From the Assistant Principal, Religious, Identity and Mission

Community Prayer

We thank the 5/6 class for leading the school in community prayer this week.  Being a Catholic school, we appreciate Prayer is essential component of our school and gathering at the beginning of the week, allows us to pray for one another, for our local and global community.

St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta

5th September marks the Feast Day of St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta.  Many of us may remember her life, service and good deeds in Calcutta.  How magnificent to witness a saint within our lifetime! Below is a poem found written on the wall of an orphanage in Calcutta.  An inspiring message for us all.

Anyway 

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;

It was never between you and them anyway.

Prayers for Afghanistan

As the Taliban takes full control in Afghanistan, St Brigid’s School community acknowledges the distress, the hurt, and the deep sadness of people  both within our own community and our global community.  As Pope Francis has called for people of faith to pray, we too pray. 

All-loving God, 

Your hands have fashioned every lovely corner of this treasured planet, and the beautiful land of Afghanistan is as precious as every other place. Your children call ‘home'. 

By its rivers and mountains, its fields and gardens, its busy towns and ancient villages, it is the heart's desire of its people and the place where their lives and loves are nurtured.

We grieve today with those who grieve over Afghanistan, the people who call it home indeed, the people exiled or suddenly having to leave, and the men and women from other countries who have made sacrifices in recent years in the cause of that country's future.

We remember with renewed sadness the loss of lives of military personnel during the years of this country's involvement in Afghanistan, conscious of the questions that must today be troubling the minds of those in our community who were bereaved, those who were wounded on operations, and those who were forever changed by experiences suffered there.

We pray for peace, dignity, freedom and confidence for the men, women and children of Afghanistan; for courage, vision and generosity within the international community responding to such need; and for tranquillity of mind amongst our own Service community and its wider family.

In the name of Jesus Christ, the peace-giver, we pray, 

AMEN.

Complied by Rev Dr Marjory MacLean – Church of Scotland

National Day of Prayer

On Sunday 22 August, Australia's Churches joined together (albeit electronically) for a National Day of Prayer to pray for our local, national and global communities experiencing great need and distress caused by COVID-19.  The theme was Lord have mercy; and it called on us to be especially united in prayer.  ‘The Blessing Australia’, created in 2020 during lockdown with a number of Christian churches from across Australia, was and continues to be a source of inspiration as we continue to pray for an end to the pandemic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOt7baaVSbE

Yours in Love, Peace and Learning

Paula Burns