Mission News

Prayers

We keep in our prayers all those who are unwell, caring for others or mourning departed loved ones. May God’s gentle spirit be with all who suffer and may those who have died be welcomed into the peace of eternal life.

Community Mass 

All are welcome to Mass on Wednesday morning at 8:00am and Friday 1st break.

Over the last two weeks, we welcomed students from Rush and Gilroy for their respective House Masses. 

Gospel

Mark’s Gospel from 33rd  Sunday in Ordinary Time (Mark 13:24-32)

Jesus said to his disciples: 'In those days, after the time of distress, the sun will be darkened, the moon will lose its brightness, the stars will come falling from heaven and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory; then too he will send the angels to gather his chosen from the four winds, from the ends of the world to the ends of heaven.

'Take the fig tree as a parable: as soon as its twigs grow supple and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. So with you, when you see these things happening: know that he is near, at the very gates. I tell you solemnly, before this generation has passed away all these things will have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

'But as for that day or hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son; no one but the Father.'

Reflection and prayer

Sunday’s Gospel delved into apocalyptic territory – end times and the passing of all things, heaven and earth. Contemplating end times is troubling. Yet seeing our graduates walking from these gates on Friday reminds us that not everything that ends or changes is foreboding.

Eventually, all our students must leave these gates to claim their future. This is the change that has been waiting for them, that they have work so hard to be ready for. There was joy and sadness in the mix on Friday. A host of different emotions and a sense of loss. But as Sting says (or sings): “If you love someone, set them free”.

Our students are often reminded they are Marist men, and this remains true always. They take with them the spirituality of St Marcellin Champagnat who in his lifetime devoted his energy to evangelisation and education, with unwavering devotion to Mary who drew him near to Jesus. As we journey ever closer to the season of Advent and Christmas, we reflect on the nurturing role of Mary to bring her son Jesus into the world at a time of crisis. We turn to Mary to inspire our work and to give us hope.

Our prayer is a Prayer to Mary written by Br Jone Seduadua, a Fijian Marist brother from our Star of the Sea province:

+ Mary our Sister,

we greet you today,

happy to be called Marists,

to be heirs to the charism

that you gave to Marcellin our Founder.

May his love for Jesus,

his love for you,

his enthusiasm to reach out

to young people in need and those at risk,

permeate our lives today.

Walk alongside us as we carry out our mission.

Make us conscious of your Son’s presence,

surrounding us, within us

and within those we meet.

May the Marist goal of making Jesus and you

known, loved and served,

become more real, more vital in our lives.

Mary our good mother – pray for us

St Marcellin Champagnat – pray for us

St Mary of the Cross MacKillop – pray for us

And may we always remember – to pray for one another.

Amen. +

Year 12 Graduation 

Last Friday our Graduation celebrations began with Mass in the Champagnat Centre led by Fr Alatini. It was a beautiful celebration which included many special moments. We would like to thank all of the staff who were involved with the day, in particular our incredible Music Team, Heads of House, Services Team and our amazing staff choir.  

FareShare

Last Tuesday, was our last FareShare shift for the year. Thank you to Owen Hair, Harrison Graham, Jack Watson, Francis Schutt, Matthew L’Enfant, Baxter Thompson and Ben Wex who came along to help. We packaged up 1000 chicken schnitzel meals and sealed 2500 meals. That brings our total for the year up to 12,222 meals packaged, over 10,000 sealed, and countless kilograms of vegetables, fruit and chicken chopped up – all for meals to be sent at across the country to people doing it tough.

This has been our first year of regular FareShare shifts and it has been a definite success. We look forward to another year of supporting FareShare and their important work of tackling food waste and food insecurity.

Marist 2024 Christmas Appeal 

Thank you to every Family, Staff and Community Members who donated to this year's Christmas Appeal. Your support will help provide dignity and comfort to those in need this Christmas.

The Mission Team is currently in the process of tallying the donations and this will be shared with the community next week. 

Tickets are still available this week for our student hamper in case you missed out. Tickets are $2 each or $5 for 3 – come and see us during break times at the Mission Office. The Hamper will be drawn at next week’s assembly.

Stationery Aid

At last Friday’s Stationery Aid, co-founder and Marist parent, Alison Schutt, thanked the students for their commitment to helping provide families with much-needed, good-quality stationery. 

Alison reflected that “it was wonderful to see a great turnout and 100 highlighter sets completed as National Recycling Week 2024 is wrapped up. I explained to the students (for those who hadn’t heard it already) the importance of what they were doing, and how it impacts the 23,000+ disadvantaged bottom 4% of students living in poverty and hardship across QLD. A set of renewed highlighters is one item on every student booklist that will be going to and supporting 700-800 QLD students to start 2025 school year.” 

Not only does Stationery Aid help out by providing stationery, it also saves items from becoming landfill and thus an environmental problem. 

Volunteers are VERY welcome to help out at Stationery Aid this Friday 22nd November at 7:30am in Room 801. 

A reminder that good quality unwanted stationery donations are welcome and can be placed in the blue bin outside the Mission Office. 

To find out more and to check the list for what can be donated, please visit: https://stationeryaid.org/ 

St Vincent de Paul and Environment Group

The Environment group will be meeting this Thursday 1st break in Room 801.

Our delicious $4.50 Bacon and Egg burgers will be available this Thursday morning from 7:45am.