Mission News

Prayers

• For the repose of the soul of Travis Randle (son of staff members Bev and Russell)
• For our students and staff as we enter the last weeks of term
• For Justine Natoli who has recently experienced ill health.
• For the continued well-being of Max Ryan (Grandson to staff member Heather Ryan) 
• For the health of Hector Ortiz (Husband to Sharon and father to Aiden (OB) and Zack Year 10)
• For all those in our community affected by COVID-19.
• For those in our community who are unwell or suffering at this time

May our loving God, with Mary and Champagnat, walk with all members of the Marist family. Amen

Chaplain’s Corner 

March 25: Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

Mary’s gracious acceptance of the stunning news announced to her by the angel Gabriel was a pivotal point in salvation. She heroically and selflessly consents to participate in, and thus to make possible, the supreme mystery of the Incarnation by which alone we are saved. It is well to reflect deeply upon the words of our Lady: ‘Be it done unto me according to your Word.’ What is this Word of which the Blessed virgin speaks? The Word to which she refers is indeed none other than the Word who was with God in the beginning, the Word who was to become flesh in her womb, our beloved Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and her own beloved Son. This Word offers rest to the weary, bread to the hungry, liberty to the captive. This is the soothing Word, that brings comfort to the tired soul and solace to the broken heart. This is not the Word of judgement or of power, but the Word of love – the gentle word, the quiet word, the silent word. Let us today listen carefully and receptively to that Word.

Mary, our Good Mother, pray for us.

St. Marcellin Champagnat, pray for us.

St. Mary of the Cross, pray for us.

And may we always remember to pray for one another.

Rite of Commissioning extra ordinary ministers of Holy Communion

During the Sunday boarding Mass senior members of the boarding school were commissioned as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. This is a wonderful tradition of our generous senior boarders and we are grateful to the students who have taken on this responsibility with generosity and care. 

New Staff Induction Evening

Last Friday evening Staff new to the College engaged in a process of reflection, information sharing and socialising together with members of the College Leadership Team. Staff were further immersed in the spirit of Marist Education through reflecting on some of the ideals, motives and practices of the Founder of Marist Education, St Marcellin Champagnat. Together, we spent some time considering how quotes such as the following might inform our practice as teachers working with the young men in our care.

From Marcellin

“To educate young people, first we must love them, we must love them all equally.”

Teachers and Young People

“Remember that the young people you teach are your brothers and sisters, your own likeness, bone of your bone, another you. These young people have the same heavenly Father, the same destiny, the same end, the same hope. They are called to the same happiness. They are your travelling companions in time. They will be heirs with you, sharing the joys of the homeland of heaven with you.”

On Adolescence

“Instead of complaining about their behaviour as they navigate this most critical period of their lives, you should show adolescents compassion, pray for them, treat them with kindness, encourage them and, under no circumstances, rouse on them, or ill-treat them; for by doing so, you might cause them to lose their way in life.”

In addition to these insights on the Marist Way, the evening included information on administrative procedures and curriculum matters. We were very adequately catered for by Mr Gary Keown, Mr Andrew Devoy and the Hospitality students – wonderful hand-made pizzas with fully-laden toppings.

We prayed together:

Lord, Giver of Life,

You call us together as a new community.

We ask you to send your spirit upon us that, as the days and terms unfold, we may be always mindful of your presence and alert to opportunities to see and serve you in those around us.

We pray that each of us according to our role, will inspire colleagues and students by the example of our own lives, by our dedication and integrity, by our knowledge and love of learning, by our gentleness and care of the pupils entrusted to us and by our compassion for those with whom we work.

In all that we do and say, we pray that, in building up the community of Marist College, we may contribute to the betterment of the society and to the Kingdom of your Son, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Catholic School Identity Team Meeting

Dr Teresa Brown from ACU worked with members of the Catholic School Identity Team last week on the important topic of Recontextualisation – what it is and how do we do it? This concept is essential to the Enhancing Catholic School Identity project in which Marist College has been involved in recent years. The team spent time considering the important question: How can Catholic schools continue to be Catholic when society has changed to such an extent that many people struggle to understand what being Catholic means? This is the greatest challenge for Catholic schools in their attempt to achieve their mission and so too is it for us at Marist College. An example of the significance of the process of recontextualization can be seen below:

What can we recontextualise?

Anything from within the Catholic tradition can and should be recontextualised so it can continue to speak in new ways in the contemporary context!

This does not mean a replacement of the old!

Prayers; Sacraments; Traditions; Symbols; Doctrines; Rituals; Scripture Stories

It means engaging anew with the old, bringing new questions, seeing with new eyes, and undergoing a process of meaning-making so that the old speaks in new ways. Our work is ongoing!

Pope Francis explains our task in this way:

College Community Mass Schedule for Term 2: