Principal's Post
NATIONAL SORRY DAY AND RECONCILIATION WEEK
I had the pleasure of attending a conference a couple of years ago where Senator Patrick Dodson spoke. He is a Yawuru elder from Broome. He wants to see the formal recognition of First Nations peoples in our constitution. He has advocated for a long time a process of referenda, to recognise the First Nations. As educators, Patrick challenges us to teach about the complexity of changing our constitution and why it is important that it does change. It is important because that is the starting point for our First Nations Peoples. In a democracy everyone has the right to vote either way and registered voters 18 years or older will cast their vote later in the year - but remember that Sovereignty resides in all Australians. It does not reside in the Parliament.
National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. The dates for National Reconciliation Week remain the same each year; 26 May to 2 June. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey— the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision respectively. The theme of 2023 “Be a voice for future generations” is a challenge to us all to Be a Voice and tackle the unfinished business of reconciliation so we can Make Change for all. Change begins with brave actions in our daily life – where we live, work, play and socialise. We are called to take these actions to make changes every day of the year, not just during National Reconciliation Week.
During the week several activities are conducted to educate, acknowledge and reflect upon our relationships with Indigenous Australians. Next Wednesday, St Joseph’s College Ferntree Gully will be hosted by Mazenod for the annual Indigenous Round for the Senior XVIII Football team. The social justice committee has organized activities across the curriculum to recognize and acknowledge the contributions of our First Nations Peoples. We continue to work with the traditional custodians of this land upon which Mazenod stands, the Bunurong people of the Kulin nation. Who long before us, lived, loved, and raised their children on this land.
LAUDATO SI’ WEEK
May 24th marked the eighth anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical letter Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home. Pope Francis has helped Catholics to understand the connection people have to the whole of creation and that caring for the entire community of people and Earth is central to the mission. The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) invites Catholic parishes and communities to celebrate Laudato Si’ Week from 21 to 28 May in acknowledgment and appreciation of the holistic approach to care for God’s creation in the Pope’s message.
Laudato Si’ Week helps us to hear more clearly the call to listen and learn from our collective experiences and to seek the guidance of the global community. Community resilience and empowerment together form one of the pillars of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, which is being designed to support Catholic communities as they deepen their commitment to hearing the cries of people and the planet.
On a practical level, Mazenod College continues the Memorandum of Understanding with the Eastern Alliance for Sustainable Learning (EASL). EASL is the delivery partner for the ResourceSmart Schools (RSS) program in the Eastern Metropolitan Region of Melbourne. EASL is offering the services of a qualified facilitator and assessor to assist Mazenod College to progress through the RSS program. A program to minimise waste, save energy and water, promote biodiversity, and act on climate change to benefit our school and the community. We look forward to our partnership with EASL.
All the best,
Dr Paul Shannon
Principal