Principal's Report
“I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10
Sometimes we can hear or read these words of Jesus’ at a surface level without really thinking what more Jesus might have meant them to mean for us. This is especially so when we link them to those other often quoted words of his “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35
As we approach Easter, it is one thing to reflect on what it means that Jesus came and gave his life so that we could have life to the full in terms of our own lives, our expectations for our own lives, and what we expect from others.
However, I think there is a deeper invitation or challenge from Jesus in these words. What do those words challenge us to in terms of how we live our lives so that the lives of others are enriched by us and our interactions with them?
In our world today we are seeing many examples of the lack of this enrichment in people's lives and a growing outcry for justice for women, Koorie people, those of diverse ethnicities, sexualities or gender, the climate that will impact on the lives of people in the future, and much, much more. Clearly there is much work to be done to assist these groups to have life to the full.
Fortunately, we also see many examples of behaviours that enrich the lives of others: St. Vincent de Paul, Red Cross, Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project, the voices of people like Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann, Stan Grant, Rosie Batty, Fr. Bob Maguire, Greta Thunberg, Brittany Higgins and Grace Tame, the work of Rural Australians for Refugees, the work of our school Social Justice, FIRE Carrier and Sustainability teams, our College focus on the Kildare Ministries Core Values and explicit teaching of School Wide Positive Behaviours, and many, many others.
Not forgetting either, as we celebrate Foundation Day this week, the witness of those four Brigidine nuns who left families and home to journey from Ireland to the other side of the planet to start St. Joseph’s College, Echuca.
How many lives has their sacrifice enriched in the years since 22 March 1886?
We have the following signs in place all around the College.
At St. Joseph’s College everyone has the right to safety, wellbeing and inclusion at all times.
In light of current public conversation, the deeper meaning of Jesus’ call for us to be visibly known as his disciples and our focus on explicitly teaching respect and School Wide Positive Behaviours, I find myself challenged to get better at BOTH acknowledging everyone’s right to safety, wellbeing and inclusion at all times AND to also accepting responsibility for the part that I must play in ensuring the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of everyone:
Perhaps those signs need to be rephrased as follows:
At St. Joseph’s College everyone has the RIGHT to safety, wellbeing and inclusion at all times AND shares the RESPONSIBILITY for ensuring the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of everyone.
As Catholics we believe that we are all made in the image and likeness of God. God who loves each and every person unconditionally, irrespective of gender, race, sexuality, religion etc. This belief should be at the core of every interaction we have with another person. Accepting this belief should then make accepting responsibility for helping others to feel safe, well and included much easier.
We are coming up to our Easter celebrations of Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice for all of us. Among other things, perhaps our Easter reflections could include questions such as: Who am I prepared to die for? Whose life have I enriched by being a true disciple of Jesus? Where have I acknowledged the image and likeness of God in others?
With best wishes to all for a Happy Easter and a safe upcoming holiday break.
Thank you for all that you have done to help our St. Joseph’s community members “have life, and have it to the full.” I will use my Easter time to renew my commitment to working hard to make sure the St. Joseph’s College community is known for the quality of its relationships, by its community members’ love for one another.
God bless.
Michael Delaney
Principal