Mission News

Catholic Education Week in Queensland 

Celebrated annually in Week 3 of Term 3, Catholic Education Week is an opportunity for all 309 Catholic schools in Queensland to celebrate and promote their distinctive mission and ethos.

Catholic education strives to make a difference in the lives of those in our schools and in the wider community by challenging young people to live out the message of Jesus and to reach their full potential as compassionate, contributing, life-giving members of society.

Chaplain’s Corner

July 26 – Memorial of Saints Joachim and Ann: Joachim and Ann were the parents of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Their names are not found in the Gospels but in the devotional writings and traditions of the early Church. They used to have separate feasts in the Church calendar but now they have been appropriately joined.

The Old Testament Book of Sirach praises godly men and women. When we reflect on the future of our lives we look to eternal reward, glory with the Risen Christ and eternal happiness. But there is another dimension to the future of our lives, which is commonly found in the Hebrew Scriptures and that is the impact of our lives on others.

The love and faith of Joachim and Ann passed into their daughter Mary. Sometimes we might think that because Mary was born without original sin in the Immaculate Conception that she somehow grew up on “automatic pilot” and it was irrelevant who her parents were because she would have turned out the same. But Mary was human and her parents had a profound impact on her growth and her spirituality. Mary was shaped and influenced by her parents as were each of us.

This memorial is a chance for us to reflect on the effect we have on the lives of others. The good word, the advice, the mentoring, the example we give are all ways we have shaped, influenced and impacted the lives of others.

There are also the harsh words, the insults, the snide comments, the sarcastic remarks, the demeaning and the discouraging words that can deeply harm or even disable others. We all have experienced the helping word as well as the wounding word.

A question for us is whether people are strengthened, inspired, encouraged in their faith and are stronger Christians because of us or in spite of us.

As we hope for eternal life with Christ, let us not forget the impact of our lives here and the influence we have on others. We do not interact with others like billiard balls simply bouncing off others with little personal impact. We deeply influence each other.

Sirach says of the great men and women of the past that their heritage is with their descendants. Our heritage here on earth is the impact of our life and faith on others.

Our life here can be either a burden or a blessing to the faith of others.

Saints Joachim and Ann, pray for us.

Mary, our Good Mother, pray for us.

St. Marcellin Champagnat, pray for us.

St. Mary of the Cross, pray for us.

And may we always remember to pray for one another.

Prayers

We pray for those called home to heaven, especially:

• Sharon Gillett (wife of Brett - Head of Gilroy House and mother to Austin and Isaac)
• Anntoinette Restell’s (staff member) father in law Colin

May our loving God, with Mary and Champagnat, walk with all members of the Marist family. Amen

Reflection 

Term 3 Community Mass Schedule

Please note there is no Mass on Wednesday 11 August due to the EKKA public holiday.

The students and staff will celebrate the Mass for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Champagnat Centre on Tuesday 10 August.

Great Book Swap Friday 30 July 

The College will host a Great Book Swap this year on Friday 30 July to end our own Book week.

The Great Book Swap (an initiative of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation) is a fantastic way to celebrate reading locally, learn more about Indigenous languages and culture, while raising funds for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. 

The idea is to swap a favourite book in exchange for a gold coin donation. 

PLEASE BRING BOOKS IN FOR THE BOOK SWAP. 

Reading opens doors - donate your loved books, and purchase something new to read.