Faith and Mission

Our opening school mass was held in the Springvale Town hall on Tuesday 22nd. It was a wonderful occasion to celebrate our community and school theme of Compassion: Moving to Action. 

The town hall turned out to be a great venue with plenty of room having the year twelve students stationed on the upstairs balcony. I would particularly like to congratulate them for the enthusiasm and leadership they showed in leading the singing. We are so lucky to have Father Brian Collins lead our mass. He has a wonderful knack of connecting the scriptures with our school theme and making it relatable to the students. 

We were also privileged to have Erica Pegorer, Executive Director Kildare Ministries and Peter Houlahan - Executive Officer of Kildare Education Ministries in attendance, Peter rang me yesterday to say what a wonderful celebration it was and he particularly mentioned the singing and the Drama students of year eleven and their interpretations the scriptural readings. They have worked so well these past three weeks to improvise and shape the readings. Their courage, persistence and respect for each other has been a credit to them.

The photos illustrate our school theme symbols. Each class had a pair of shoes spray painted and decorated with the symbols or phrases from each student in their religious education class. Before doing this they unpacked how it might be symbolic to have shoes showing that we need to walk in another’s shoes, or walk in solidarity or just move to action, The scripture below is from the Book of Ruth and was our first reading. To give it some context, the passage is from the book of Ruth. She is telling her Mother in law that she will follow her back to Israel after the deaths of their husbands. She also know that she faces tremendous reflection as a Moabite and non-Jew. Yet her loyalty and compassion for Naomi is incredibly moving.

Where you go, I will go;

   where you lodge, I will lodge;

your people shall be my people,

   and your God my God.

Where you die, I will die

   there will I be buried.

May the Lord do thus and so to me,

   and more as well,

if even death parts me from you!’

This passage is often used for weddings because of the commitment obvious in the words. It is also indicative of our theme “Compassion: Moving to Action.  I would particularly like to congratulate the Year Eleven drama class and the Celebration.

I would like to give  thanks in advance to Brigitte Garofalo and our Year Twelve RE teachers and their school based RE classes. They will be preparing pancakes for the school for Shrove Tuesday as part of their community service program. They will also be attending “St Kilda Mums” and preparing clothes and packages for Mums in need. This is a great practical way to live out the gospel messages. 

Mr Peter O'Neill

Acting Principal

AP - Faith and Mission