FAITH MATTERS

Ration Challenge: 

To kick off Term 3, students and staff participated in ‘The Ration Challenge,’ facilitated by the organisation Act for Peace. Participants lived off similar rations as people living in a refugee camp in Jordan for three days. From Tuesday to Thursday of Week 1, participants got creative and made meals using simple ingredients like rice, chickpeas, lentils and sardines or tofu. Because of the fundraising totals and activities earned, our group was able to indulge in some extra ingredients like milk, dried spice and fruit. This parallels the way that aid organisations might provide extra rations for those in refugee camps. It was great seeing the wonderful recipes students had created, many of which were written by the refugees who Act for Peace support. In the recipe book, participants were able to follow along, reading about the refugee’s life and stories as well. Students made crepes for dinner, congee for breakfast and ate lots and lots of rice. 

On Thursday, students put their hands to work and made chapati (Indian flatbread) and rice. They served it with a lentil curry (dahl/parippu), as a simple meal, for our school community to participate in the ‘Solidarity Lunch.’ It was fantastic seeing our students rolling out the dough, boiling the rice and frying up the flatbread. Thank you to all staff and students who donated to the cause, and tried our delicious food! 

This was my first time taking part in The Ration Challenge, and what helped me through the three days was seeing the solidarity of our school’s team. We were all feeling similar feelings: hunger, frustration and empathy for those who unwillingly live this reality every day. It was a great learning experience to consider what we often take for granted, like being able to purchase food from the supermarket, having clean water and a community to surround ourselves with. Refugees live in liminality where often these realities can’t coexist. Any small effort to raise awareness or to ease the hardship of these people’s lives is worthwhile fighting for. 

Through our team's Ration Challenge fundraising and donations from the Solidarity Lunch, St Mary MacKillop College Swan Hill has raised $5815.26 for refugees through the Ration Challenge and made it to #19 in the top schools who have fundraised the most across Australia (see: https://schools.rationchallenge.org.au). Special congratulations too to Imogen for being ranked #20 as a top individual fundraiser amongst school students in Australia.  

Thank you to all participants, their families and friends for your support! Our donations provide life changing assistance to those who are seeking refuge. 

Caritas- Certificate of Appreciation of Jillian Hogbin (school foyer): 

Early last week we received a beautiful letter from Jillian Hogbin, the representative of Caritas Australia for the Diocese of Ballarat. Well done to the St Mary MacKillop College Community for their fantastic efforts earlier in this year’s Project Compassion.

WYD Update: 

Last weekend Anna, Grace and I travelled to Melbourne for our final pilgrim gathering before embarking on World Youth Day 2023. We celebrated Mass together with over 500 pilgrims and their families and friends at St Patrick’s Cathedral in East Melbourne. Following this was an opportunity to meet our small groups again, pick up our pilgrim packs and get more information about our journeys ahead. 

This weekend I’ll be flying out to Rome from Melbourne to begin my pilgrimage (a week earlier than Anna and Grace), named ‘The Italian Way.’ From there, my group will travel to Assisi, and meet the other pilgrims from Victoria in Fatima (Portugal) before we head to Lisbon for World Youth Day Week. I am incredibly excited for this long-awaited experience, and can’t wait to witness the act of Faith made through millions of young people gathering across the globe. Please pray for safe travels, as my small group and I journey along our way! I’m also deeply excited for Anna and Grace as they embark on this experience of a lifetime. My life was positively impacted by my experience in Year 11 at World Youth Day Krakow, and I look forward to seeing how the weeks ahead unfold. 

I’ll be keeping the staff, students and families of St Mary MacKillop College in my prayers as I pilgrimage to many churches and Holy places of significance. 

Arrivederci, Adeus! 

Coming Up - JJAMM Week Activities

JJAMM Week is coming up in Week 5! Have a look at the upcoming program below: