The Lantern 

Faith & Mission

Prayer

God of mercy and kindness,

You call us to go beyond ourselves and answer your call to live justly.  We pray that through our actions of living prayerfully, simply and generously, we will come closer to you.

In times of struggle and in times of joy, you are with us.  We ask for your spirit to be with us during these 40 days of Lent as we make a special promise to work for peace and justice, kindness and mercy, hope and possibility.

We ask this through Christ our Lord

Amen

Welcome Mass

On Tuesday, 25 February, the Presentation College school community gathered to celebrate Eucharist.  Our celebrant was Fr Elio Capra, who spoke about the importance of love and community as elements in which we flourish.  We were joined by the Presentation Sisters, the College Board, and representatives from our Presentation affiliated schools: Star of the Sea, Avila College, St John’s Regional College, CBC St Kilda, and St Mary’s East St Kilda.

 

The theme for the Mass reflected our College theme for the year, "Flourish as Presentation" – Now and Forever.  To flourish means to grow, to develop, to improve, to live life to the full.  We also flourish in the way we care for one another and look out for each other when things get difficult.  When we see someone flourishing, they are the best version of themselves.

 

Our Presentation community flourishes because of the collective mission that we share.  We flourish as Presentation…

  • Through our living faith;
  • Through our vibrant learning environment;
  • Through our responsible action;
  • Through promoting physical, emotional, and spiritual growth; and
  • Through our strength in community.

As we journey through this final year together we are grateful for who we are:  a diverse community of people who stand together in unity.  A vibrant faith-filled community that emphasises the dignity of difference, equal opportunity and diversity of learning.  We are grateful for all that we have been given and received; encouragement and support, hope and possibility, love and compassion.  We will look for the joys in each day and celebrate.

 

Our past and our present define us as Presentation people.

  • People of justice.
  • People of deeds, ‘not words’.
  • People of welcoming heart.

As we head into our future, we will remain agents of change and take up our responsibility to bravely challenge injustice with hope filled hearts.  We will continue to carry Nano’s legacy in our hearts. Now and Forever.

 

We will always be Presentation.

Ash Wednesday Service

Our Ash Wednesday Service was led by our Faith and Mission leaders and focused on the Lenten challenge to ‘be more’ and to ‘love more’.

 

Lent is a time to stop and reflect.  It is a time to be still, to take stock, to re-evaluate our lives and the people we are becoming.  It is a time to reflect upon how we can ‘be more’ and to ‘love more’.  This might mean to leave behind the weight of negativity and intolerance and replace it with respect, love, generosity, openness, hospitality and hope.

 

As our students received the ashes today, they were asked to reflect on how they would make this season of Lent a time to ‘be more’ and to ‘love more’.

 

Josie Dilettoso

Director of Faith & Mission

Project India

For Lent this year, our focus will be to raise money for our sister school in India.  The Faith and Mission Team, along with the students who will be travelling to India in April, are organising a number of fundraising activities over the term. These will include Egg and Bacon Tuesday, Sausage Sizzle Thursday, a chocolate drive, a film night, and a rice day, just to name a few.

 

Our school is also committed to fundraising over the course of the year for Project India through a number of initiatives by the student leaders.  Stay tuned for more information throughout the course of the year.

 

All money raised will go to our sister school in India that educates over 2,000 girls.  Education is a gift that many young people around the world go without, especially young women.  Project India will work towards closing the gap in education faced by many girls.  Our generous donation will help resource the school to provide an environment where young girls may flourish and live life to the full.

 

Bridget Saundry

Faith & Mission Captain