Mission & Identity

Social Justice 

• Mission & Identity
• Social Justice:
•      -  Good Friday Passion Play at OLD Church
•      -   "Waltzing to Willowood"
•      -   Junior School Sports Gala Day Fundraiser

Mission & Identity

Our Lenten journey has come to an end as we enter the Easter Triduum. It is very easy to be caught up with the busyness of the term so far this opportunity for a midterm break. In every Church throughout the world, Christians will remember and experience the journey of Jesus from persecution and crucifixion to the hope that the Resurrection brings.

I always find the services on Good Friday to be quite confronting and so they should be. Crucifixion is not something that can be done in a gentle way as the re-enactments attempt to display the heart wrenching, cruel act that was done to Jesus. I am also reminded at this time of the many people who have been killed because of their faith, who have stood up for what they believed to be right and, like Jesus, have been met with violence.

One such person is Oscar Romero, an Archbishop of San Salvador who spoke out against injustice, poverty, assassinations, and torture to his people. In 1980, Romero was assassinated whilst celebrating Mass.

I came across an interesting article from the online Australian Catholics Magazine called ‘A Parent’s view of Easter’. This article looks at Easter through the eyes of Mary and is well worth looking at. https://www.australiancatholics.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=54820&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Catholic%20Teacher%20e-newsletter%20The%20presence%20of%20God&utm_content=Catholic%20Teacher%20e-newsletter%20The%20presence%20of%20God+CID_3e9a099feec29768faaa5272ce838280&utm_source=Jescom%20Newsletters&utm_term=VIEW%20ARTICLE#.Wrqe7YhuZRa

The gift or sacrifice that was given to all humanity on that first Good Friday is just as meaningful and relevant today. Why? Because this gift is what identifies Christians as people of hope who understand that just as Jesus broke the restraints of death, so too they will be resurrected into eternal life.

May you and your family receive all the blessings of the Easter Season.

Good Friday Passion Play

The Pinnacle Season of our Catholic Faith is commemorated and celebrated in our parishes this Easter weekend.  All from our local community are welcome to attend these Masses and services at Our Lady of Dolours Chatswood.  There are several Masses in our local parish which could be attended including Holy Thursday evening (7pm) Good Friday Veneration of the Cross (3pm) and the Saturday Easter Vigil but two that would be particularly applicable to the young families of our College are mentioned here.

Several of our senior drama students are involving themselves in the Good Friday Passion Play to be held in Our Lady of Dolours Church at 10am this Friday the 30th of March. The Passion Play is a moving portrayal of the last few hours of Christ's life. A faithful depiction of John’s Gospel, annually it  is a very important event in the life of our local parish and faith community.  We encourage you to attend this event contemplating our faith and witness our students' dedicated portrayals.

Lachlan Donleavy, James Bleasdale, Sam Schyvens and Adam Hawthorne have been rehearsing for some weeks with three Mercy College Students - Sarah Brannan, Sophie Burrows and Hannah Nolan. Along with the Acclaim young adult group from our parish these students have dedicated themselves to this Good Friday commemoration. The rehearsals and staging of the play is a considerable commitment and these students are to be commended on their involvement.

We will include a review and some photos in next week’s Woodchatta.  For any of our St Pius community available please consider coming along on Friday at 10am or to the family friendly Sunday 5:30pm Youth Mass for the Easter celebration of the Resurrection.

May the Joy and Peace of Christ our Risen Saviour be with you and your families this Easter.

Mr A Brannan - Youth Ministry Coordinator

Waltzing to Willowood

On Monday, Zachary Bull, John McDonald, Connor Ohtaras, Nicholas Carr, Matthew Hogan, Charlie Crnek, Christian Santelli, Kiefer O’Brien and I travelled with Mr. Listo to Willowood nursing home in Chatswood as a part of the Year 10 Community Involvement Program. When we arrived we were greeted by Claire, one of the staff, and patients from all over the nursing home.

As an Easter ‘special’ we sang the College Song and ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and I played the piano. Everyone joined in singing ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and it was enjoyed many times over. I also had the chance to play J.S. Bach’s ‘Toccata in D Minor’. At least half-a-dozen high-care dementia patients who would normally be restricted to their rooms, were able to come and listen and sing along to a song from their childhood. All of us are thankful for Mr Listo taking us along on Monday afternoons, and although we often think he gives us too much praise, all of us thoroughly and sincerely enjoy chatting and talking with those from a generation so long ago.

Oliver Lenehan - Year 10

Junior School Sports Gala Day Fundraiser

Last Thursday the Junior School held a sports gala day fundraiser at Oxford Falls.  We were to be joined by the Primary students from Christian Brothers Lewisham but, unfortunately due to the predicted inclement weather, they were unable to come.

However, the skies did clear and the St Pius boys had a fun filled day participating in a variety of activities from Boxercise, Table Tennis, AFL, Chess, Soccer and the other usual Summer sports.  All the boys enjoyed a juice, ice block, chips and lollies, generously donated by each sports house.

Special thanks to Mr Russo and the Junior school teachers for running the activities, Mr Virgona for his assistance in the organisation of the day and the Year 7 students - Tom Connaghan, Cavan Ryan, Alex Regan and Christian Moore - for helping out with the equipment and refreshments.

A total of $326 was raised which will be sent to St Joseph’s Walgett as a contribution to the building of a multi-sport court at their school.

Ms D Cummins - Year 6 Teacher