Catholic Identity & Mission News

There have been a lot of celebrations over the past week! Firstly, we have celebrated Avila House Feast Days last Thursday with masses and luncheons on each campus. St Teresa of Avila is an incredible saint. She experienced sadness in her early life with the death of her mother and found that her faith was strengthened through a devotion to Mary and to a life of prayer. She studied and wrote widely and encouraged a life of both deep reflection and action. There are many quotes attributed to St Teresa but arguably her most famous one comes from her prayer/poem Christ has no body now on earth but yours. There is comfort, challenge and a call in this line alone and it is one that can be rightly claimed as inspiration for our Campus Liturgy Teams who attended their annual thank you celebration luncheons over the past week. 

On each campus, we have Student Liturgy Teams made up of approximately 15 volunteers who assist with the running of our College masses. Led brilliantly throughout the year by our Liturgy Captains, Harrison Hand (CRA) and Shekinah Japson (CLN), these team members have developed competence and confidence and have ensured that our masses are well organised and run smoothly. They are role models in our school and bear witness to our pillars of Faith, Education and Service. As leaders of our College Mission Team, Mr Lokuge and I were able to show just a token of our appreciation for their work by hosting thank you lunches for these students and were delighted by the camaraderie they now share – they are a great reason for hope for our school and our Church!

However, the biggest celebrations of the past two weeks were of course our Year 12 Graduations. It is always with mixed emotions that we celebrate our graduands – we are happy about their progress and for the wonderful opportunities and adventures that await them, but we are sad to see them leave St Peter’s – we’re going to miss them! The cohorts from both campuses have been fun and lively groups. They started their Year 12 journeys with Retreats at the end of the last year, and I always say right at the beginning of Retreat, ‘Remember this moment, because your next 12 months are going to be blur!’. And now here we are, bidding them farewell, thanking them for all they’ve given to our College, and celebrating this important time of their lives. It is my greatest hope for them that they hold the lessons of their Catholic education in their hearts and minds always. That they will be graduates who know they are loved and are called to do all that they do in love. That they will ‘Be not afraid’ and inspired by a House Patron like St Teresa of Avila, they will know that ‘Christ has no body now but theirs’ and they’ll live loving, just and compassionate lives. 

Huge congratulations to all our Year 12 Graduates and their families. We have walked the journey will you all and celebrate this milestone with joy and gratitude. May God guide and bless our Year 12 Graduates always. 

Fiona McKenna

Deputy Principal - Catholic Identity & Mission Leader