Faith & Mission
Dear families and community of St John's,
Please continue to keep Pope Francis in your prayers. We invite you to join us in praying daily, asking for God’s healing spirit to bring him comfort, strength, and restoration.
Loving and Merciful God, we come before You in prayer, lifting up Your servant, Pope Francis, in his time of need.
You are the Source of all healing, and we ask You to surround him with Your loving presence, granting him strength and recovery.
May Your divine grace rest upon him, restoring his health and filling him with renewed vigour to continue leading Your Church with compassion and wisdom.
We place Pope Francis into Your hands, trusting in Your eternal care.
May he be comforted by the love of the Church and the prayers of all the faithful.
We offer this prayer in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
2025 College Theme - Pilgrims of Hope – Jubilee 2025
In 2025, the Church celebrates the Jubilee of Hope, which Pope Francis called. From the beginning of the term, our students have been investigating this theme and the meaning it has for us and our lives. Following is the information our students received to help inform them of the importance of the Jubilee year and how it translates into an excellent College Theme in 2025. Additionally, two pieces of student work are provided to prompt your reflections about the meaning and purpose of the Jubilee Year Logo and its symbolism. May we continue to be Pilgrims of Hope throughout the year.
Mr John Rhynehart Director of Faith and Mission
The Jubilee Logo
A word of hope
Hope does not disappoint, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us” (Rom 5:1-2.5). Hope is born of love and based on the love springing from the pierced heart of Jesus upon the cross: “… will his life save us” (Rom 5:19)…Christian hope does not deceive or disappoint because it is grounded in the certainty that nothing and no one may ever separate us from God’s love: “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Hardship, distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or the sword? No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” ( Rom 8:35.37-39). Here, we see why this hope perseveres amid trials: founded on faith and nurtured by charity, it enables us to press forward.
A journey of hope
…Pilgrimage is, of course, a fundamental element of every Jubilee event. Setting out on a journey is traditionally associated with our human quest for meaning in life. A pilgrimage on foot is an excellent aid for rediscovering the value of silence, effort and simplicity of life. We learn to treasure the richness of different experiences and cultures and are inspired to lift that beauty in prayer, to God, in thanksgiving for his wondrous works.
Signs of hope
In addition to finding hope in God’s grace, we are also called to discover hope in the signs of the times that the Lord gives us. As the Second Vatican Council observed: “In every age, the Church has the responsibility of reading the signs of the times and interpreting them in the light of the Gospel. In this way, in language adapted to every generation, she can respond to people’s persistent questions about the meaning of this present life, the life to come, and how one is related to the other”. We need to recognise the immense goodness in our world, lest we be tempted to think ourselves overwhelmed by evil and violence. The signs of the times, which include the yearning of human hearts in need of God’s saving presence, ought to become signs of hope.
The first sign of hope should be the desire for peace in our world. Looking to the future with hope also entails having enthusiasm for life and a readiness to share it. We are called to be tangible signs of hope for those of our brothers and sisters who experience hardships of any kind. Signs of hope should also be shown to the sick, at home or in the hospital. Works of mercy are also works of hope that give rise to immense gratitude.
Given in Rome.
