HEARTS AND HANDS

Our annual Hearts and Hands, Compassion and Justice Mass has been so named for a long time now. Existing originally under another banner, it was renamed to its current form because it perfectly expresses the ideal that we, as individuals and importantly as a community, want to be able to give to others, not only with our hearts but also with our hands. Having warm and positive thoughts towards others and about others is a great start but we want to be able to put this feeling of regard into action.

In the Catholic tradition compassion is a virtue and it means a desire for a better situation for the person who is suffering and a certain willingness to acknowledge or even share the pain. It means to enter into the feelings of another and when you think about it, that is when people really start to be a true community, when they come together, when they are truly compassionate towards one another and acknowledge each person's experience. From a Catholic perspective, compassion goes hand in hand with justice, the sense of making things right for everyone. Each year we try to support the work of the St Vincent de Paul Society through donations of food, coats and blankets. Students are challenged to think about the needs of others, to consider others in our community with compassion and to reach out in generosity to respond to their needs.

We were thrilled to see students and families respond with such generosity and care. Over two weeks we collected four trolleys and 48 shopping bags filled to the brim with items that can be used by our local Vinnies to support people in our community. The goods were gratefully received by Damien Kelly, President of Swan Hill St Vincent de Paul Society who initially thought he would need one trip but thanks to the outpouring of generosity needed two! Thank you too to Goodie Heinsch who spoke with such conviction to our students about the work she does in our community and the need to have compassion. 

Further donations to the Vinnies Winter Appeal can be made via this link.