Mission News

Prayers

We hold in prayer members of our community who have died recently or whose anniversaries occur at this time. We especially remember at this time the grandfather of Nick Weaver (Year 12, Rush), who passed away last Wednesday after a long battle with dementia. We keep Nick and his family utmost in our prayers as they mourn the loss of a beloved family member.

Community Masses

All are welcome to this Wednesday’s Community Mass at 8:00am – this week for Slattery House. 

Mass will also be celebrated Friday during Break 1B. 

Gospel & Reflection

Matthew 13:44-46 (JB)

Gospel writers often speak of the kingdom of heaven. In recent weeks we’ve heard the kingdom described as the seed growing in good soil—the good wheat—which takes root in our hearts to nourish not just ourselves but to strengthen community, especially the marginalised and powerless. The kingdom—God’s reign of peace—is Jesus’ enduring message of love and forgiveness over hatred and fear. It is in the here and now and in the promise and potential of what is not yet. 

This week, the kingdom is compared to treasure in the field and a pearl of great price. A hidden, incomparable treasure, which farmer and the merchant, once they find it, give everything they have for the sake of it. 

What does it take? Wholeheartedness and hopefulness. Trust and commitment. These are the dispositions of one who doesn’t do things by halves, who puts all their eggs in one basket. Who does not hedge their bets or keep their options open. At the heart of it, it’s diving into life with faith hope and love, with utter conviction.

How do we see this quality here at Marist? In our School of Rock musical, for one. This has been a pearl of great price. And pearls, we know, take time and grit to make. We have seen our students, our staff and others who support them (including families) sacrifice much for the sake of this project... To work together as team, wholeheartedly invested, making music, bringing characters and scenes to life, creating art and joy and memories … an experience so much greater than the sum of its parts. 

We might think of people whose lives are characterised by wholehearted enthusiasm. Lives defined by selflessness, generosity and joy. May we all live with passion for life and celebrate and be inspired by those who do. May the pearl, the treasure that is the Love worth giving everything for be our compass and our goal.

Let this be our prayer – that we may be people of conviction, hope and wholeheartedness. 

Mary our good mother, pray for us

St Marcellin Champagnat, pray for us

St Mary of the Cross, pray for us

And let us always remember… to pray for one another.

Amen.

Year 9 Retreat

This coming Monday, Michael Fitzpatrick will lead our Year 9 students for their retreat in the Cyprian Pavilion. We are blessed to have Michael, a retreat facilitator with decades experience, join us once again to guide our boys in their spiritual and holistic development. As a way to support our young people at Marist to flourish, these retreat days are incredibly important opportunities that we are proud to offer. Thank you in advance to our parents/carers for your encouragement in this dimension of your sons' education!

Environment Group Free Dress Day 

This Friday 31 July, is the Environment Group Free Dress Day!

This year's theme is "Wear Fluoro Like a Highlighter!"  Gentlemen – we challenge you to look through your cupboards for your best fluoro outfit!

Students participating in Free Dress are encouraged to donate either $2, $5 or $10 with all funds raised going to supporting the incredible work of Stationery Aid.

As we currently have a limited number of Monitor tap machines available, a Free Dress donation option has also been added to the Monitor Donations section in the app/Parent Lounge to help make donating as easy as possible.

Parent Lounge Link: DONATE HERE

We will still have our available tap machines circulating through the school on Friday morning to collect donations via student ID Cards.

At first break, the Environment Group will also be selling ice creams and soft drinks ($3 each), with all proceeds going towards the purchase of a new compost bin, gardening tools and plants for the College.

We appreciate your support and can’t wait to see the college turn fluoro this Friday!

Paddington Community Centre

Last Monday, a group of Year 7 Ridley students visited the Paddington Community Centre for conversation and games with the elderly patrons. The boys soon observed that several of the older folk are very good and quite competitive at games such as bocce and cornhole – they play to win! Our students also listened with interest as a few of the elderly visitors recounted memories of corporal punishment from their own school days – not a form of discipline our boys felt needed to come back into contemporary school life! Another great visit encouraging intergenerational connection and friendship.