Religious Education
Religious Education Report
As the global pandemic continues to have many profound ramifications, it has also become a time for so many of us to pause and celebrate our own talents. Perhaps we have even discovered some hidden talents? Of course, we all have our own particular talents and it is up to us to recognise and develop these talents as best we can, and then we can share these talents with others.
One person might have a gift of insight.
If the gift is used, it will develop and grow; if not, the person becomes blind to seeing the needs of others.
Another person has a gift of listening.
This person can come alongside someone and give confidence and strength, and the talent grows and wisdom increases.
Yet another has a gift of speaking, this person helps others understand the issues in a problem, and, with use, this gift grows and matures.
Help each of us, Lord, to see and to use the talents we have.
Amen.
Feast Day Of Saint Solomon
On Friday 4 September, the St James College community gathered in various homeroom and Year Level Zoom liturgies, to celebrate the feast day of Saint Solomon.
Brother Solomon Leclercq was born in France on 15 November 1745. He attended the De La Salle Brothers' school there. He became a De La Salle Brother in 1766, at the age of 21. His first teaching position was in Rennes, where he taught a class of 120 boys.
Shortly after, France suffered many military defeats; great sacrifices and hardship was suffered by the people, and the very harsh winter of 1788/9 led to starvation for many poor people. In 1789, the King tried to raise taxes with the hope of stopping the ruin of the country but the situation got worse rapidly.
All Church belongings were confiscated. Priests and Brothers were required to swear the Oath of ‘The Civil Constitution of the Clergy’: Soon, a law was passed to compel all teachers to take the Oath that forced them to teach only what the government wanted taught and not base their teaching on Gospel values. As the Brothers Communities and Schools closed, Brother Solomon did all he could to help the Brothers, their students and families.
For doing this, Brother Solomon, at the age of 46, was sent to the prison that had been set up in what used to be a Carmelite Convent.
On September 2,1792, each prisoner was forced to walk along a corridor and was once again asked to take the Oath. On refusing, again, to take the Oath, each was then forced to walk further along the corridor, and at the few steps that led from the building into the garden, they were hacked to death with swords and axes. Carts were piled high with naked bodies, because clothes were removed from the bodies after death and auctioned in the open market, as part-payment to the assassins. Remaining bodies were thrown down a well in the grounds.
The other Brother imprisoned was Brother Abraham, who hid and then escaped the next day, remained mentally disturbed by what he had witnessed, and died insane.
Thus, Brother Solomon died a martyr on September 2,1792 in the prison of the Carmelites, in Paris.
Pope Pius XI proclaimed him Blessed for giving his life for holding to Jesus teachings, on 17 October 1926.
Saint Solomon was canonised on 16 October 2016.
Today, like every year, his feast is celebrated on 2 September.
Almighty God, you blessed your martyr
Saint Solomon
with the vocation of being a
De La Salle Brother,
teaching youth to be faithful in following your teachings.
Give us the same courage as Saint Solomon to set a good example to others.
Strengthen each of us to be daily more like Saint Solomon,
and always follow our conscience.
May we always grow in wisdom and strength of character
and develop a true sense of
“Unity In Christ”. Amen.
Martin Callanan
Religious Education Leader