Catholic Identity

Reflection – 5th Sunday of Lent

The readings this Sunday carry the theme of hopelessness verses the infusion of hope, death verses new life, a shift from mourning to celebration. Our college celebration of Harmony Day was a beautiful celebration of the diversity of cultures in our community. While the United Nations officially named March 21 the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, in Australia it is called Harmony Day. It is in many ways an example of how St Anne’s College as a Catholic dialogue community moves through an infusion of purposeful actions from desperation and hopelessness to hope. These purposeful actions include recognition of past and present racial discrimination in our society and wider world, with the aim of improving our world through action to eliminate racial discrimination. 

The Australian Catholic Church has committed its communities, including schools, to dialogue as part of this intentional shift from hopelessness to hope, death verses new life and from mourning to celebration. In the Gospel of John 11:1-45 we read about Jesus’s ability to enter into and share in the suffering of others. Through Jesus’s example we are called to be Christ in the world today. Jesus entered into the pain and loss suffered by Martha and Mary at the loss of Lazarus, knowing that helping Martha and Mary would put his life at risk. The Apostle Paul challenges us to not be slaves of sin but slaves of righteousness, to be that infusion of hope into an exiled, suffering community. Consider the areas in your own life and in the world around you – those spaces of hopelessness, brokenness and mourning. What spaces need new life, and what would resurrection look like in those spaces?

- Elizabeth Holligan, Religious Education Leader

Project Compassion fundraising activities

Thank you for your support with our Caritas Australia Project Compassion fundraising activities across the college.  During the last two weeks of Term 1, fundraising activities include Pastoral Groups who have been issued with donation boxes, Zooper Doopers for sale some lunchtimes, ‘Guess the lollies in the jar’ at 50c a guess for students and staff. Every little bit helps; please be generous and donate ‘for all future generations’.

Ramadan

Our thoughts and prayers are with our Muslim brothers and sisters as they enter their month of Ramadan. This year our seasons of Lent and Ramadan cross over. What an amazing opportunity to dialogue on our common understanding of fasting, prayer, community and reflection.

Stations of the Cross, whole-college liturgy, 9:00am, Thursday, April 6.

St Anne’s College students will once again be presenting the Stations of the Cross, whole-college liturgy on the last day of this term. This sombre liturgy brings to a close our school term penitential Lenten activities that began with Ash Wednesday. During this time, we reflected, sacrificed, and worked to be reconciled with God. The Easter Triduum of Holy Thursday to the evening of Easter Sunday completes the Lenten season and is the high point of the Catholic Liturgical celebrations as the death of Christ was followed by his resurrection from the Cross. Please mark this event in your calendars. 

 -  Elizabeth Holligan, Religious Education Leader