Mission News

Mr Luke McMahon

Prayers

We pray for all in our community who are sick or suffering. 

 

We pray for those called home to heaven, especially

  • Oliver King’s (12S) Grandfather.

We pray for our country and our world still living in this pandemic and we remember the many who have suffered through COVID-19.

 

May our loving God, with Mary and Champagnat, walk with all members of the Marist family. Amen

Years 9 and 10 Retreat Days

COVID-19 restrictions notwithstanding we hope to run the Year 9 and Year 10 Retreat Days later this week.  

 

Thursday 26 August

 Year 9 students will attend a retreat/reflection day.

 

Friday 27 August

Year 10 students will attend a retreat/reflection day. 

 

Both days are facilitated by Mr Michael Fitzpatrick and will be structured to enable students to reflect on themes of Christian Leadership, Faith, Justice and Freedom. 

 

Students are to go to Pastoral Group as normal and then to the Cyprian Pavilion.

Chaplains Corner 

Reflection for August 24 – Feast of St Bartholomew. St Bartholomew, also known as Nathaniel, was one of the Twelve Apostles. It is said that he preached the Gospel in what we know as India and Armenia. He gave his life for Christ, tradition reports, by being skinned alive. Today’s Gospel reading captures the moment of his call.

 

Some disciples heard about Jesus but then the moment came when Jesus Himself touched their life. So, it happened with Bartholomew. Philip had told him that they found the Messiah in Jesus of Nazareth. Bartholomew was sceptical since he wondered whether anything good could come from Nazareth.

 

We can become trapped by stereotypes of all sorts, racial, ethnic and religious. Maybe we tend to label people too quickly until we meet them personally and, suddenly, it’s a different story. So, Bartholomew was told to come and see for himself. Then he became a disciple.

 

This Gospel account warns us against prejudice and prejudgments about people without meeting them. Beneath every cultural label is a person with individuality, hopes and desires. Our tendency is to think in universals and stereotypes rather than to encounter individuals. Such prejudices can really damage and distort our judgments.

 

This Gospel also calls us to come and see for ourselves, to come to know the Lord in prayer and in the Sacraments.

 

Jesus is not just a historical person, a religious icon, or a presence far away. He is a Living Lord, calling to us as He did to those first disciples. As with Bartholomew, the Lord has a lot to show us and give us.

 

We cannot rely on reports from others. We need to come and see for ourselves.

 

Mary, our Good Mother, pray for us.
St. Marcellin Champagnat, pray for us.
St. Mary of the Cross, pray for us.
St. Bartholomew, pray for us.
 
And let us always remember to pray for one another.