Mission

What a busy week we have had celebrating Champagnat Week in preparation for his feast day on June 6. With COVID19 creating roadblocks to our usual plans, we adopted a different approach to remembering and celebrating the life of St Marcellin Champagnat. We were able to film a re-enactment of his story using students and images from around the College. Please take the time to watch and enjoy.

 On each day we reflected on one of the characteristics of Marist education in prayer and with lots of activity.

Monday was Love of Work and each staff member was given four Love of Work certificates to distribute throughout the day to students and their colleagues. Some of these were signed and some were anonymous, but it was wonderful to see these commendations being given and received. 

Tuesday was In the Way of Mary and the Rosary was prayed in classrooms throughout the College, led by Year 12 students in the Senior School and the Mini-Marists in the Junior school.

Our theme for this year is One Wild and Precious Life. Wednesday’s liturgy was an opportunity to reflect on Marcellin’s one wild and precious life.

We gave thanks for his passion and compassion, his vision and most importantly his response to God. Just as our Good Mother Mary said YES to God, so too did Marcellin. Following the French Revolution, Marcellin lived in a place and time of much hardship. He experienced personal difficulties because of this throughout his life, much like we have this year in 2020. It is a time of turmoil, of uncertainty and great unprecedented challenges. We, like Marcellin, must face these challenges, look for the need around us and say YES to God. In saying YES, we acknowledge that we are called to care for our planet and all who live on it; to care for our global home and our global family.

We also welcomed our Kindergarten students, wearing masks representing wild animals from The Lion King, to their first formal liturgical gathering as students of St Greg’s. The masks enabled us to explore what it means to be wild. The definition which best suits our understanding of a wild life is one where a person is able to grow in the natural state – the way nature intended. We are called to be caretakers of creation – to mend and nourish the beauty that is the Earth. But we are also called to nourish the beauty in our own creation – for each of us to be the person we were created to be and to encourage each other to be true to their calling. Marcellin did this when he accepted the call to join the Order of priests. The expectation was that he was meant to be a farmer, but he knew he was called to something else. He was unrestrained by the expectations of others – he was wild! And then he called others to join him. 

All of us are called to be the best versions of our natural selves  – unrestrained by the things which stop us from being that person – things like the opinions of others, fear and the desire for power or recognition.  To be wild is to live as someone of high emotion. Marcellin did! He cared for all people and responded to them with the love that Jesus modelled for him. 

To be wild is to be unconventional, self-willed, brave. A wild person sets out to do things that others might consider ludicrous or even impossible - things like starting a group of men who will live lives of service, traipsing the hills of France in all seasons to bring Jesus to young people and to educate Good Christians and Good citizens. 

Wild – growing in the natural state, unrestrained by the expectations of others, emotionally strong, brave. Marcellin was this kind of wild. We are called to be this kind of wild. Our Kindergarten boys and girls wearing their masks reminded us to be this kind of wild. 

On Thursday, Family Spirit was obvious as the Year 12 gentlemen battled it out in the Battle of the Codes. The soccer team were the victors this year, but all teams are commended for their participation, not only in this race, but in their various co-curricular events over their six years as students of the College.

Friday is Simplicity and an opportunity to give to others. A prayer card and a chocolate is our gift for each community member and a gold coin donation was requested to help struggling Marist communities throughout the world. 

Happy Champagnat Week.

Mrs Cathie Clarke

Director of Mission