Mission and Identity
- The Sarto Collective
- Chapel Mass - Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
- Reconciliation Week
- Reconciliation Action Plan & Jersey Journey
- Winter Appeal
- Year 10 Formation Day
The Sarto Collective
Last Friday, the College was delighted to witness the first Sarto Collective gather at 7:30 am in the College chapel to discuss openly and vulnerably, all matters of faith; the big existential questions and how to feel and find God.
Below are some brief reflections by the students on their experience of this initiative founded by students, run by students that serves students:
Nathan Formosa:
My first Sarto Collective experience was met with inspiring and insightful testimonies from my peers, creative and engrossing ideas and concepts and an amazing culture forming at 7:30 am at the chapel on Friday. My favourite part was when everybody was discussing where they are on their faith journey and where they hope to be. It was great to see the success of a soon-to-be staple of St Pius X culture.
Ethan Rahme:
The first session of the Sarto Collective was a huge success with a turnout of around 10 or so boys all coming to share personal testimonies about their journey with Christ. We quickly broke down the barriers surrounding us and shared a sense of vulnerability with one another, emphasising the importance of the group being student-led. The theme of the week was ‘Finding God’ which led to the boys discussing where we are in our journeys with Jesus. We then talked about the struggles of being a young Christian in modern society and the stereotypes attached to it. The session concluded with the boys sharing breakfast and a laugh! We’re all eager to get back in the chapel this Friday morning for our next session.
Ethan Auer:
The Sarto Collective’s first meeting was able to fulfil and exceed my expectations. It was amazing to be in an environment where we were able to discuss our personal journey with faith, openly and judgement free. The ability to engage in meaningful discourse with my peers, was refreshing and enlightening, as it is always amazing to hear other peoples’ unique opinions on matters with as much significance as these. This, paired with a delicious morning tea of banana bread, lamingtons and muffins have made Friday mornings at 7:30 am, a time to look forward to.
Chapel Mass - Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
Our College Chapel Mass on Tuesday morning was led by Mr Di Sano’s Year 9 RE Class and celebrated by Fr Joey. The focus of the Mass unpacked the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. This important feast helps us delve into the mystery of the Trinity. Just as each member of a family has unique roles to play, together they form a ‘family’. In the same way, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit have unique roles, but together form ‘God’. St Patrick famously used the shamrock (three leaf clover) to explain this to the celtic chieftans. Likewise, we, having been made in the image of God, are trinitarian in our nature. Our three core elements of mind, body and soul are each separate and have different needs, but collectively make us who we are.
As we journey forward into the season of Ordinary Time, may we reflect on how to equally nourish our trinitarian nature by feeding ourselves intellectually, physically and spiritually.
Reconciliation Week
The dates for National Reconciliation Week (NRW) remain the same each year; 27 May to 3 June. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey— the successful 1967 referendum to acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as part of the population within the Constitution, and the High Court Mabo decision respectively.
National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
2024: The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2024, ‘Now more than ever’, is a reminder to all of us that no matter what, the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will —and must —continue.
Now more than ever, the work continues. In treaty making, in truth-telling, in understanding our history, in education, and in tackling racism. We need connection. We need respect. We need action. And we need change. Now more than ever, we need reconciliation.
On Wednesday we held our Reconciliation Assembly where 1,100 students personally participated in the smoking ceremony. Jesse and his extraordinary team from Nulungu Dreaming gifted the college the sharing of Corroboree interwoven through the assembly and the cultural workshops that followed.
As a community, we committed to listening to challenging truths of the past so that we as a Catholic community dedicated to justice and solidarity, can ensure that we honour our call to be the hands and feet of Christ; dedicated to forging a future of hope and equity in the spirit of accompaniment; moving forward as one mob.
We are humbled and ready to commence our engagement with the Narragunnawali platform to assist us in ensuring that our commitment to the journey of Reconciliation is authentic, and is held to account so that such commitment is not transactional and surface level, but deeply rooted in our way of being as pilgrims of peace.
As our students who bear the Reconciliation Jersey, honour their commitment to be an Ambassador of Reconciliation, let us all be a beacon of hope for a future of healing.
RAP Recap and Jersey Journey
The present College Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) has previously aimed to further involve students in exploring cultural identity and understanding within the College. Through RAP meetings and involvement in external and internal opportunities, the RAP team has aimed to both learn and be proactive in working towards our goals. To date, these goals and strategies have included:
- Establishing a Reconciliation Working Group:
- Cultivating Cultural Awareness through Action
- Engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Guest Speakers, Workshops and Immersions
The College is proud to announce that Reconciliation Week marks the next stage of this process, where we will deepen our commitments to Reconciliation through engaging with the Nurragunnawali Platform.
