Faith and Mission

This week our College community has taken time to reflect and learn through our focus on both Refugee Week and Neurodiversity Week.

Refugee Week, marked nationally in the lead up to World Refugee Day on 20 June, invites us to recognise the courage and resilience of people who have been forced to flee their homes. This year’s theme, A Million Stories, reminds us that behind every number is a human story of hope, loss and renewal. As a College, we are called to respond with compassion and to build a community where all people feel welcomed and able to belong.

In response, we are supporting CARAD, a local organisation that assists people seeking asylum in Western Australia. Our collection of pantry staples and essential items is a simple but powerful way to stand in solidarity with those in need within our own city.

Alongside this, our celebration of Neurodiversity Week has invited students to recognise and value the many ways people think, learn and experience the world. 

There is no one 'right' way to learn or think. Neurodiversity recognises that differences are natural and valuable. These differences bring creativity, innovation and unique strengths to our community.

Together, these two focus areas remind us of a shared truth at the heart of our Ignatian tradition. Each person is made with dignity, each story matters, and everyone brings gifts that help shape our community.

Members of the Socceroos have shared their support for Refugee Week, highlighting the diverse journeys that shape both our national identity and our sporting teams. Their message is a powerful reminder of the strength found in inclusion and belonging, particularly as Australia participates in the World Cup. 

Janeen Murphy

Deputy Principal Faith and Mission

Community Mass

This morning our Community Liturgy was prepared by Arts students (students studying Drama, Media, Music and Visual Arts). The liturgical life in the College is deeply enriched by the artistic talents of many students. Today, we prayed God’s blessing on a number of  students and staff who are preparing for the Arts Study Tour in July. 

In his homily, Fr Edmond CSsR spoke to the value of the Arts in our lives; how the Arts give expression to the deepest parts of human beings, which is also the truth. 

Referring to an article from the Tablet[1], Fr Edmond drew our attention to the recent meeting, in Madrid, of Pope Leo with leading figures from Spanish culture, art, economy and sport. Pope Leo reflected:

In this beautiful country it is impossible not to admire the creative spirit that runs through its history and shapes its identity … After carefully considering these wonders created by previous generations, a question inevitably arises that challenges us all: what legacy are we leaving for the future and, by extension, what kind of community are we building … Our society does indeed possess an extraordinary capacity to produce, innovate and communicate; however, it seems we still need to learn how to safeguard the soul of what it generates. Otherwise, we run the risk of becoming experts in the media and effective producers, yet uncertain as to why, for what purpose, with whom and for whom we produce.

Actor, Antonio Banderas, who was a guest, told the Pope that Jesus Christ was the ‘great protagonist of the film of life’. He continued:

In all the arts, Christ is an icon of peace, love, and sacrifice, surrounded by an inexhaustible mystery … In a world that rushes by, that is fragmented, that is sometimes oversimplified, art helps us recover the depth and soul that is being threatened by artificial intelligences, which should be at the service of humankind and not the other way around…

Art is not only beauty. Art is questioning, it is reflection, it is contrast, it is revolution, it is tension between what we know and what we intuit.

The Pope concluded his address by inviting his audience ‘to be new protagonists’. He called on people to: 

weave a renewed society where … 

culture safeguards memory and fosters dialogue, 

education promotes the search for truth with a critical spirit, 

art awakens wonder and generates noble emotions, 

business recognises the dignity of the person, and 

work remains a source of hope.

Thank you to Fr Edmond for celebrating with this liturgy with us!

Year 12 students will be preparing next Friday’s Mass.  Everyone is welcome – to the Mass and to coffee afterwards in the Circle of Friends Café. 

If you have any questions. contact, Mary-Anne Lumley.

Community Mass details 

• College Chapel
• All welcome!
• Fridays in term time
• Starts at 8:00am; concludes at 8:30am.

[1] Pope Leo and Antonio Banderas call for art to rediscover its ‘soul’ - The Tablet

Sacraments

Parents often have questions about the Sacrament program, so please don’t hesitate to ask. Below are some useful points of contact: 

• The priest or sacrament coordinator in your local parish
• The Archdiocesan website: Parishes & Mass Times

• Mary-Anne Lumley: mary-anne.lumley@johnxxiii.edu.au  or via phone on 

  08 9383 0513