From the Principal
THE GIFT OF PARENTING
Ironically, the first parents in the Bible, Adam and Eve, did not do much of a job fulfilling that most crucial role in the life of their children. Given all they would ever need by God, they literally blew the gift by falling into temptation and rejecting God. Their sons, Cain and Abel, were not exactly blest as a result, and each had struggles of their own.
From those ancient times up until this moment of reading this first edition of the Principal’s Bulletin in Term 2, 2026, parenting has been a true gift bestowed on the majority of people created by God. In a unique way, we do God’s work as we create and parent our sons and daughters. It was in God’s plan when He sent Jesus to earth to open the gates of Heaven and win for us salvation after the original sin of Adam and Eve, that parents were there to nurture and be with His son. Mary and Joseph are the greatest and most loved of saints for being simply and faithfully the Mum and Dad of Jesus, with Joseph teaching him the basics of life, and Mary being with her son through to being at the foot of His cross at His time of death.
The joy of parenting has many realities attached, relevant and beautiful for most of us who are parents. Parents, do you remember the delight experienced when told of the pregnancy, the expectancy of waiting, the preparations made to accommodate the baby, all the joys, trials, tribulations and experiences of childhood?
In the future you will be seeing your little one grow further into adolescence, walking with them as they approach adulthood, and then probably living life often through them as they too take on the responsibility for their own child(ren).
Parents are required to make very important, major decisions for their children. At most basic level, choose a name! Then follows a while string of decisions including education, household rules, religion, life lessons, and instilling values. What privileges, each of these is.
At St Monica’s College, Epping, parents are rightfully acknowledged as the primary educators of their children. Our official documentation actually states that. It is crucial that education has at its very core a three-way relationship of child, parent and staff all working in the same direction. All of us are at our best when we communicate, collaborate, celebrate, and consolidate through the secondary education years.
Other corner stones in this three-way relationship are mutual respect, active listening, patience, understanding of different views, honesty and perseverance. It is expected that our words spoken and written to each other are always polite regardless of the topic.
Being gifted with parenthood does not make an individual luckier, more valuable, more useful or even more fulfilled than those who live life without offspring. These people too have a role to play in the development and growth of youngsters. Many are pained when for whatever reason they are deprived of parenthood despite for some folk trying for many years. The categories of parenthood are varied also, mother and father, same gender, single, adoptive, foster et al.
May all Monicans be kind to their parent(s), knowing that a responsibility they have in life is making their parent happy whenever or however this occurs. We find two excellent models of children in Jesus Himself and Saint Augustine, the son of Saint Monica.
May God bless all Monican parents and thank you for selecting our College to educate your precious child through adolescence into young adulthood.
Mr Brian Hanley OAM
Principal