Welcome

This week as a College we will be recognising National Reconciliation Week. Students will be participating in activities in class focussed on reconciliation. On Wednesday we will have ‘Wear it Yellow’ day to support Children’s Ground, an organisation led by First Nations people looking to change the life outcomes for our indigenous children in Central Australia and the Top End.  

As Christians, we have the ministry of reconciliation at the very heart of our faith, in 2 Corinthians 5:18, Paul speaks of the ‘ministry of reconciliation’ entrusted to believers, indicating that reconciliation is not only a divine act but also a human responsibility. Christians are called to be ambassadors for Christ, imploring others to be reconciled to God. This ministry extends to advocating for reconciliation in all aspects of life, including social, racial, and personal relationships. The biblical narrative concludes with the book of Revelation, where the theme of reconciliation culminates in the vision of a new heaven and a new earth. Revelation 21:3-4 depicts a world where God dwells with humanity, and there is no more death, mourning, crying, or pain. This ultimate reconciliation is the fulfilment of God's redemptive plan, where all things are made new, and the brokenness of sin is no more. National Reconciliation Week provides us with the perfect opportunity to put action to our beliefs.  

National Reconciliation Week runs from 27 May to 3 June every year. The 27 May date represents the anniversary of the 1967 Referendum that effectively gave Aboriginal peoples full citizenship rights by finally being counted in the national census. The 3 June date is the anniversary of the 1992 Mabo decision that effectively overturned the concept of ‘Terra Nullius’ – ‘empty land’ or ‘land belonging to no one’.  

How did National Reconciliation Week begin?  

The 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody had 339 Recommendations – only a handful have ever been implemented.  The final recommendation, Recommendation 339 said, “Initiate a formal process of reconciliation between Aboriginal people and the wider community.”  But it was Christians that led the way when in 1993, the International Year of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, Christians started the Week of Prayer for Reconciliation which was supported by Australia’s major faith communities. In 1996, society caught up to the churches and we had Australia’s first National Reconciliation Week. 

So, let’s join in this week as we learn and practice the act of reconciliation. I have included a link below to the Tear Fund website which has a series of reflections on reconciliation and what the Bible says about it. It could be an interesting tool to use for family discussions. 

https://www.tearfund.org.au/what-we-do/first-peoples/what-does-the-bible-say-about-reconciliation 

Mrs Lisa Dumicich

Principal