This video explains the process and benefits of engaging with the Narragunnawali Platform
In order to develop a comprehensive Reconciliation Action Plan for submission to Nurragunnawali, we will engage in the following steps as a College community:
1 - Establish a RAP Working Group including staff and students
2 - Complete the reflection survey to provide a snapshot of reconciliation in our St Pius X context
3 - Collectively write a vision for reconciliation at the college
4 - Set 14 actions, goals and deliverables to achieve the collective vision
We look forward to the collaboration and energy required to bring this commitment to Reconciliation to life.
As mentioned at the assembly, the College Reconciliation Jersey has reached its tenth anniversary. Those who wear the jersey commit to being an ambassador of Reconciliation.
Below is an excerpt from Mr Stearn that unpacks the significance of the jersey:
'The jersey is a handshake, it’s a conversation starter, it’s an invitation to someone to ask a question. It is the beginning of a relationship –no matter how brief - between the wearer and the interested party.
This Jersey is an opportunity.
It is an opportunity to talk.
It’s an opportunity to experience a different form of spirituality.
It’s an opportunity to tell the story of the College through First Nations Art.
It is an opportunity for the wearer to learn something about a culture that is so special to our country.
It is an opportunity to show people that we are serious about embracing Reconciliation.
Maybe it is a Challenge.
A challenge to societal norms.
If we use the opportunities this jersey presents, if we look beyond the jersey and start thinking and talking about Reconciliation because of it, then the jersey becomes a tool for positive change.
It’s not just about thinking and talking. We have to walk the talk.
The students who are wearing the jersey are our ambassadors. They have an opportunity to walk the talk. Everything they do can be an act of reconciliation.
Like any jersey it depends on what the wearer puts into it that makes it special. It is one thing to put on a Jersey with an Aboriginal design on it. It is a totally different thing to live up to what it represents.
This is our Reconciliation Jersey. It stands for something the College is committed too. You who are wearing it for the first time have the opportunity to do something special.
You have the opportunity to Walk the Talk in the name of St Pius X College and young Australians everywhere.
I have no doubt that you will be up to the challenge.
Whether we have a jersey or not, we, as sons and daughters of St Pius X are all called to be a beacon of reconciliation.
We offer our heartfelt gratitude to Mr Bourke, Mr Stearn, Mr Gillogly, Mr Cummins, and the College IT and Maintenance teams for their dedication and investment in the Reconciliation Assembly.
Winter Appeal
Week 6 marks the start of our annual SPX Winter Appeal, with the College collecting goods for St Vincent de Paul and Jesuit Refugee Services. In this difficult time, with the cost of even the most basic essentials going up, those in need have found themselves pushed further into the fringes of society, with many volunteer organisations not able to cater for those who are less fortunate. Students are encouraged to consider the plight of those around us, and to act by giving to the poor in handfuls.
The appeal will run from Tuesday, 24 May until Thursday, 15 June (Week 8, Day 4). Student volunteers will be collecting goods during homeroom. We are in need of the following items:
Thank you in anticipation for your generosity.
As we come to the end of Reconciliation Week may the following prayer turn our hearts towards a sustained commitment to reconciliation:
May the God of all wonder who set the stars in the sky,
bless you with relentless unsettledness –
that drives you to seek truth.
May the God of all justice who gave motion to the rivers,
bless you with righteous anger –
that drives you to seek freedom for all.
May the God of all love who placed laughter in the kookaburra,
bless you with the friendship –
that looks like the love where one lays down their life for another.
May the God of all comfort who determined the height of the mountains,
bless you with tears from shared pain and mourning – that shows you hope.
Go in truth, justice, love, and hope –
to Change The Heart of Australia.
Blessings,
Mr Daniel Petrie - Assistant Principal, Mission and Identity
Year 10 Formation Day
Year 10 participated in their second of three Formation Days at Oxford Falls last Friday 24 May. The theme of this year’s Days of Reflection for Year 10 is one of 'journeys', reflecting our journey through the Senior school in this transition year of Year 10 between junior and senior years. We started the day on the ovals pairing up and discussing what we were grateful for in our lives and whom we find inspires us the most in our relationships. We stayed on the ovals to acknowledge the original custodians of the Oxford Falls Campus and then gathered in prayer to recognise the feast of Our Lady Help of Christians, Australia’s patroness. In the first session Mr Di Sano used the theme of journeying through our relationships to touch on our role in our various relationships with our family and friends. He spoke about the importance of accepting the gifts of the Holy Spirit given to us at our Baptism so they may work through our lives and be fruitful. In the second session we had a fantastic presentation by Singer Songwriter and performer Brett Hunt who retold a powerful story of his family’s association with the Vietnam War. It was great to see Mr Russo back to finish off our day in a reflective meditation echoing the prayer for peace from St Francis of Assisi. Thanks to all the teachers who participated and especially to Mr Pawlak and Mr Petrie for their coordination of the day.
Sean O’Donnell Year 10
Mr Sam Di Sano - Leader of Learning, Religious Education