Deputy Principal

Economic Leprosy

I have been reflecting on the readings from Mass a few weeks ago. The first reading from Leviticus was about people in society who had leprosy and how they were turned away. They were turned away and told to look disheveled and tell people that they were unclean. The second reading, a Letter from St Paul to the Corinthians, asked us not to do anything that would offend others and be helpful to everyone and not take advantage of others. In Mark’s Gospel, the leper went to Jesus and Jesus cured him. For the most part we live in a world where leprosy has been cured. However, in reflecting on those readings I came to think of how it still exists in other ways.

The economics teacher in me thought about what I would term as economic lepers. I am not going to argue that everyone should be equal in terms of socioeconomics. We need a society where people are rewarded for their effort. However, it would be naïve to think that everyone had the same access to resources to ensure that everyone gets a fair go. Our students by nature of the school that they attend are given a head start in life. Just as my parents did, who were both blue collar workers, worked hard to get my brother and me through school, so too are you working hard to give your children the best education that you can afford.

Given a good education is not a guarantee in life to success. It does, however, give you a head start. There are people in our society who are struggling. They do not have the resources to pay rent or put food on the table. As a Catholic school we do a lot of outreach to help people less fortunate than us. This is one of the great things about being a part of our community.

As I move around the College and have conversations with some of our students and indeed some of the discussions in my economics class, I cannot help but think that sometimes we forget about the economic lepers in our society, and we want more for ourselves. Sometimes we think of how we can gain more for ourselves, rather than realising that we have enough now, so how can I give to others what I already have. As St Paul said, ‘I try to be helpful to everyone at all times.’

Politicians have made it hard to think of the collective as they gain votes by giving to individuals. Our job as parents/carers, as part of a Catholic community is to continue to challenge those in society who want more for themselves at the expense of the economic lepers. Jesus did not turn the lepers away. He welcomed them and cured them. We must help cure economic leprosy and welcome everyone into our community. Sometimes giving someone a hand up in terms of a donation or teaching them skills that allow them to communicate or get a job is all they need. Let us not look down on people who are less fortunate than us. Let us not tell people that they just need to go out and work and make it on their own. Let us be the teachers, the mentors, the people that are counter cultural that look after everyone just as Jesus did. Then and only then will we be able to say, that we have truly heard the words of the Gospel. 

Live Jesus in our Hearts. Forever.

Adrian Byrne

Deputy Principal