Mission and Identity
1 Peter 4:10 St Pius X Christmas Appeal:
The Season of Advent offers us the opportunity to answer the call of the Gospels to prepare for Jesus to be reborn anew in the cradle of our hearts. Advent provides us the opportunity to spiritually prepare and slow down, so that we can fully appreciate that Jesus is the reason for the Season.
Much like the Star of David that shone brightly above the place of Jesus’ birth, our much loved traditions such as decorating Christmas trees, purchasing gifts for loved ones and singing carols point the way to reminding us of the first Christmas gift ever given - the gift of God’s Son to the world.
It is for this reason, that we continue the tradition of gift giving at Christmas. But many of our sisters and brothers on the margins of society experience the hardships of disadvantage and inequality especially at Christmas.
In this light, we are pleased to launch the Peter 4:10 St Pius X College Christmas Appeal for 2023.
Why a Christmas Appeal at St Pius X College?
As a Catholic School in the Edmund Rice tradition, we draw our ‘why’ from Jesus, and how Blessed Edmund Rice responded to Jesus’ call to transform the world through love of God, neighbour and self.
In the first letter of St Peter, Chapter 4, we are called to offer hospitality to one another without grumbling, and when we serve others, we should serve with the strength of God. In other words, we should serve willingly and generously with a union of head, heart and hands.
Then in Verse 10, St Peter beckons:
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
St Peter’s letter challenges us to remember that everything we have has come from God, and that we should share this generously with all who are in need. Whether worldy possessions or God given talents, these have been ‘gifted’ to us as tools for change. It is in response to this call, that we call you our brothers to be men of action like Blessed Edmund, and to give to those in need ‘in handfuls’. We are calling on each other to give with radical love.
Communities and Organisations needing our Support
Each community or organization needing our support has been allocated to a specific Year Group. Through consultation with each community and organization, the following items have been identified as a source of need in 2023.
Year 5 and 6 will be supporting the St Vincent de Paul Society in Woy Woy, who are requesting the following to be donated:
Non Perishable Snack Supplies packed into zip lock bags, containing three snack items and a can of tuna, soup sachet or packet of noodles.
Year 7 will be supporting St Mary’s Primary School Bowraville who are requesting New casual clothing items, new sporting related items and new primary aged toys to be donated.
Year 8 will be supporting CatholicCare Broken Bay who are requesting Non-perishable snack items, non perishable food items, toiletries and toys suitable for young children to be donated.
Year 9 will be supporting the Burdekin Association through the Frenchs Forest Parish, who are requesting non-perishable snack items, non perishable food items and toiletries to be donated.
Year 10 will be supporting Centacare who are requesting Christmas present hampers. Each homeroom will be organised into present groups and will receive the specific needs relevant to their grouping.
Year 11 will be supporting St Michael’s Meals who are requesting non-perishable snack items, non perishable food items and toiletries to be donated.
The Appeal will run from Week 5 to Week 7 so that the Immersions as part of the Matthew 25:40 Immersion program can deliver these donations to the communities in need in Week 8.
On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays during the appeal, representatives from each homeroom will collect the donated items from the class and will deliver them to the Edmund Rice Society packing team in the College Foyer.
We hope that by giving generously through the St Pius X College Christmas Appeal, that you encounter the greatest gift of all - the fulness of heart that only comes from sacrificing for another.
Through faith and hard work, we at St Pius X can realise the dream that sparked with the Gospel and came into view by looking out the window at docks of Waterford.
We look forward to journeying with you and the Magi as we make our way to Bethlehem.
Remembrance Day Service this Friday
A brief history behind Remembrance Day:
On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, Australians are called to fall silent for one minute. Offices, workplaces, schools and passengers on public transport are called to fall silent and bow their heads to acknowledge and commemorate Remembrance Day, when on 11 November, 1918, the guns of the Western Front fell silent after more than four years of continuous warfare.
The First World War began in 1914, with the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian heir to the throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand. His assassin was the Serbian extremist Gavrilo Princip, and took place in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This assassination led Serbia to declare war on Bosnia and Herzegovina, and, because each nation had multiple interlocking alliances with other European nations, it wasn’t long before Europe was divided in two.
On one side, there was the Triple Entente: France, the Russian Empire, and the British Empire. On the other, there was the Triple Alliance: the German Empire, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. As the war progressed, many more nations would join on either side of the conflict, and for four long years, war would rage across the world.
In 1918, after four brutal years of trench warfare across France and Belgium, Allied soldiers pushed the German troops back, and the German emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm, abdicated the throne. The German Empire was the last of the Triple Alliance to agree to end the fighting. In November 1918, shortly after the Kaiser stepped down, Germany signed an armistice which ended the war completely.
The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month attained a special significance in the post-war years and became universally associated with the remembrance of those who had died in this first world war.
In Australia and other allied countries, including New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom, 11 November became known as Armistice Day. Since World War II, Armistice Day is now known as Remembrance Day, and all Australian lives lost across all wars and conflicts are commemorated on this day.
It is not a time to celebrate war, but to honour those who have sacrificed their lives for others, and to remember the fragility of human life and the centrality of peace as the golden thread that holds the tapestry of humanity together.
A Prayer for Remembrance Day
Almighty and eternal God, from whose love in Christ we cannot be parted, either by death or life: hear our prayers and thanksgivings for all whom we remember this day; fulfil in them the purpose of your love; and bring us all, with them, to your eternal joy.
Lord, as we are ever mindful of the cost paid for the liberty of freedom we now enjoy, we ask you to bless the members of our armed forces.
Look with protection, love and comfort over all the service women and men still at war, bring them home safely and comfort their families.
Hold all these brave souls in the palm of your hand. Be their power and protector, leading them from darkness to light.
Send your Spirit to help us to let go of misunderstandings, hatred and prejudice so that we may grow together as one family.
We make this prayer through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen
Events and opportunities
Mr Daniel Petrie - Assistant Principal, Mission and Identity