – Library Assistant
• Ms Nicole Gazey -  Head of Pathways and Transition
• Mrs Kristy Raymond - Primary Music Teacher

We also extend our best wishes to Mrs Joan Davies (Campus Administrator), for her long service leave next term.

Robert Henderson

Principal