Catholic Identity & Mission News
The start of Advent, the time of preparation for Christmas, coincides with our Year 12 Retreats, a time of preparation for the final year of schooling of our senior students. The Retreats were again held at Rawson Village with Clyde North campus attending Monday-Wednesday, and Cranbourne campus attending Wednesday-Friday. While the weather did its best to dampen our spirits, with Cranbourne campus experiencing 100% wet weather, the enthusiasm and participation of students would not be deterred! Retreat provides precious time away from the routines and demands of school and social lives and allows some ‘breathing space’ to spend time reflecting on the people and events that have shaped our lives so far. Importantly, our Retreats allow time for students to spend time with friends, classmates, and House groups in social and organised activities. We really had a wonderful time away and I couldn’t have been more impressed with our Year 12’s and the way they engaged with the program. I know we are in safe hands in terms of student leadership at St Peter’s in 2024. My sincere thanks is extended to all the Year 12’s and the amazing teachers who accompanied them on their Retreat experience.
Now, as we draw to the end of this academic year, it is timely to reflect on our annual theme and how it has inspired our school community this year. ‘Let your light shine’, a unanimous choice of both staff and students, encouraged our community to celebrate their gifts and talents and to share them with each other. We have seen the reemergence of our Social Justice groups and energy around outreach and liturgy in the school. We have experienced academic achievement this year and it’s been a creative feast with our College production and arts show, among so many other things. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says we shouldn’t hide our lights and as our year culminated in our Presentation Day, it is very clear that students have taken this message on board!
A tradition that will have to adjust beyond 2023 is our lunchtime prayer on a Friday at the Clyde North Campus. While it will continue under the guidance of Ms Phanjoo and Mr Islami, the founder of this initiative, Mr Jean-Paul Antoine, is leaving the College at the end of the year. Jean-Paul was a founding member of the Clyde North Campus staff and has served as Religious Education Coach for the past year, after having been Assisi House Leader. The Friday prayer tradition that he founded, which welcomes staff and students from all faith traditions, places faith and prayer (literally) at the centre of our school and has had a lasting impact on our College community. In this forum, I just want to acknowledge this beautiful initiative of JP’s and thank him for all that it has contributed to the Catholic Identity and Mission of our school. We wish Jean-Paul every blessing as he continues to let his light shine in a new Director role next year.
And as I sign off for another year, I wish all in our College community a Happy and Holy Christmas and a wonderful New Year. I look forward to seeing you in 2024 when we will be encouraged to ‘Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly’ – a great challenge indeed!
Ms Fiona McKenna
Deputy Principal - Catholic Identity & Mission