Religious Education News

A Reflection on Servant Leadership

In our Religious Education program, we often explore the core values and teachings that shape our faith and actions. A foundational concept is Servant Leadership, a theme deeply rooted in the Gospel of Matthew, specifically in the passage where Jesus speaks to his disciples about true greatness (Matthew 20:17-28).

Jesus challenges the worldly idea of power and authority, teaching instead that "whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." This passage reminds us that authentic leadership in a Christian context is not about status or dominance, but about humble service and self-sacrifice for the good of others. This is a powerful message we encourage all our students to reflect upon and integrate into their lives, embodying Christ's example through acts of service in the school and wider community.

Our weekly Masses have continued throughout the term. This week Years 7 and 11 came together to celebrate Mass with Fr Eli, whilst next week it will be the turn of Years 8 and 12 to celebrate Mass, the most important part of our Catholic faith life. Parents and members of our parish community are all welcome at our Masses. Everyone is welcome at our College Masses - they aren’t just for our Catholic students alone!

Year Level Highlights

Year 7: Foundations of Faith

This term, our Year 7 students have embarked on an exciting journey to explore the essential question: "What is it to be Catholic?" They have been learning about the core beliefs, traditions, sacraments, and structure of the Catholic Church. This foundational unit aims to provide students with a solid understanding of their faith heritage and identity, preparing them for deeper learning in the years ahead.

Last week, our Year 7 students came together at the Jockey Club for their annual retreat. This was an excellent opportunity for them to continue to grow and develop as the newest members of our College community. It was wonderful to see almost the entire year group there working together with the Year 11 Lasallian Youth Leaders to learn more about our founders, Saints Angela Merici and John Baptist de La Salle, and how O’Connor puts into practice the teachings of these two great saints. 

Year 8: The Teachings of Jesus

Year 8 students have been engaging with the central figure of our faith, focusing on The Teachings of Jesus. They are exploring the parables, the core ethical and moral instruction, and the overarching message of love and redemption. Students are encouraged to consider how Jesus' teachings remain relevant and transformative in their own lives and in today's world.

Year 9: Living the Covenant

The focus for Year 9 has been on the practical application of faith, specifically through Living the Commandments and Beatitudes. This unit bridges the Old and New Testaments, examining the Ten Commandments as a guide for moral life and the Beatitudes as a blueprint for Christian perfection and happiness. Students are discussing the challenges and rewards of striving to live a life aligned with these fundamental principles.

Year 10: Discipleship and Identity

Our Year 10 students are grappling with a profound question posed by Jesus to his Disciples: "Who do you say I am?" This unit prompts students to move beyond intellectual knowledge of Jesus to a personal, faith-filled response. They are exploring different historical and theological perspectives on the identity of Jesus and articulating their own understanding of Christ’s significance in their lives and the life of the Church. This deep reflection is vital for their spiritual growth as they prepare for their final years of schooling.

Lasallian Youth Leader formation day

Last Wednesday our Year 11 LYLs came together for their annual formation day, learning how to follow in the footsteps of St John Baptise de La Salle as ‘older brothers (and sisters) to our junior students. Our LYLs act as mentors for our Year 7 and 8 students, leading their retreats as well as assisting at STEP days and other school activities. It was a really positive experience for everyone, and a fantastic reflection on the commitment of these motivated young leaders in our school community. 

Our Year 11 LYL cohort

Year 12 Retreat

Year 12 is a year of ‘lasts’, just as Year 7 is a year of ‘firsts’. Last Friday was one of these ‘lasts’, as our Year 12 students came together for their final school retreat at the Jockey Club. The theme of the retreat was chosen to supplement the Year 12 theme for this year, which is ‘Legacy’. Students were challenged to think about what their legacy will be, not just in material things but also in mindsets. The day was made very special by the willingness of our students to involve themselves in the activities, and I hope that it helped them to build on their little bank of tricks and techniques that will help them throughout their final year at school and into the future. 

Project Compassion

Every year we support Project Compassion, raising money for some of the poorest people in the world. This year Project Compassion is supporting projects in the Pacific, Asia and Africa. 

Our Project Compassion was kicked off to a good start with our annual Pancake Tuesday breakfast on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. Eating pancakes on this day is a very old tradition, and we have used this opportunity to raise money for Project Compassion for many years. This year we raised over $350 which will help us as we work towards our fundraising goal for this year. Thank you to the LYLs, captains and other senior students who supported this activity as well as Mrs Healey for once again letting us use the Food Tech room and guiding us in preparing the batter. 

Our merry band of helpers - James, Maddie, Sneha, Toby, Richard and Rap.

Traditional queues at our traditional Pancake Tuesday fundraiser

At the moment we have an Easter Egg raffle underway, as well as a Hot Cross Bun and Lamington drive. Thank you to the staff who have donated the goodies for the raffle, as well as Miss Elizabeth and her merry band of LYLs and school captains who have been selling the tickets!

Some of our Easter goodies

Towards the end of the term we will again have our Pauper’s Banquet. Students will have the opportunity to eat like the majority of the world’s population, or feast like the tiny minority, whilst also supporting Project Compassion. Further details will follow in the next few weeks. 

We look forward to continuing this rewarding term of learning and spiritual development with all our students. My thanks to you, our parents for your ongoing support for the faith life of our students. 

Mr Andrew May

Religious Education Coordinator

Our Founders - St Angela Merici and St John Baptiste De La Salle

Saints Mary and Joseph Cathedral Parish

Keeping in touch with what is happening in the Cathedral Parish is easy through their website and Facebook pages.

With such a difficult year and a half it has been harder for parishioner's to give to the parish through the plates, particularly when the church is closed as it is at present. The Parish account details are available on the Parish bulletin. 

Cathedral Parish Website

Information about our founders

La Salle Website

Ursuline Sisters Website