John XXIII College Newsletter

Faith and Mission

This week, we acknowledged NAIDOC Week 2025 with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony held on Tuesday morning. We were pleased to welcome Noongar Traditional Owner Mathew McGuire and Walter McGuire, who led the ceremony and shared cultural knowledge with our community. The event provided students and staff with the opportunity to engage respectfully with Aboriginal cultural practices and reflect on the significance of Country.

 

Before inviting the College community to engage with the smoke, Matthew McGuire welcomed us all to Whadjuk Noongar country. He gave us a translation of a song that he performed, about a spider that dwells in Kings Park, which is rich in metaphor and meaning:

 

The spider’s web: The web is delicate and fragile, yet it stretches far and wide. This symbolises the interconnectedness of all living things and the subtle but far-reaching impact each being has on the world.

 

Personal impact: Like the spider, each person’s actions, no matter how small, create ripples that affect others and the environment.

 

Caring for country: The message encouraged everyone to respect and care for the earth, sky, waters, plants, and animals. This is a core value in Noongar culture—known as "Boodja" (country)—which emphasises stewardship and sustainability for future generations.

 

This year’s theme, 'The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy,' marks the 50th anniversary of NAIDOC Week. It invites communities across Australia to reflect on the journey of the movement, originally a call for justice and recognition, and to consider how the legacy of Elders continues to shape and guide the next generation. The theme encourages a future-oriented approach, focusing on leadership, community vision, and cultural continuity.

 

As NAIDOC Week will be observed nationally during the upcoming school holidays, families are encouraged to explore events across Perth that offer opportunities to engage further with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, the oldest living cultures in the world.

 

Today, the College also held its annual Comfy Day. This initiative allows students to wear comfortable clothing while raising funds for LifeLink, which supports a range of welfare and social service agencies on behalf of the Archdiocese of Perth. These services are in increasing demand,for example, emergency accommodation costs have more than doubled over the past year, placing additional pressure on support networks.

 

As Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB reminds us:

 

'Through your support of LifeLink, you are reaching out with love and compassion to help our brothers and sisters in need, and in doing so, walking in the footsteps of the Good Shepherd.'

 

Families who wish to contribute further can make a direct donation to LifeLink. Gifts over $2 to LifeLink or the LifeLink Foundation may be claimed as a deductible gift to charity. More information is available via the LifeLink website: LifeLink | Donate.

 

Both NAIDOC Week and Comfy Day reflect our commitment to being a school in the Ignatian tradition, encouraging us to engage with the world around us with a sense of justice, service and solidarity.

 

 

Janeen Murphy

Deputy Principal Faith and Mission

 

 

 

 

 

 

Community Mass

Our Friday Mass resumes on Friday, 25 July, and will be a true ‘community’ event as we welcome families and friends to participate by reading, leading the psalm, bringing the offertory gifts to the table, or ringing the Chapel bell to remind all on campus that the liturgy is about to begin.

 

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

 

Community Mass details

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

Sacraments

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

Good News for NAIDOC

This weekend the Church in Australia celebrates Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Sunday, marking the beginning of NAIDOC. This morning’s community Mass reflected a response to the invitation of the Australian Bishops and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC) to honour and acknowledge God’s presence in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, who have upheld their rich and diverse Cultural Traditions for thousands of years.

 

Drawing inspiration from Sunday’s Gospel, the NATSICC Liturgy Team has given us this reflection. [1]

 

Peace be with you, and welcome to this year’s celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday — a sacred moment for our Church to gather as one in the love of Christ.

 

This year, we come together under the theme: 'Sent Forth in Strength and Hope.' It is Christ who sends us — to walk together in faith, grounded in the deep spirituality and culture of First Nations Peoples, strengthened by the Gospel, and filled with hope for the future God is leading us into. 

 

Our Catholic Church is a tapestry woven from many cultures. From the enduring wisdom of the world’s oldest continuing cultures — the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples — to those who have journeyed from distant lands, we are one Body in Christ. In our diversity, we discover richness. In our unity, we find strength. And in every heart, we see the Spirit of God at work. 

 

Saint John Paul II once reminded us: 'The Church herself is enriched by the development of different forms of culture… she takes them up in her evangelising mission and adopts them.' Today, we honour that truth. We celebrate the living story of faith and culture walking hand in hand — of ancient traditions alive in Christ, and of a Church made more whole when all are welcomed, seen, and heard. 

 

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC) invites you to enter into the Liturgy with open hearts. May it deepen your appreciation of First Nations spirituality, draw us closer in Christ, and renew our shared calling toward reconciliation, justice, and love. Whether you’re gathered in a Parish, school, or community, may the Holy Spirit move among us and send us forth — in the strength of Christ and in the unshakable hope of the Gospel. 

 

Thank you for joining us. May God bless us all on this journey together.

 

[1] https://www.natsicc.org.au/assets/natsicc-2025-booklet_digital.pdf

 

In the parishes

Floreat/Wembley parish warmly invites the John XXIII College community to an evening with Brother Olly Pickett AM, 2025 Senior Australian of the Year and 2025 West Australian of the Year.

 

Brother Olly will be sharing his inspiring stories from a 27-year journey of service, during which he has dedicated his life to helping disadvantaged children through the gift of mobility. His efforts have changed thousands of lives - one wheelchair at a time.

This presentation is a powerful message about compassion, resilience, and the impact of selfless service. Brother Olly’s story is a testament to how one person can make a lasting difference in the world.

 

Friday, 25 July 2025

Doors Open at 6:30pm, talk begins at 7:00pm

Newman College Champagnat Chapel

216 Empire Ave Churchlands

https://www.trybooking.com/DDCHI

 

An Evening with Br Olly Pickett AM - FINAL.pdf