Veritas – From the APRIM

I ask you to think of the people in your life you can be silent with. I imagine there are not too many. By silent I mean feeling comfortable to be in the presence of another and know that words are not required for communication. It is only when we intimately know someone that we have the freedom and confidence to simply trust and ‘be’ in each other’s presence—a presence that words could only

clutter.

It is impossible to feel this degree of comfort in a new relationship. It takes time, years in fact, for two people to get to know each other to a level where they are not afraid to be completely who they are. It is frightening and next to impossible to be with someone we do not love. One of the most simple and spiritual disciplines is some degree of solitude and silence. However, we won’t have the courage to go into that terrifying place of the soul without a great love, without the light and love of the Lord. Such silence is the most spacious and empowering technique in the world, yet it’s not a technique at all.

Over the past few weeks we have been celebrating our House Masses from Reception – Year 12. The students have an opportunity to be in silence and their collective reverence is something unique to Blackfriars. Boys need the time to be still and away from distractions. Our daily meditation is a tool that we hope the boys will continue to develop in their adult lives. We have all experienced watching Netflix (after spending two hours deciding what to watch) only to spend more time flicking through our phone, while the painstakingly selected show is playing. Solitude and silence is not limited to spiritual benefits - our entire being is graced by solitude and silence. It is not ‘wasted time’, on the contrary, it is essential time, from whence our four pillars can coexist and be lived in balance and harmony.

Spending time in solitude and silence with God can be terrifying if we do not know God. We need to first experience God through where we are in our life now, to gently allow ourselves to sit in God’s presence and simply ‘be’. Jesus invites us to celebrate in his joyous banquet of life and allow ourselves to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31) – yet to do so we first need to get to know God, by simply being who we are in God. By living with the integrity of being who we are in God, we express our truth (veritas) to the world.

Be Still and Know that I am God

Be Still and Know that I am

Be Still and Know

Be Still

Human Trafficking and YCS

Congratulations to the YCS group who raised over $1,000 to assist in the fight against human trafficking. There are more slaves in the world currently than throughout any other time in history! You can find out more about the illegal industry, which is set to become more lucrative than drugs and arms dealing, at https://acrath.org.au/.

The YCS state coordinator, Tahlia Sully, came to Blackfriars to work with students from Reception -Year 12. She provided education in the context of YCS and helped inspire the boys for future social justice initiatives. We look forward to working closely with Tahlia into the future.

Archbishop’s Award

Congratulations to Dan Manalo and Mark Macapagal who will be receiving the Archbishop’s Award for Excellence on Sunday 24 September at 6:00pm Mass at the Cathedral. The boys have excelled in all aspects of school life and are testimony to what it means to live out the Four Pillars of Dominican Life.

Blessings and Peace.

Mr David Ruggiero

Assistant Principal: Religious Identity and Mission