Mission News

Prayers

We remember those who are victims of tragedy, especially the communities through Tibet and Nepal who, after the recent flash flood disaster, are mourning the death of loved ones, or aching with the ambivalent loss of friends and family still missing. Loving God, may our community never fail to care for those in need.

College Masses

This Wednesday, Ignatius House will gather for Mass at 8:00am in the Chapel. Everyone is welcome, including parents/carers and other family members! We will also celebrate Mass on Friday during Break 1B, with all our sportsmen in particular encouraged to attend.

Weekly Reconciliation 

A reminder that College Chaplain Fr Alatini offers weekly reconciliation in the chapel on Tuesday mornings from 8:00am – 8:30am. 

Gospel & Reflection 

Matthew 16: 21 – 27 Jesus calls his follows to take up the cross: Yesterday the Australian Church celebrated Social Justice Sunday – a day for reflecting on how we can contribute to Mission. In the Gospel Jesus tells the disciples he must go to Jerusalem, suffer, and be crucified. Peter is stunned and rejects the idea that Jesus will suffer. Jusus says Peter is still thinking according to human, not divine ways and explains those who follow him must take up their Cross because real life is found not in worldly success, but in living for God.

The first part of the Gospel focuses on suffering. Jesus tells Peter that suffering is part of our fallen existence. We are living in a universe controlled by dark forces beyond our understanding. And by dying on the cross he will paradoxically rescue humanity from the evil that controls this age. Christ’s victory over death challenges us to see reality differently. This includes how we see people on the margins. Christian teaching asks us to look beyond earthly stereotypes and remember everyone has inherent ‘human dignity’. 

Taking up the Cross means accepting inconvenience for Jesus’ message and plan. Discipleship is not just about believing - it’s also about doing. Faith without work is dead. This Sunday we are asked to reflect: how do we follow the Catholic Social Teaching of Solidarity to bring about a more just society?

The Gospel also challenges us to consider what we are living for. “What profit will a man show if he gains the world but forfeits his life?” Wealth, status, and power are fleeting – what really matters is how we love God and how we love one another. The challenge: how will people remember us – by our material excess or by our kindness?

Year 10 Retreat: “Leadership Day”

A retreat day presents both challenges and opportunities. On Friday, our Year 10s stepped up to both, taking the lead from facilitator Michael Fitzpatrick to reflect honestly on their progress and potential as a cohort as they move into the final two years of high school in 2027 and 2028. There was unanimous agreement amongst the students that a shift was needed for the group to be who they wanted to be. Self- and group-awareness was reassuringly evident throughout the day. Courage was displayed too, from the contributions of the young men who don’t usually feel comfortable to stand and speak, to those who offered to the larger group their insights on how they want to change. There is nothing ‘easy’ about this work, but it is richly rewarding and necessary, and we can say with confidence that our college will be in safe hands as our wonderful students continue to grow and live in the Marist way. 

Game Changers Retreats

Last Thursday our Year 7/8 Game Changers students had an opportunity to connect with other Marist schools at the Marist Youth Ministry led Game Changers retreat and forum. It was a fun and reflective day, inviting the students to mingle with new people and connect through prayer and games. This Thursday our Year 9/10 Game Changers students will have the same opportunity. We thank the MYM Team for their facilitation of these meaningful experiences for our students. 

Romero Centre Primary Pantry Drive

Following on from last years success, Rachael Carter and the Primary team were extremely keen to support the Romero Centre with the pantry drive once again. The Romero Centre is a place of support and care for refugee’s and asylum seekers. Not only do they help those in need with technical skills such as computer lessons, but they also feed many visitors each day. As part of our MATES program, the school visits the centre to help maintain its facilities providing hands on support, however, it was clear that supplies were running low.

Seeing the need, the Primary school set out to gather much needed items, each class designated products from tinned food to hygiene products and soaps. This years pantry drive was a huge success, with many necessary products brought in to support the centre in just one week. The picture below shows a few of our primary students proud at what them and their peers were able to achieve in a short amount of time. The items will soon be collected by the centre and be put to good use.

Well done Primary staff and students for this amazing effort.

The Gospel lived out through Care of Creation and Social Justice

Throughout September, the Catholic Church celebrates the "Season of Creation". As people of faith, this is a great opportunity to recommit to our care of creation by reducing, reusing and recycling as well as simply appreciating the beauty and diversity of the world around us. Pope Leo's Prayer Intention for September is for the care of water, that most precious and finite resource needed by not only all people but all living things. We're reminded that it is the responsibility of us all to protect water resources now and for the future, while ensuring all people (especially the poorest) have free access.

The Catholic Church also marked Social Justice Sunday on Sunday 30 August, and with it the launch of this year's Social Justice Statement, "Living the Gospel in Times of Social Division". The document is definitely worth a read to gain a sense of what it means to live out the Gospel in our times, aware that in Australian society as elsewhere, fault lines exist and mis- and disinformation can be amplified through social media. As a Marist Catholic School, our hope is always orientated to Christ and the hope of the Gospel.

Treadlightly

Do you have old sports or school shoes lying around the house? Donations of unwanted shoes can be dropped into the blue bin outside the Mission Office. These shoes will be delivered to our local Rebel store where they’ll be collected by Treadlightly, an organisation that recycles them to be turned into new products. To find out more about Treadlightly, visit their website: Tread Lightly – Together we can step into a better future​