Prayer

God of All Creation, 

We thank you for this beautiful land, and for the First Peoples who cared for it since time immemorial.

For its wealth, and for the many Second Peoples who have made it their home. 

Australia has been good to us. 

We ask now for this land, that we will all be healed.

For our ancestors made gains at the expense of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Lands were taken and families destroyed by the removal of children. 

We pray for those who were taken, 

And those parents and grandparents, brothers and sisters whose arms lost little ones. 

We struggle to imagine how this would feel, and how it could have happened. 

For the pain and loss of identity and culture, we ask for healing. 

For a callous disregard of human rights we ask forgiveness and healing.

For wilful blindness and ignorance we ask for your light to shine. 

For the descendants still affected by trans-generational trauma we ask for ongoing love and care, in the name of justice.

May we all be one. 

May we be a nation who cares for ‘the least of these’. 

In the name of Jesus Christ, 

Amen .

In the first few weeks of this term we have had the feasts of both Nano Nagle and Edmund Rice. Both Nano and Edmund dedicated their lives in service to those in Ireland suffering under the range of laws that discriminated against Catholics. Of course their major contributions were around educating young men and women who would have otherwise been deprived of an education. It is easy to look back and see how much society has evolved and that education is now universally available in societies such as Australia. However, if Nano and Edmund were alive today then they would look to other social issues rather than resting on their laurels. 

Our Year 10 students are currently looking at a range of social issues that are facing people today especially in and around Wagga. If we are to continue in the spirit of Nano and Edmund then we also are called to do something about these issues. Term Two we have a focus to support Vinnies Winter appeal. We will have a range of opportunities to do this and I encourage all students to support the work that Vinnies do for the needy in our community. The theme for this year is around older women experiencing homelessness. 

Our Year Level/Class masses have now begun in the Mt Erin chapel every fortnight. Our next mass will be with the other half of Year 7 on Wednesday 24th at 2:30pm. It is great to be able to be using the chapel again for masses and for the students to be able to engage with the Sacraments on a more frequent basis than has been possible in the past. 

We will also be having a liturgy to mark the National Sorry Day and week. It is a time for us all to reflect on errors of the past, some of the harm that has been done to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and sadly at times continues to be perpetuated. We pray for healing and that our society may become a place where all people are treasured for the unique gift that they are.

Kieran Udy | Director of Faith and Mission