Faith & Mission

It was wonderful to celebrate with the Class of 2022 and their families last Friday evening.

We gathered for Eucharist at our Mother Church, St Patrick’s Cathedral and then, later, for Dinner and celebrations.

While these celebrations in themselves were good, good fun and joyous, what really struck me as the night progressed was the catching up with siblings of the graduates – ex-scholars of St John’s who were happy to be “back” in the community.  Indeed there were several generations of ex-students ranging from the mid 1970s all the way to 2021.

The Spirit of St John’s has always been one of welcome and joy.  To hear the stories of these past scholars and their (usually) happy memories of their time at school gave me that little burst of energy we sometimes need to get to the end of the finish line.

The Church’s liturgical year is almost at its end and soon we will begin the joyous preparation of Christmas through the Season of Advent.

Advent, like the experiences we shared last Friday night, is about new beginnings, waiting, anticipation of something better – for we Christians its about the birth of the Christ-child. 

As we prepare to complete the school year, wait for VCE exam results, anticipate the meeting of new staff in the College and the sending off of our current students, let’s do it with the thought of the Christ-child in mind.  Let these last couple of weeks of school provide us with the energy we need to, once again, meet our God in the hearts, minds and faces of those with whom we’ll spend these next few weeks.  In doing so, let’s also remember to continue to take the way of the Gospel – no and always and especially in the upcoming Advent Season of our Church.

Mr John Rhynehart