From the Principal
- Reflection
- Understanding Gospel Spirituality in our Sacred Story
- EREA Charter Renewal and Mission Strategy
- College Photos
- Principal Medical Leave
- Success at the Sydney Eisteddfod
- 2025 Enrolment Interviews
- Key Dates
- Cocurricular
Reflection
Stone Soup for God's Children
Once upon a time, there was a famine in the land. People hoarded their food and hid it from neighbours and friends. One day, a stranger arrived in the village, all hungry and dishevelled. He went from door to door looking for someone to receive him and for something to eat. One after the other, the villagers told him they too were starving and so could not help him.
It was not until he reached the last house in the village that the poor woman who lived there told him that all she had left was water but he was welcome to share the water. He said that was more than enough. Then he told her that he had a magic stone with which he could make enough soup to feed the whole village. The starving old woman was excited and went to alert her neighbours. The stranger filled a large pot with the water and threw a round shiny stone into it. Villagers supplied the firewood and surrounded the large cooking pot to see the miracle of the Stone Soup.
The Stone Soup cooked and the hungry villages waited. Then the stranger tasted the cooking soup and said loudly, 'Ahhh!, I love this Stone Soup. Of course, Stone Soup with a little cabbage is hard to beat.' Soon a villager approached hesitantly, holding a cabbage he had retrieved from its hiding place. He gave it to the stranger to add to the pot.
'Wonderful!' cried the stranger, 'I once had some Stone Soup with cabbage which had some onions in it that made it fit for a king!' Soon a second villager appeared with some onions and garlic for the soup. On and on he went, through 'If only we had a few potatoes ... How wonderful it might be with a couple of carrots' and so on. At last, there was a delicious meal for all.
The villagers offered the stranger a great deal of money for the magic stone, but he refused to sell it and travelled on the next day. He probably made Stone Soup at the next village, too. Soon the famine ended but the people of the village never forgot about the finest soup they ever had.
When each of us contributes a little, we can feed the whole world village…
As we reflect on the story of the ‘Stone Soup for God’s Children’, we are reminder of the role we can play in the lives of those who are less fortunate than ourselves. The Mission Australia website (below) provides us with some alarming facts about poverty in Australia. These include:
1. Nearly three million Australians live in poverty
2. Two million Australian households have experienced food insecurity
3. One in six Australian children are living in poverty
4. Over 2 million households in Australia experience severe food insecurity
5. Sole-parent families and renters over 65 years are the hardest hit by poverty
The Stone Soup story allows us to consider how we as a community can assist those in need of our support. The annual College Winter Appeal is one way that we can all contribute to making the life of another human better.
As EREA continues the review of the Charter, I would like to provide an insight into the four EREA Touchstones.
The Charter for Catholic Schools in the Edmund Rice Tradition has four Touchstones for authenticity:
- Liberating Education
- Gospel Spirituality
- Inclusive Community
- Justice and Solidarity
The Touchstone of Inclusive Community focuses our attention to the 'who'. Inclusive communities are built upon right relationships: relationships with people and organisations through which we call them to be all that they can be through deep respect, mutuality and compassion. Liberating Education provides us the opportunity to engage in quality teaching and learning so that we can add to building a better world.
The Touchstone of Justice and Solidarity is an invitation to actively become involved in creating a better world for all people, especially those on the margin. While Gospel Spirituality invites all people into the story of Jesus and strive to make his message of compassion, justice and peace a living reality within the St Pius community.
Understanding Gospel Spirituality in Our Sacred Story
We are inspired in our commitment to Liberating Education by our deep connection to our sacred story:
The loving creator God
The life of Jesus
The charism of Edmund Rice
Our own story
In each we see Gospel spirituality coming to life.
The creator God becomes present through a Gospel spirituality which opens our eyes and invites us to participate in the movement of divine mercy and compassion. To encounter the life-giving presence of another and creation is to experience the reality of the Gospel and the grace of the mysterious presence of God. To be captured by a desire to respond from the depths of one’s heart is to be claimed by the love of God and is the foundation of a spirituality that is Gospel based. A spirituality inspired by the Gospel embodies and responds to the hope, liberation and possibility that is offered in God’s dream for fullness of life.
