Catholic Identity & Mission News

The passing of our friend

Last week we experienced the sudden and tragic passing of our friend, colleague and teacher, Jim Constantinou at our Cranbourne Campus. When staff start at the College, Jim is one of the first people they meet because he assisted them in teaching them about our SPACE learning platform, helped them set up class pages and gave them all the tips and tricks that go along with using SPACE as well. I shared an office with Jim a couple of years ago and commented about how patient he always appeared to be when I, and many others, would ask the same questions (that we should have known the answers to!) about working online. I teased him that on the inside he must have been cursing us for being luddites but he would laugh it off and say that he was always happy to help. I believed him – he was a kind, gentle and patient teacher with staff, and students. When Jim became unwell at school last week, it was truly beautiful how many people wanted to help him. 

The Sunday before, our Gospel had been that of the parable of the Good Samaritan and its compelling final instruction for us to ‘Go and do likewise’. Well last week, at St. Peter’s College, our staff and students did just that. They experienced shock and fear but without hesitation they commenced first aid, called for help, protected his privacy and dignity, and did all they could to assist him in his time of need. The stress and tension of the day was borne out of love and care for Jim and his family, and their needs were, quite rightly, put first. 

Our faith teaches and comforts us that Jim has entered eternal life. God gave him many talents and blessed him with a beautiful family, loyal and caring friends, a gift for teaching, a multitude of grateful students and a love of all things soccer! As a College community we are mourning his passing deeply, but we know that our merciful God has welcomed Jim home and hears the prayers of those who remain. 

In that spirit, I offer you a version of the prayer service that our College community prayed for Jim and invite you too, to give thanks for his life and to pray for his family, friends and all those who mourn his loss. 

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Loving God, your servant Jim Constantinou has been called into eternal life. Our hearts are broken at his passing, help us to support each other as a sign of our love for him.

Bless Jim, and comfort his family – his wife Andrea, his sons Luca and Jacob, and his daughter, Ruby; his mother, siblings and all his extended family.

Be with us, we pray, at this very sad time for our school community and comfort us as we come to terms with Jim’s sudden passing. 

Our faith assures us that Jim is now reunited with you. Welcome him, Lord, into your loving embrace. May he know that his life touched many, and that he is mourned, and will be incredibly missed.

We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord, Amen. 

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans

You have been taught that when we were baptised in Christ Jesus we were baptised in his death; in other words, when we were baptised we went into the tomb with him and joined him in death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glory, we too might live a new life. 

But we believe that having died with Christ we shall return to life with him: Christ as we know, having been raised from the dead with never die again. Death has no power over him anymore. 

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Prayers of the Faithful

Lord, we thank you for Jim. We thank you for the many gifts and talents that he shared with us here at St Peter’s. We thank you for his friendship, for the laughs, the conversations about the soccer and the mighty Tigers, the bike riding adventures and for all the memories of Jim that we will always treasure. We pray that Jim now enjoys the fullness of eternal life with you. Lord hear us….

We pray for Jim’s family and loved ones at this tragic time. We know how much Jim loved his family and staff will always treasure the talk he gave at our Christmas mass a few years ago and the laughs he had about his dad and their family’s Christmas traditions. Jim is now reunited with his dad but we pray for the family he’s left behind. We pray they will find courage, strength and hope in this time of great loss and sorrow. Lord hear us….

We pray for ourselves, Jim’s friends, colleagues, students and for the wider College community. May we comfort and care for each other in our shared loss. Lord hear us…

We pray for all the students that Jim taught, and those he cared for in Avila House. May they always appreciate the privilege of experiencing his love of teaching, and learning.  Lord hear us…

We pray for, and give thanks for, those who helped Jim when he became unwell – for his colleagues who did all they could to revive him, for the paramedics and emergency workers who worked tirelessly in caring for him, and for those who stayed with him and gave him companionship until the end. While our friend has tragically gone, his life was valued and hard fought for because he was loved. Lord hear us… 

Closing Prayer

Loving God, you who formed Jim, have called him home to you. Welcome him to his heavenly home and comfort those he leaves behind. Help us to always cherish the times we shared, and all the memories we have of our friend, colleague and teacher. 

Grant Jim Eternal Rest, O Lord and may perpetual light shine upon him.

May he rest in peace.

Amen.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Fiona McKenna

Deputy Principal - Catholic Identity & Mission