Faith, Justice and Formation
Ash Wednesday and Lent at St Patrick’s College
Prayer
Today marks the beginning of Lent in the Catholic Church, with our Maronite brothers and sisters having commenced on Monday this week, and the Orthodox Church beginning next week. All students and staff at the College engaged in a liturgy in the Chapel today to mark Ash Wednesday. We gathered two year groups together for a period each across the day.
Our liturgy reflected simplicity and a commitment to the other as modelled by St Francis of Assisi. “Do few things but do them well, simple joys are holy.” (St Francis) As always, in the season of Lent we aim to reflect, pray, fast and give alms (charity) while bringing love to all around us, and seeking it deep in our hearts. We are God’s love in this world and how we act shows others that we are followers of Christ.
The readings were centered on sacrifice, and each of us considered out intentions for Lent. Ask your sons about what stuck with them from the liturgy.
Prayer is a continuous part of life at the College. The Rosary is said at lunch every Tuesday throughout the year in the Chapel, and during Lent the Stations of the Cross will be done at lunch each Friday in the Chapel. We hope to see as many students and staff there as possible.
As we continue to pray at this time, we keep any special intentions in our prayers, especially considering the need for peace and love around our world.
Fasting
We know that fasting is a part of the Lenten season. This can be done in many different ways. Traditionally Catholics have given up meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays during Lent (often all year), and we often choose something else to forego in this season. Fasting can be from many things; those things that often impede our relationship with God and others. Fast from social media, from certain recreation, from the use of carbon, from food that sustains us.
To mark our tradition of fasting I remind everyone of a few things at the College. The Canteen/Cafeteria will not sell meat items on Fridays in Lent, as a reminder of our commitments, even though this is not a requirement any longer. However, it is a requirement over the age of 13 to go without something during every Friday of Lent, especially if you do not go without meat.
A modern luxury we could reduce is our use of carbon, which is harming our planet. You will find the SPC Lenten Carbon Fast below - check out the suggestions for every day to make the world a better place and make us think about what we often take for granted. ‘Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received - only what you have given: a full heart, enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.‘ (St Francis of Assisi)
I also share with you that Ramadan commences for Muslims today. This is a unique time for the world’s Catholics and Muslims sharing this time in their seasons of fasting, with fasting being about removing the things that get in the way of our devotion. We also fast to remind ourselves of the blessings we have been given by God. Going without can increase our gratitude and our commitment to love God, love others and love ourselves. May we unite in our common purpose at this time.
Almsgiving / Fundraising
The SPC Lenten Appeal also commences today, to collect money for our Lenten Partners as part of the required almsgiving in this season. Our Lenten Partners for 2026 are various Edmund Rice Ministries in Kenya, supported by the Edmund Rice Foundation Australia. These include the Edmund Rice Centre for students with disabilities coming from the Kibeira informal settlement (slum) and the Edmund Rice Catholic Education school and their dairy as a fundraising enterprise. You will learn more about them over coming weeks. NONE of the funds raised go toward the College in any way.
St Patrick’s College has a proud history of fundraising, and I trust this Lent will be no different. However, it is important we all know the different ways being used to collect funds. Instead of Project Compassion boxes that you might be familiar with in your parishes, here is how you can give to the powerless in our world, supporting our Lenten Appeal.
Cash collections in Homerooms each day. This is about giving not only spare change but the money you may have spent on a treat (not a necessity) during the day to recognise that we need to give without expecting anything in return. Cash can also be dropped into the Finance Office at any time.
To aid our new ‘less-cash’ system, every homeroom in the school will have one day between now and the end of term to make an electronic donation. Your son should be given this date by his class/homeroom teacher. Where it is possible it is good to look at a collective sum you could give on this day, such as $1 per school day in Lent which will equate to roughly $50. You can give more or less, and you can give at other times too. A machine will be brought to homerooms on their allocated day to aid this. Ask your son when their day is.
Mufti Day on Monday 30 March. Please have cash ready for this day. It will be $5 per student.
Homerooms/Junior classes can run stalls that are booked in through me (only). The stalls may involve food or games. All money raised will contribute to the Homeroom /Junior class tally. Students can use cash or bank card (not student card) to purchase or participate. It really is a good idea at this time of year to have some cash for all of these purposes.
Stage 3 (Junior School) Cross Country Sponsorship.
Donations can be made when ordering lunch through Flexischools. When you go in to place a lunch order you will see a box that tells you how to make a donation. It is very straightforward.
There are plenty of options here on how to contribute to the SPC Lenten Appeal. We thank you in advance for your support and hope we can raise a substantial amount for those in greater need, locally, nationally and globally.
This season is about stopping, reflecting on where we are at and removing what isn’t good for us and our relationships. It is a time to humble ourselves and clean our hearts in preparation for the resurrection of our Lord at Easter. It is a time of sacrifice and faith, reminding us to look at what is really important; a time to get rid of the ‘stuff’ that inhibits us. I pray for all of us as we walk through life, that we may be inspired by the example of St Francis of Assisi who reminded us how to love God, loving others and the Earth in turn; “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love.” (St Francis)
Message of Pope Leo XIV – Lent 2026
Here is a link to a summary of the simple message from Pope Leo for this Lenten Season - Message of Pope Leo XIV for Lent 2026 - Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. It also contains the link to the full statement.
It is titled ‘Listening and Fasting: Lent as a Time of Conversion’.
Gillian Daley
Director of Identity
SOL Service Opportunity
Year 10 and above Only:
