John XXIII College Newsletter

Faith and Mission

Each year, National Reconciliation Week (27 May – 3 June) invites us to reflect on our shared history and to take meaningful steps toward a more just and unified Australia. The 2025 theme, 'Bridging Now to Next,' calls us to consider how the actions we take today can shape a better future; one grounded in truth, justice, and healing.

 

Reconciliation is not a single moment, but a continuing journey that asks each of us to reflect, learn, and act. It is about strengthening respectful relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians and building the foundations for lasting change.

 

At the heart of this journey is the Uluru Statement from the Heart, an invitation to all Australians to walk together toward a better future. It calls for Voice, Treaty, and Truth, a fair and practical path forward that honours the wisdom, dignity, and rights of First Nations peoples. Though the path has not been easy, the call for truth-telling and structural change remains as vital and urgent as ever.

 

'Bridging Now to Next' also speaks to our collective responsibility to continue Closing the Gap, addressing the disparities in health, education, life expectancy, and justice that persist for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Progress requires not just goodwill, but systemic action and sustained commitment.

 

As people of faith, we are guided by the words of Pope John Paul II, who, in his 1986 address to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Alice Springs, proclaimed:

'You are part of Australia and Australia is part of you. The Church in Australia will not be fully the Church that Jesus wants her to be until you have made your contribution, and that contribution has been joyfully received by others.'

 

His words challenge us still, to truly listen, to honour Indigenous voices, and to recognise that reconciliation is not complete until justice and equity are fully realised.

 

This Reconciliation Week, may we each ask: What bridges am I helping to build today that will lead to a more just and compassionate tomorrow? 

 

Reconciliation Calendar.pdf

 

 

Janeen Murphy

Deputy Principal Faith and Mission

 

 

 

 

 

Community Mass

Thank you to students in Year 9 for preparing this morning’s Community Mass. It will be the Year 10 students who prepare next Friday’s liturgy, as we anticipate the feast of Pentecost. All students and their families are most welcome to gather as we conclude the Church season of Easter. 

 

If you have any questions about Community Mass, please contact Mary-Anne Lumley: 

mary-anne.lumley@johnxxiii.edu.au

 

Community Mass details

  • College Chapel
  • Fridays in term time
  • Starts at 8:00am; concludes at 8:30am.

If you have any questions about Community Mass, please contact Mary-Anne Lumley: 

mary-anne.lumley@johnxxiii.edu.au

Sacraments

Do you have a child in Year 3, 4 or 6?

Students in these classes are respectively preparing for the sacraments of Reconciliation, First holy Communion and Confirmation. It is imperative to enrol in a parish program as soon as possible as some parishes have already closed their enrolments for 2025.

 

Each parish has its own unique sacrament program. Information from some local parishes is provided on the College website. 

 

Parents often have questions about the Sacrament program, so don’t be afraid to ask. Below are some useful points of contact: