Mission & Catholic Identity News

Solomon Island Time

After months of preparation by many people, our Solomon Island Immersion team arrived in Honiara on November 22 for our seven day stay. Our group consisted of 13 amazing Year 12 graduates, 4 dedicated staff and 1 student mentor, 2017 College Captain, Emily Lace who participated in last year’s program.

We were greeted at Honiara airport by a number of excited Bishop Epalle Catholic School students, staff and their Principal, Jackson. After loading their school truck with our luggage, our students jumped on their bus with enthusiasm, eagerly awaiting what was next. Humidity and smiling faces was the first impression of this beautiful country.

Arriving at the school, after driving through the bustling streets of Honaira, our students were greeted by their host families who have students at Bishop Epalle. Then off they went! Into the surrounding areas of Honaira, to experience first-hand, life in the Solomon Islands. The week was action packed with many events to attend in their school community, our students working in the primary classrooms and building connections and friendships that will last a lifetime.

For many of our students, especially those students about to embark on education degrees, the time spent in the Bishop Epalle primary classrooms was a highlight. The classrooms had little to no learning resources, so our students had to be very creative. The experience was transformational for our St. Peter’s College students as it really drove home the level of opportunity and privilege that they have in their life and made them aware of the gross inequities in the world. They will become better global citizens as a result.

Hospitality is the word that best sums up what we experienced. The people of Bishop Epalle Catholic School are some of the most generous and kind people you could meet. They went above and beyond with the opportunities presented to our students, who we heard often saying aloud ‘we are having the time of our lives!'

We learnt much from these beautiful people about how to live life. The strength of their community blew us away.

I thank all of our students for a great experience and special thanks to staff members who travelled with myself to make the immersion an experience to remember – thanks to Miss Karen Williams, Miss Stephanie Lomas, Miss Emily Lace and Mr Ian Ellwood.

Christmas Time

When I was a kid or even to a young adult age, the part that annoyed me most about Christmas was having to go to church for the extra-long services and multiple times in a few days. This took me away from backyard cricket with my cousins, which was much anticipated over the year.

Recently, I read that the most popular answer to the question 'what do you expect to be doing on Christmas day?' was the response 'watch TV’. The article then mentioned that approximately only 8% will be going to church.

As I have got older, more mature and wise, I can see more clearly the purpose of religion in our lives, the beauty of ritual and how religion can give us an understanding to our place in the cosmos.

Like many parents, now that I have children I seem to be morphing into my own parents and making my children do the things that I despaired. Like going to church more at Christmas and talking more about the deeper meaning of Christmas, than the message they might be getting from the advertisements on ABC for Kids.

Although it is hard to pull yourself away from the family gatherings, the good food and the kids away from new gifts – have a think about attending a service at St Agatha’s or St Thomas the Apostle this Christmas.

Leave the TV watching to the Australia v India Boxing Day Test.

Christmas services:

St Agatha’s Church:

Christmas Eve: 7.00pm, 9.00pm and Midnight.

Christmas Day: 7.30am, 9.00am and 10.45am.

St Thomas the Apostle:

Christmas Eve: 7.30pm, Midnight.

Christmas Day: 9.30am.

Matt Williams

Deputy Principal - Mission & Catholic Identity