Mission & Catholic Identity News

Symbolism plays a huge part in Culture

I have been lately reading and listening a lot about ‘culture’. About how to develop a culture that strengthens your work place or club. I recommend to you the podcast: Paul Roos – The Coach. It is mentioned that symbolism plays a huge part in the culture of especially sporting clubs. It mentions the attention to detail that particular football clubs make on how they present themselves on game day and the correlation of that to a successful outcome, that they play finals football. How does this translates into education speak?

In a school environment, wearing a uniform is a badge of pride, creates an identity for a school and is an important part of being a school student. It says strongly that we're all in this together. It has also been found that school uniforms can improve learning by reducing distraction, sharpening focus on schoolwork and help schools recognise intruders. Importantly for us as a Catholic school with a diverse clientele, it also means students don't have to worry about peer pressure when it comes to their clothes and the money spent on them to keep up with the Jones. Wearing a school uniform is less expensive than buying a whole wardrobe of outfits and makes getting dressed each morning a lot easier.

I have three children at the primary school level. It still excites them going to school in their uniform. They appreciate that wearing a school uniform is a powerful rite of passage and a statement of belonging and identity.

Our uniform holds much symbolism that is important to our culture, mission and identity.

In the badge on our uniform it has our very strong motto: be not afraid. It has the fisherman’s net of St Peter. Which is beautifully depicted in our gates at the Clyde North campus. It has the cross, central to us being a Catholic Christian college. It is in the colours representative of St Peter: silver, burgundy and gold. And very significantly it has the keys of St Peter.

The keys are significant to the story of St Peter, coming from the Gospel of Matthew (16:19), whereby Jesus says to Peter, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on Earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on Earth shall be loosed in heaven." Jesus gave Peter “the keys of the kingdom of heaven,” not the keys to heaven. A key was a badge of authority (Luke 11:52) and then as now was used to open doors.

Our hope at St Peter’s College is that we give the keys to our students, to open the doors of faith, to open the doors of opportunity and possibility. A key point of our Catholic education in the Petrine charism, has been to hand over the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, given through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, so that our students will have:

Wisdom: To see God in everyone and everything everywhere.

Understanding: The ability to comprehend that they are followers of Christ.

Right Judgment: The ability to know right from wrong and to choose to do what is right.

Reverence: The ability to have deep respect for God and the Church.

Knowledge: The ability to understand the meaning of God.

Courage: The ability to overcome fear and to stand up for what is right in the eyes of God.

Wonder and Awe: The ability to be aware that God is all-loving.

Upcoming Events:

1. Year 10 Reflection Day (CRA & CLN) – August 20.
2. Vinnies Winter Sleep out – August 23/24 (CRA Hall & CLN Graham Building).
3. Augustine House Mass (CRA/CLN) – August 29.

Matthew Williams

Deputy Principal - Mission & Catholic Identity