Faith and Mission

World Youth Day 2023

Saturday 5 August

Every three years or so, Pope Francis invites young people from across the globe together to celebrate World Youth Day (WYD), in a different part of the world. This year's event is in Lisbon, Portugal, where thousands will gather together in peace and unity.

Our Community is proud to be celebrating this event at a local level, at St Bede's College Mentone Campus.

We're pleased to invite all students in Year 10, 11 and 12 to join us for a day of friendship, fun, food, formation and faith as we mark WYD23.

Event Program

Date Saturday 5 August

Time 9.30am - 5.30pm

Price $35 (includes catering)

9:30am	Registration
10:00am	Program commences – prayer, welcome, ice breakers
10:30am	Keynote Speaker 1 – “Go With Haste To Serve” Joshua Lourensz, Executive Director, Catholic Social Services
11:30am	Morning Tea
12:00pm	Workshop Series (55 minutes) 1 – Visual Arts 2 – Young Volunteers panel 3 – Self – directed reflection activities (Chapel)
1:00pm	Keynote Speaker 2 – “Go With Haste To Serve” Jwan Kada, Loreto Novice – the Cana Program
2:00pm	Portuguese themed lunch and recreation
3:00pm	Camino Walk / Way of the Cross / Stations of Mary along Mentone Beach / Chapel time for prayer and reflection Hot Chocolate afternoon tea / social time
4:45pm	Vigil Mass with Fr Peter Matheson
5:30pm	Conclusion

Talk to your friends and book for this experience!

Click here to book your tickets

For enquiries, please contact Ria Greene at rgg@stbedes.catholic.edu.au

Feast of St Mary Magdalene

Saturday 22 July

There's a crowd-funded TV series called “The Chosen”. The very first episode opens and closes with a key character, Mary of Magdala. Magdala is a fishing village on the north west edge of the Sea of Galilee.

On July 22, the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Mary Magdalene – apostle to the apostles.

“Mary Magdalene is the woman whom scripture calls by name in a time when women were seldom named in public documents at all. She is, in fact, named fourteen times––more than any other woman in the New Testament except Mary of Nazareth, the mother of Jesus, herself.” (Sr Joan Chittister).

According to the Gospel of Luke (Chapter 8), Mary was healed of seven demons and then became a faithful follower of Jesus. It is recorded that she, along with other women, ‘provided for him out of their own resources’, so she must have been a wealthy woman. All four Gospel accounts agree that Mary witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion, was present at his burial, and was the first to see the risen Lord. She was sent by Jesus to proclaim the good news of his resurrection to the apostles, hence she is called ‘apostle to the apostles’.

‘Noli me tangere’ by Giotto. Arena Chapel, Padua, Italy

In the early centuries, Mary held a high status in the Church, however, in the 6th Century, Pope Gregory conflated Mary Magdalene with other female characters in the gospels – possibly for catechetical reasons. Mary Magdalene has been confused with the 'sinful women' who anointed the feet of Christ and Mary the sister of Lazarus, both whom washed the feet of Jesus; there is no scriptural evidence that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute – only a faithful disciple and loyal friend.

In Episode 1 of “The Chosen”, after she is cured of her demons, and interviewed by the Pharisee Nicodemus, Mary Magdalene says: “I was one way, and now I am completely different… and the thing that happened in between was HIM.”

As we celebrate the feast of St Mary Magdalene, may we welcome the healing that Jesus can bring into our lives and be open to the call of conversion and transformation of heart, mind and spirit.

St John Baptist de La Salle, pray for us.

St Mary Magdalene, pray for us.

Live Jesus in our hearts, forever.

St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal Update

Thank you to all who generously donated to St Vincent de Paul's Winter Appeal. I'm pleased to share this message of gratitude the College received from the organisation.

"On behalf of the Chelsea Conference of St. Vincent de Paul, I would like to thank you all for the generous amount of food donated to us for our Winter Appeal. Our storeroom is full of a great variety of food and goodies ready for us to pack and deliver on our home visits. Please be assured that our Conference greatly appreciates your continued support and involvement in our charitable works. Those people we visit are extremely grateful for the groceries they receive which is so important in this current stressful climate."

Ria Greene

Deputy Principal - Faith and Mission