Faith, Justice and Formation 

Winter Sleep Out 2022

The College’s Winter Sleep Out for staff and students will take place this Friday 22 July. All places are now full. Your son can only be in attendance if you have received a confirmation email from me (sent on 5 July – you may need to check your junk mail). If a student turns up and is not on my master list his parents/carers will be called to collect him. As you know, it is really important that you know where your son is overnight so unless he is registered to attend, he will not be able to and if he is registered and does not turn up, we will contact you. Boys will not be able to claim they are here without you knowing.

We look forward to a successful evening with follow up in next week’s Especean. We have also had a pretty good response for the Parent Winter Sleep Out on Friday 29 July. If you would like to add your name to this group, please email me at gillian.daley@spc.nsw.edu.au by 9:00 AM on 25 July. On this day I will email all details for parents/carers who will participate in this event – a wonderful opportunity for many of us to get involved in something that is unique. I urge you to think about joining in!

And may God bless all those who sleep rough each and every night.

Friday Morning Masses – Term 3

This is just a reminder that ALL are welcome at our Friday morning masses in the Chapel. Mass commences at 8:10 AM, and we ask that all visitors consider wearing a mask at this time. While you are welcome every week, it would be great if as many boys and their parents/carers from the year group leading Mass are in attendance. Below is the list of each Mass this term and who will lead. We look forward to having you join us for this celebration of community and faith.

Plea for Donated Goods

The College has had an association with the Rev Bill Crews Foundation at Ashfield for many years now, with our Year 11 students volunteering in the Loaves & Fishes Restaurant feeding rough sleepers, as well as helping out with packing food hampers and the like. While they are also in desperate need of blankets (which we have already collected from our families), they have made a request for the following food items from our community so they can place them in food parcels for those in need this Winter. [We will NOT be needing donations for our next Night Patrol night in August so hopefully many of you can contribute here instead for this month, as well as many others.]

If you can help, please have your son bring as much of any of the following items to the Bangawarra Room before school on Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 July ONLY. Your support will have an enormous impact.

Specific items needed (please donate exactly as requested below otherwise items may go to waste): 

• ring-pull cans (i.e., soups, beans, spaghetti, tuna)
• packet soup in a cup, packets of noodles in a cup
• soft biscuits
• Uncle Toby’s ‘Le Snacks’
• fruit juice packs, fruit in jelly packs
• Nestle condensed milk, ‘Up and Go’ packs and coffee
• easy open snacks.

Thank you so much for your help.

Gillian Daley

Director of Identity

Refugee Week Event

Sunday 19 – Saturday 25 June was Refugee Week which is a time to celebrate how refugees can make a contribution to society, and also encourages reflection and discussion on the mistreatment, displacement and possible tragic experiences which refugees face. It's undeniable that out College community comes from numerous backgrounds; one reason why Refugee Week is remembered and celebrated.

On Tuesday 28 June, the four of us, as members of the Social Justice Action Group, were invited by the House of Welcome to partake in discussion and provoke action surrounding Refugee Week. The House of Welcome is a non-government organisation that supports refugees and peoples seeking asylum who are at great risk of destitution and hardship. Each of their clients are free to join their local community being awarded dignity, empowerment, respect, financial support, medical support, and legal advice. Overall, the House of Welcome helps ease refugee settlement into a new nation that may be full of uncertainty and despair.

Upon arrival at the House of Welcome’s shelter, located in South Granville, we were immediately joined by students from Catherine McAuley Westmead, Loreto Normanhurst, and Mount St Benedict College who all share the same passion and objective for social justice. Together we were informed about the nature of being a refugee and we actively listened and participated through raising questions to further discuss the essence of Refugee Week, the first-hand experiences and how to provoke advocacy. 

We had the opportunity to hear stories told by individuals who were open to share their transition and settlement experience of being a refugee, assisted by the House of Welcome. One that stood out to us was a doctor from Pakistan who occasionally worked with victims of sexual violence and had to testify against several high-profile perpetrators. As a result, she started receiving threats from them which became more and more severe. She then fled to Australia through a skilled migrant visa. However, her troubles were not over as she was unable to secure a job and soon enough her savings would dry out, with no access to any government support including Medicare. 

All in all, it was an extremely eye-opening experience. The opportunity to hear the refugee stories allowed us to realise that this is an issue about individuals with unique lives and identities who are at their darkest hour. In addition, it revealed the positive effects that responsible just action can have on an individual. The refugee dilemma is a highly complex one, but we focused on developing initiatives that can aid individuals by providing frameworks of connectedness and respect, aiding their dignity. Respect, connectedness and welcome is something all of us can do.

Jonathan Lin, Justin Speranza, Alessandro Salvato and Ben Rahimi

Year 11 Students