✝️Faith and Mission

Gerard House Feast Day Celebrations

Gerard House celebrated the life of their Patron this week with Mass, lunch and games. It was a wonderful celebration of Gerard House's spirit and community.

Blessed Joseph Gerard was a French Roman Catholic priest and a professed member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate; he worked in the missions among the Basotho people in Lesotho and the Free State province of South Africa. His works in the mission are now attributed to a partial degree to a boom in Roman Catholicism in Lesotho where he was well known and regarded for his extensive work; he was even working up until a month prior to his death just before World War I. He enjoyed a long life and died at the age of 83. Fr Gerard is often referred to as the Apostle of Lesotho. His beatification was celebrated in Lesotho on 15 September 1988.

Fr Joe Antony OMI reflects on the life of Blessed Joseph Gérard

As we reflect on the life of Blessed Joseph Gerard, we are invited to consider how we can embody the qualities of a good shepherd in our own lives. How can we show sacrificial love to those around us? Are we patient and persevering in our efforts to share the faith? Do we serve with humility, recognising that all we do is by God's grace?

Blessed Joseph Gerard’s life reminds us that being a good shepherd is not just about grand actions but about daily acts of love, compassion and service. It is about being present with the people, understanding their needs, and walking with them on their journey of faith.

In honouring Blessed Joseph Gerard today, let us pray for his intercession so that we may be inspired to follow his example. May we become good shepherds in our own communities, tending to our flock with the same love, dedication and humility that he exemplified.

Close the Gap Prayer 

by Cameron Balcombe

Dear Creator,

We come before you on National Close the Gap Day, with hearts filled with hope and determination. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of this beautiful land, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and we thank you for their wisdom, resilience and knowledge.

We pray for healing in our nation, as we confront the injustices and disparities that have plagued our Indigenous brothers and sisters for too long. We pray for the health professionals who work tirelessly to Close the Gap, so that they may be filled with compassion and understanding.

Guide us, Lord, in our journey towards reconciliation and true friendship. Help us to bridge the gap in cultural understanding and access to health services. Show us how we can each contribute to creating a more equitable and inclusive society.

We lift up those who feel hopeless, especially the families and communities affected by suicide. Bring them comfort and peace and help us to support and care for them in their grief. With the same hands, we also lift up the young people who are struggling, feeling lost or hopeless. May they find strength and resilience and may we as a community offer them support and guidance towards a brighter future.

We also give thanks for the wisdom and resilience of our Elders, who have carried the stories and traditions of their people for generations. May they be filled with strength and courage as they continue to guide their communities, and may we learn from their teachings and wisdom.

May we be agents of your healing, Lord, working together to Close the Gap and build a better future for all Australians, especially our young people. Give us the wisdom to learn from the past, the courage to address the present, and the vision to create a future where all Australians stand together in equality and harmony.

In your name, we pray.

Amen.

Term 2 Chapel Flower Roster

Vinnies Quiz Night

14 June - Grab your tickets now!

Get ready to rock the house at Mazenod College's Vinnies Quiz Night extravaganza! It's time to dive headfirst into the wild and wacky world of 'This World', uncover the juiciest secrets of 'History and Arts', reminisce about all things Mazenod in 'Mazenod Trivia' and get star-struck with everything 'Fabulously Famous'! Plus, we've got raffles and prizes up for grabs, because who doesn't love a little extra excitement? So, gather your crew, gear up for some brainy banter and let's make the night a legendary mix of laughs, learning and maybe even a victory dance or two!

Brother Ignatius Hannick OMI – A Man Of Compassion For The Poor!

-St Patrick’s Community Centre

'People need people — we all need people. Loneliness can be as bad as hunger.' 

These words were said by Brother Ignatius Hannick, the man who started St Patrick's Community Support Centre in Fremantle in 1971.

Shocked by the number of homeless and destitute who came to the door of St Patrick's Church, seeking any help, Brother Hannick vowed to do something. From his initiative came a centre which catered for some 100 people every day.

Reflection Questions:

Br Ignatius Hannick OMI was a man who saw a need and acted with compassion and love. He was known as the ‘friend of the friendless.’

Imagine what it would feel like to be homeless and friendless. How important to you, if you found yourself in such a situation, would the love of a close friend be in such a circumstance?

Br Hannick was shocked by the plight of the homeless and vowed to do something about the problem in Fremantle. From a simple beginning, the service that he founded, St Patrick’s Community Centre continues to support the homeless and friendless of Fremantle and Western Australia.

In our College community, how can we support the friendless and those who are touched by poverty?

Oblate Heritage Pilgrimage: Year 7 Students Explore Fremantle's Rich History

Year 7 students have been going on an Oblate Heritage Pilgrimage to Fremantle over the last few weeks. They started their pilgrimage at Fremantle Prison, where Oblate Priests served as chaplains from 1894 until its closure in 1991. They learned about the convict history of the building, the famous stories of escapees and were introduced to the punishments and recreation areas. They also got to see the contrast between the Anglican and Catholic Chapels within the prison and learned why there were no bars on the windows in the Anglican Chapel – a sign of hope!

They then walked through Fremantle to St Patrick’s Basilica, where they learned about the stories of Fr David Shelton OMI and Fr John Flynn OMI. Fr David was a long-term prison chaplain at Fremantle Prison, offering spiritual and personal care to the inmates and their families. Fr John served as Parish Priest in Fremantle and later as chaplain at Woodman Point, caring for soldiers returning from WW1 who needed to be quarantined due to the Spanish Flu, an epidemic that killed 20 million people worldwide.

The boys then participated in Mass in the Basilica before heading off to visit St Patrick’s Community Centre, a short distance away. They were shown the facilities and given a talk about how the centre supports the homeless community in Fremantle and where much of their recent Winter Appeal donations go. Some boys were able to listen to a talk from a former homeless person who is now a member of staff at the centre, while others visited the Dental Centre, where dentists provide their services free of charge at different times. They also learned about the 350 rooms the centre manages and explored the reasons why they are all full at present.

The boys were able to ask many detailed questions and give opinions when and as required. We were generally blessed with enough dry patches to travel well over the three days!

Damian Wallis

Director of Faith and Mission