Faith & Mission
Finding Unity in Our Differences
This past week, I had the privilege of spending time in a Japanese Buddhist school, a truly amazing experience. From the moment I arrived, I was struck not by how different we were, but by how much we shared. Though our faith traditions and languages may differ, the heart of what we do as educators, forming young people of compassion, integrity and hope, felt deeply familiar.
During my time at the school, I was invited into their temple, a peaceful and sacred space that sits at the heart of their community. It is a place where students and staff come together for reflection and ceremony, expressing gratitude and respect in quiet, meaningful ways. The temple holds a special significance for their community, not every school in Japan has one, just as our own chapel holds a cherished place in the life of our College, a space where we come together in faith to celebrate, reflect and find stillness in God’s presence.
While I was there, the school was preparing for its graduation ceremony, which takes place in this beautiful setting. It was moving to see how the occasion was marked with reverence and community spirit, a reminder that, across faiths, we share the same hopes for our young people as they step forward into the next stage of life. As we look ahead to our own Graduation Mass, I was reminded that, though our rituals differ, they are rooted in the same desire: to honour growth, express gratitude, and send our students forth with love and purpose.
Faith, whether expressed in a Buddhist temple or a Catholic church, binds us through shared reverence for life’s sacred moments, reminding us that love, gratitude and community transcend all differences.
As I return to our community, I do so with a renewed appreciation for our shared humanity. Whether Catholic or Buddhist, whether in Melbourne or Kyoto, we are all seekers, longing to make sense of our world, to find meaning and to live with love at the centre.
May we continue to celebrate our differences, and in doing so, discover just how alike we truly are.
Ms Hannah Hale
Director of Faith & Mission