Faith and Mission
The Feast of The Assumption of Mary
On the August 15, we celebrated the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, one of only two Days of Holy Obligation in Australia; the other day is Christmas Day. The feast of the Assumption is one of the many feasts of Mary, originating from a sixth century feast of the Dormition or ‘Falling asleep of Mary’. By the seventh century the feast became known as the Assumption of Mary. The date of this feast commemorated a very ancient harvest festival towards the end of the northern hemisphere’s summer, which gave thanks to the Earth Mother for her fertility in producing the harvest.
The feast acquired a special status in 1950, when Pius XII defined the Assumption as a dogma of faith. In the wake of the human devastation of World War I and World War II, Pope Pius wanted to proclaim a teaching that would benefit and dignify all of humanity:
“It is to be hoped that from meditation on the glorious example of Mary ‘humanity’ may come to realize more and more the value of a human life entirely dedicated to fulfilling the will of the Heavenly Father and to caring for the welfare of others.”
Call to prayer: Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of God.
Mary accepted God wholeheartedly into her life. Let us open ourselves to God through a dedicated time of sacred reading.
Reading: A reading from the gospel of Luke (Luke 1:46-55)
Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. “He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. “He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
Reflection: This passage of scripture, commonly called The Magnificat, is a call for justice. What call for justice do you hear today that you are able to respond to?
From the silence in your heart, take a moment to pray …
Hail Mary, full of grace
The Lord is with you
Blessed are you among women
And blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God
Pray for us sinners now
And at the hour of death. Amen.
Empowering God, Inspire us by the example of Mary’s openness to your Love. May we live in this attitude and bring to birth a new world! We make our prayer through Jesus Christ in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Assumption Day Mass
To fulfil the Church’s obligation to attend Mass on the Feast of the Assumption, our Mentone Campus hosted Mass for our entire College community. Fr Brian Collins, Parish Priest of St Anthony’s Noble Park and Keysborough Parish of the Resurrection was our celebrant.
The readings, prayers and homily reminded us that we should take Mary as an example of one who trusts in God, no matter the cost. Her life of faith and service is an inspiration for all. The themes of faith, service and community was highlighted when we presented and badged our Lasallian Youth Leaders who embody these values through their commitment to Lasallian Service. Inspired by the teachings of Jesus, the life witness of Mary his Mother, and the commitment of Saint John Baptist de la Salle to serve God by serving others, these students have continuously volunteered their time and talent as our Lasallian Youth Leaders:
Adrian Cole Asher Humphrey Austin Warfe
Ben Hall Billy Waters Caiden McGaw
Chol Gatkuoth Chol Christian Ballarin Cooper Manuel
Dylan Collins Dylan Marani Finn McGuire
George Sakkas Ignacio Quiroz Medina James Thomas
Jesse Bell Jimmy Martin Josh Chu
Liam Casey Sam Harris Patrick Biviano
Nathan Murphy Oscar Russo Thomas McDonnell
Riley Batson Tarkyn O’Leary Will Snowden
Tom Gregory Tomas Polintan Xavier Brown
William Aufner
These students have responded to the call to serve our College and the wider community and have generously responded by assisting with the various retreat programs, Caritas Pancake Tuesday, Mission Action Day, Vinnies Winter Drive and many other service and prayer activities.
BROTHER TONY TALKS TO YEAR 7
In 1938, the De La Salle Brothers established St Bede’s College and we are blessed to still have Brothers working at our school 85 years later. For Year 7 students to understand the role of the Brothers – yesterday and today – Brother Tony (Campus Minister) recently visited Year 7 Religious Education classes at our Bentleigh East Campus. Some students share their memories:
"When Brother Tony came to speak to us, it was very exciting. Having someone so involved in the Brothers to teach us about them was an honour. It was very engaging.
He spoke about his personal experiences and life a lot. We learnt about the foundation of the Brothers, their motto and how they live. He also spoke to us about his journey to become a Brother and the qualifications that a person needs. Brother Tony explained why he became a brother and the specific rules that he must follow. When it came to Q&A time, he was very open and explained the answers well. All in all, it was great experience and we hope Brother Tony can speak to us again." Archie, Seb & Leo
"It was very interesting learning how Brother Tony became a part of the De La Salle organisation. I was very interested in what he wears as well (it’s called a Robe or Habit). There were many rules that the Brothers follow that were unknown to me, like how Brothers do not get married. In general, it was a very fun period and I enjoyed it" Zoran
"Brother Tony talked about what it takes to be a De La Salle Brother, and the perks and highlights of his career. Some of his points were very interesting and we are all very thankful that Brother Tony came to talk to us. Many of the things that he shared just amazed us, and we were very lucky to meet him. Thank you, Brother Tony!" Campbell
Lasallian Volunteers Applications Now Open for 2024
Looking for the opportunity of a lifetime?
Want a meaningful gap year?
Want to be part of a community that values and celebrates diversity?
This program offers opportunities for young people wanting to gain invaluable experience in education and social welfare sectors. An experience of a lifetime, it's an opportunity for self-growth and independence to explore the wider world, and to give back to those less fortunate.
Lasallian Volunteers offers placements in communities across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Find out more here . For queries, please reach out to:
- Brother Tony
- Miss Greene
- Kyle Goodwin (Youth Minister)
- Liam Collins (Youth Minister)
Deputy Principal - Faith and Mission