Education In Faith
From the Director of Catholic Identity
Holy Week
As we move towards the end of a busy term we are reminded of the significance of this week, Holy Week. Holy Week is one the most sacred weeks in the Catholic Church’s Calendar. It is a week where the community comes together to celebrate and remember the Life, passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Throughout the week, the scriptures take us on the journey of Christ’s lasts days, finishing with the triumphant feast of Easter where we celebrate Christ’s resurrection.
Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday, which marks Jesus’ return to Jerusalem. The focal point of this celebration is the procession of Palms. The palms are blessed, and are then processed into the community of the Church prior to the start of Mass.
Holy Thursday then begins the Easter Triduum, the three days before Easter. Holy Thursday is where the community re-enact the Last Supper. It is in this Mass that the Priest will wash the feet of His apostles, just as Jesus did to his twelve disciples at the Last Supper.
Good Friday is a day where we remember particularly the day of Christ’s crucifixion and death. The Stations of the Cross is usually dramatised or meditated on in Parishes on this day. No Eucharist is celebrated on Good Friday as it is a day to focus on Christ’s suffering.
Holy Saturday is a day of keeping vigil. Like the disciples after the death of Christ on the cross, we wait in anticipation for the risen Christ. The Church is left bare on this day, for Christ has died, and the tomb is empty. It is on this day that persons who have worked towards being received into the Church will celebrate their Baptism and Confirmation.
By participating fully in the Lenten season, the Triduum and the fifty days of Easter we are able to fully engage with the fundamental mystery of the Church. During this time, we suffer with Christ, so that we will rise with Him in His resurrection on Easter Sunday.
I pray that you all have a blessed Easter.
Loving God,
I am just beginning to realize how much you love me.
Your son, Jesus was humble and obedient.
He fulfilled your will for him by becoming human and suffering with us.
I ask you for the desire to become more humble
so that my own life might also bear witness to you.
I want to use the small sufferings I have in this world
to give you glory.
Amen.
Year 7 Belonging Day
One of the most exciting retreat days we run here at MSJ is the Year 7 Belonging Day. For the students' first Religious Education unit here at the College, the students explore what it means to belong. At MSJ having an understanding of the Josephite Charism and history is at the core of what it means to belong to our College, to a community of young women living out the good news of the Gospel, by following in Mary MacKillop’s footsteps.
During their Belonging Day the Year 7 students journey into the Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre at East Melbourne. It is here that the students visit the museum set up to remember and educate the people of Melbourne about the Josephite history in Melbourne. Mary MacKillop herself was born in Fitzroy. Following their visit to the museum the students embark on the Mary MacKillop walk around Melbourne. It is here that they truly come to know the person of Mary, and the Josephite story here in Melbourne.
If you would like to visit the Heritage Centre and embark on the walk in the city yourself, please visit their website and keep an eye out on their weekend open days.
St Joseph’s Feast Day
Saint Joseph is the patron Saint for the College and the Josephite sisters. We know little about the man we know as Joseph. Joseph did not leave us a single word. He delivered to us his silence and his example – of a just man, a hard worker, a father, and a teacher. He is the model for us in our own leadership and an example of how to live a faithful life.
It was on St Joseph’s Feast Day in 1891 that the order and first school was founded. Sr Monica Cavanah rsj, the leader of the congregation reflects on the significance of this day;
Mary MacKillop recorded her memories of the founding day in Penola, South Australia, in 1891. Mary MacKillop wrote of the joy of this occasion. For both Father Julian and Mary MacKillop, it was a day of bringing to birth a dream to give hope and meaning to thousands of children through the gift of education. It was also the day when Mary MacKillop demonstrated her desire to dedicate her whole life to God as a Sister of St Joseph by wearing a simple black dress.
(Soure: Sr Monica Cavanagh rsj)
At MSJ on St Joseph’s Feast Day, we engaged in morning liturgies reflecting the example set by Saint Joseph. A select group of Year 7 students were also able to attend Mass with the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart. It was a beautiful service that allowed our students to meet some of the founding teachers of MSJ and enjoy a light lunch where they reflected on their new experiences as students at MSJ.
May we all continue to look to Saint Joseph and the Josephite sisters for guidance and inspiration in all that we do.
Danielle Fairthorne
Director of Catholic Identity
RISE Youth Festival
On the 17th of March, MSJ hosted the first RISE Catholic Youth Festival in Melbourne. The day began with a plenary session with many great and inspirational speakers sharing their own faith journeys, and musical acts to get everyone excited for the rest of the day. Throughout the day many workshops were available, such as navigating life, where we were given the chance to connect with other young people and to discuss and reflect on our own faith as well as how to go out and spread joy. One of the highlights of the day was the festival experience, as our schoolyard was transformed with food trucks and fun stalls, photo booths and jumping castles. Overall it was a great experience and it really emphasised the Year of Youth and how we can be people of Joy.
By Angelique Harkins (Youth in Action Leader)
Project Compassion
Every year, MSJ contributes to Caritas’s annual ‘Project Compassion’ campaign. Our college has done a fantastic job this year working together to help raise funds for this cause. This campaign runs throughout Lent and aims to raise money and awareness for various programs and communities around the world that are supported by Caritas. In 2018, Caritas will share the funds raised amongst projects run in Australia, Nepal, Mozambique, Cambodia, Jordan and the Philippines.
This year, MSJ raised over $4,000 for Project Compassion. This was a combined effort, with many pastoral classes and other groups holding fundraisers including bake stalls, selling pancakes on Shove Tuesday, running raffles, sausage sizzles, raffles, lunchtime games, Club MSJ and even an epic staff ice bucket challenge. Thank you to everyone who donated and organised fundraising for this important campaign and keep up the great work, MSJ!
By Olivia Mallia (Social Justice Leader)
Catholic Education Today
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