Jesus came to understand himself deeply as claimed and loved unconditionally by God. As such, Jesus’s way of living became a channel for a Gospel-inspired spirituality. Carrying a deep awareness of how his words and actions empowered, his life modelled what is foundational in living out a Gospel spirituality. He lived a spirituality of generosity and abundance, giving away what he had so that the opportunity for fullness of life could be offered to those on the edge. To encounter the transformative presence of Jesus is to encounter the essence of Gospel spirituality – an experience of total forgiveness and acceptance.
Edmund Rice, finding strength in prayer and scripture, encountered and responded to the suffering model of the spirit of resurrection that is at the heart of Gospel spirituality. Edmund’s deep trust in the providence of God is the basis for a way of living that leaves room for the inspiration of the Gospel. The compassionate response that flowed from Edmund’s encounter and recognition of the presence of Christ in the poor embodies the transformative energy of Gospel spirituality.
We, in our own story, daring to live a Gospel inspired life, say yes to life. In doing so, we are challenged to live with a spirit of gratitude and joy that honours the sacredness of all things. A Gospel spirituality requires a prayerful heart that is willing to listen and respond to the loving truth of God. To live a Gospel life is to encounter the other and to carry an awareness of how our choices have the potential to empower or disempower.
We are all invited into the story of Jesus and strive to make his message of compassion, justice and peace a living reality within our community.
The Church is above all a mother that takes care of all people…The announcement of the Gospel requires an opening of the doors; to allow people to enter and allow the Gospel to go out to the world.
Pope Francis, 2013
Let us engage in Gospel Spirituality and open doors to allow all people to enter.
Blessed Edmund Rice - Pray for Us
St Pius X - Pray for Us
Live Jesus in our Hearts - Forever!
EREA Charter Renewal and Mission Strategy (CRaMS) Invitation to Online Forums
The online Forums for the Charter renewal continue. Members of the St Pius X College community still have the opportunity to join the Edmund Rice Education Australia national community to imagine how our school, and all Edmund Rice Education Australia schools, can be the best they can be for our young people and for our world. We need the help of all our EREA communities to shape the future for over 41,000 young people. Two online Forums are still available to voice your thoughts.
Please use the registration link below
Open Forum Online Registration Link
College Photos
A reminder of our College photos on Friday 7 June. All students have been reminded of wearing their full winter uniform and ensuring their have the appropriate haircut and overall presentation. Thank you for your ongoing support of our high standards surrounding uniform and presentation.
Principal Medical leave
From Monday 24 June until Tuesday 6 August, I will be absent from the College. During this period, I will be undergoing significant knee surgery (double knee replacement). During my absence Ms Elizabeth Watson will be the Acting Principal while Mrs Jill Greenwood will be the Acting Deputy Principal. While Mrs Greenwood is in this acting role, the Junior School will be led by Mrs Samantha Iwatani. I thank Ms Watson, Mrs Greenwood and Mrs Iwatani for stepping into these roles during be absence.
Success at the Eisteddfod
The College Performing Arts students have been actively demonstrating their talents in their various categories at the Sydney Eisteddfod this week. Our Junior Jazz Band, conducted by Miss Laura Power came first in the Secondary School Novice Stage Band section: an outstanding achievement! The Intermediate Concert Band came third in their category. We wish our Senior Concert Band, Intermediate Jazz Ensemble and Junior Chorale well, who will perform over the course of the next week. A very special thanks to our Performing Arts Department, led by Mrs Westhoff, for all they do for our students.
2025 Enrolment Interviews
The 2025 Enrolment Interviews have continued this week. All interviewers have been highly impressed with the calibre of students who have nominated St Pius X as their school of choice. The interviews will conclude this week with letters of offer being posted by the end of Term 2.
Key Dates
Cocurricular
It was another busy weekend of cocurricular activities. Our debating teams have been exceptionally active, with debates held last Friday and the final regular round on Wednesday, 5 June. Special thanks to Mrs Leigha Zervakos for coordinating our debating program and to all our teachers for their support throughout the season. We are eagerly awaiting the results from the final round and hope to support several teams in the first elimination round next week.
Despite last week's uncooperative weather, our tennis, football, and rugby teams managed to complete most of their schedules. A few games were cancelled late on Saturday due to exceptionally poor conditions. Thank you to all our staff for enduring wet weather three out of the past four weeks.
I am looking forward to our Senior and Junior School Athletics Carnivals next week. Hopefully, the weather will be kind, and our runners will achieve as many personal bests as possible.
Go the Blue and Gold this week.
Fide et Labore
By Faith and hard work
Live Jesus in Our Hearts - Forever
Mr Michael Ronchetti - Principal