FAITH MATTERS

Next week, our school community will celebrate Harmony Week. Our student leaders have been working hard behind the scenes to put together activities to be held throughout the week at lunchtime! It will be a great week to celebrate the diversity of our school community.

On Wednesday, March 19th, we will be celebrating the Feast Day of St. Joseph, husband of Mary, beginning with a special prayer service in the College Chapel. This feast day is an important day on our calendar, as St. Mary MacKillop and Father Julian Tenison Woods entrusted the care of the Sisters to St. Joseph. 

We are also reminded that St. Joseph is the special patron of all those forced to leave their native lands because of war, hatred, persecution and poverty.

This Monday is the Feast of St. Patrick. While it is often celebrated by wearing green, singing songs and consuming Irish drinks, it is important to remember that St. Patrick was a man of immense humility, filled with passionate love of God and people. We see his respect for the indigenous people in his incorporation of their reverence for the land, waters, seasonal cycles and the heavens, with Christian principles and rituals. 

Our founder, St Mary MacKillop, also has a long association with Irish women who have been part of the story of the Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph since its beginnings. Founded in 1866, by 1871 there were 78 Irish Sisters in the group of 137 Josephites.

When Mary visited Rome to seek approval for her congregation, she brought 15 young Irish women to join her in her mission in Australia. Thus, a strong link with Ireland was forged and continued to grow.

The collection for Project Compassion has begun and will continue until the end of this term. Students and staff are encouraged to bring some monetary donations (big or small) to place in the many small boxes around the school and in Homerooms. Project Compassion is the largest fundraiser for Caritas. Caritas is the Catholic Church's international aid and development agency in Australia. Their vision is justice, dignity, and hope for all humanity and all of God’s creation. In this Jubilee Year of Hope and season of Lent, it is a timely reminder for us all to be grateful for what we have and to offer help to others less fortunate.

God of our journey,

We are all pilgrims of hope brought together by your love and your wish that we may all be one. 

We pray that in this Year of Jubilee, when we are called to greater justice and care for our common home, we may Unite Against Poverty. 

May we work in unity for the freedom of the oppressed and the renewal of creation. 

May our compassionate minds and generous hearts help bring about a world where all can live in peace. 

May our Lenten pilgrimage of fasting, almsgiving and prayer bring us closer to your loving heart. 

We ask this in the name of Jesus. 

Amen

Jesus light of the world, guide us

St Joseph, journey with us

St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, pray for us

Alison Wright

Director of Faith and Mission