Veritas – From the APRIM

Senior Leadership Camp

Over the past two days we have been on camp with our 2018 senior leaders (Prefects, YCS Captains, House Captains, Vice House Captains and Deputy Vice House Captains).

The leadership camp focussed on team building with essential skill development. Students were given the opportunity to work together in a range of challenging environments and have hands on leadership experience. Throughout these activities students gained greater self-awareness, as well as a strong understanding of other team members. The camp was tailored to complement our Dominican Four Pillars as we continue to form men of substance and truth.

The program focussed on:

Being a leader in a Dominican School
Exploring the notion of how an effective and inspiring leadership team can be a positive influence on schools and communities
Enhancing self and group awareness amongst leadership teams
Promoting group cohesion and unity through deconstructing team activities
Developing a sense of shared vision and strategy
Teaching advanced skills and tools to assist leaders in their growth and development.

A selection of student quotes are below:

I really enjoyed watching all of my peers learn and grow through insightful and funny team building challenges and leadership scenarios, especially when we had to make our own dance. This leadership camp optimises what I love about Blackfriars the most, spending time with good blokes and learning in a fun environment. My hope for 2018 as a leader is to have a cohort with a mutual vision for what we want to achieve at Blackfriars to make the school a better place for teachers and students to learn in. Dyson Hilder

My highlight was the opportunity to spend time with other school leaders while developing my own leadership skills. I love the community spirit that is evident at Blackfriars and present at school every day. As a leader in 2018 I hope we can provide a support base to other students and their voice to bring about positive growth. Antony Macolino

I loved the quote, “Leaders become great when they do things not for themselves but for future generations.” I want to make the world a better place for future generations. Zen Zaccara

The highlight of my trip was the saying we learnt, “society works when people plant trees that they cannot enjoy the shade of.” Daniel Harker

My highlight of the trip was getting to spend time with all the leaders, becoming closer with each other and becoming one big community. Gianni Caiazza

God’s Car

A friend of mine enjoys recounting the story of his daughter and God’s car. The story is priceless. Whilst they were walking through the car park of their local Church, his daughter enquired as to whether this was in fact the backyard to God’s house. Her dad explained to her that, yes it was God’s backyard. This then led her to ask, “Where does God park his car Daddy?” My quick thinking mate replied, “Over there darling (pointing to the priest’s car) that’s God’s car.” At the conclusion of Mass, daughter and dad were walking back to their car, when suddenly she noticed the Priest getting into ‘God’s car.’ “Look Daddy! That man is stealing God’s car!” she exclaimed.

It never ceases to amaze me what children remember and how they interpret the world around them. Over the past academic year there has been a lot to interpret and remember. We celebrated our Four Pillars of Prayer, Study, Community and Service in a variety of ways. Our community celebrated numerous liturgical events; students attended retreats, excursions and camps; new parents, students and friends were welcomed to our community; learning and teaching was a central priority as boys and staff continued to love learning; we formally celebrated achievements and mourned the loss of past and current community members; sporting teams won and lost; notable guests and old scholars visited; buildings were blessed and named and we tried to make our world a better place through active ministry.

What will we remember of 2017? What flavour will we be left with? 2017 may have been a student’s first year of schooling or their last. It may have been the year that marked the beginning of teaching or a teacher’s last year after many at Blackfriars. Whatever the context of the year, we each have a unique viewpoint of 2017 and will each be left with our own distinctive flavour, depending on our life situation. As we look back over the year we need to allow God to show us where God has been active, before we can even think of any New Year resolutions!

One thing is for certain; regardless of the flavour, God is always present. From our bitterest moments to our sweetest…our God is always within us, shaping us in what may seem futile situations. The simple faith of a child draws us back to our core beginnings that saw us, as the Psalmist reminds us, shaped in our mother’s womb by our loving God.

As we await the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas we are invited to return to our time in the womb where God breathed life into us, making us sacred and loved by God. The only way to do this is to slow down the distractions and focus on Christ through regular prayer and Eucharist. Each year we come a year closer to returning to God, and Advent is a time to wake up and be alert and taste the flavour of God in our life. Unfortunately, we often over complicate our lives and do not make time for the things that really matter. We lose sight of God in the blinding chaos of our ‘busyness’, the allure of power, prestige and possessions, and we are left asleep - unable to notice that someone may be stealing God’s car!

Blessing and peace for Christmas and the New Year.

Mr David Ruggiero

Assistant Principal: Religious Identity and Mission