School Chaplain

Encouraging Mateship

Earlier today my family and I proudly sang “With courage let us all combine to advance Australia fair!” as we were sworn in as Australia citizens.

While practicing for the citizenship test, the subject of mateship repeatedly came up. Australia encourages its citizens to come together on days like ANZAC Day and Australia Day to share their different cultures, traditional foods and to be there for each other as fellow citizens. Mateship is an invitation to come together despite our differences and focus on what unites us. This spirit is strong here at our school - we see it every day among teachers and students. Our team spirit is amazing. I have said to our students that one of the things that keeps people optimistic is having great mates— those true friends who have our backs covered and are there to support us no matter what, especially in our moments of weakness!

Even Jesus, the Son of God, who could have done it all by himself, still felt the need for mates. He chose 12 men to be his support system, travelling companions, colleagues in ministry, arms to lean on, friends to laugh with, pray with, cry with, and rejoice with. He encouraged them to love each other as he loved them — to love at any cost! 

School can be overwhelming especially at this time of the term when there are so many assessments and tests. But when one has good mates, they can say, “I have my mates to support me.”

And my door is always open as School Chaplain I am a friend to all within the School.

Fr Gift Makwasha

School Chaplain