From the Principal

In October 2020, the Vatican released Pope Francis’ third encyclical entitled Fratelli Tutti of the Holy Father Francis on fraternity and social friendship. The encyclical calls for more human fraternity and solidarity and is a plea to reject any kind of wars and rally against the globalisation of indifference. In Fratelli tutti the Pope emphasises that in the common home we all live as one global family and proposes concrete actions to restore harmony and that we ultimately find our completeness in the other. While the Pope’s second encyclical, Laudato Si’ (On care for our common home), focused on our relationship with the natural world, Fratelli tutti focuses on our relationships with each other. It is clear the message of inclusion is central. As Pope Francis writes, ‘Seeing ourselves from the perspective of another, of one who is different, we can better recognise our own unique features…’ (147)

Pope Francis proposes a way of life and living from the deep construct of love. So much of Pope Francis’ call centres around a construct of love that integrates and unites; not one that separates and divides. We are called into a place of a lived kindness to achieve greater harmony in a sometimes indifferent world. A kind person, writes Pope Francis, ‘…frees us from the cruelty that at times infects human relationships, from the anxiety that prevents us from thinking of others, from the frantic flurry of activity that forgets that others also have a right to be happy.’ (224)

I am pleased to report that this sentiment is well understood by our new Student Representative Council (SRC) and was clearly evident during their leadership training day on Monday. The College’s newly elected student leaders participated in a series of leadership workshops throughout the day culminating in an agreed SRC vision which was unpacked at the Secondary School Assembly on Thursday. The SRC Vision reads: ‘The 2024 SRC will strive to be authentic in our actions and purposeful in our commitments, to promote an inclusive and collaborative College community.’ I extend my thanks to Assistant Deputy Principal Year 11, Andrew Osnain, for organising the day and leading various workshops and also to Vice Principal/Head of Secondary, Shani Andrews, for her leadership of student workshops. 

Finally, I thank the Primary School staff, ably led by Antoinette De Pinto, who so enthusiastically involved themselves in the Primary School disco that was run last Friday night. The gratitude expressed by many parents for our teachers’ generosity is very welcome and I too am thankful for the efforts that went into ensuring there was so much fun experienced on the night.

Daniel Mahon

Principal