Faith and Mission

Leo McInerney 

Assistant to the Principal - Faith and Mission 

Last week the College acknowledged World Day of Social Justice. During 2020 Kildare Ministries along with Marian College celebrates the theme of “Justice – Making the needs of the vulnerable paramount.” World Day of Social Justice is an international day recognizing the need to promote social justice, which includes efforts to tackle issues such as poverty, exclusion, gender equality, unemployment, human rights, and social protections. In short looking after the vulnerable.

A meeting of staff and students was also conducted last week to look at how Marian College could improve our effort regarding sustainability. After attending the meeting I came across an article written by a sister of Mercy, Sr Veronica Lawson who says that an ‘ancient Jewish lyricist declared that the God of Israel hears the cries of the poor (Psalm 34). The prophet Hosea bewailed the devastation caused by humans, to the point that even “the land mourns and all that live in it perish, together with the wild beasts and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea are perishing” (4:3). From a biblical and gospel perspective, the cries of the Earth’s poor and excluded are heard in the conversion of those who do violence to the “small” and in the compassionate responses of the just.’

The United Nations World Social Justice Day on February 20 provided an opportunity for us, as inheritors of the biblical tradition, to reflect on our origins and on how we respond to the cries of those rendered “small” in our planetary home. 

Social justice is a modern expression for an ancient concept that was espoused by the prophets of Israel and, from a Christian perspective, lived in its fullest expression by Jesus of Nazareth. When the term “social justice” was coined, it referred exclusively to justice for all in the human community. The focus was on justice for those rendered as poor.

Sr. Lawson says that ‘over recent decades, a growing consciousness of the interconnection of all things has brought with it the realisation that there is no social justice without environmental justice. There is likewise a growing realisation that social justice and environmental justice constitute “ecological justice” or justice for our common home and all of its inhabitants, human and other-than-human.’

So as we acknowledge United Nations World Social Justice Day for 2020 lets please keep in mind that we have an obligation to our “poor” earth every day of the year.  

This week is also a big week at Marian. On Monday the Lamp Bearers, Student Representative Council and Captains of Justice, Liturgy, Vinnies and LEO’s met with Renee Oberin (Head of Faith) for Kildare Ministries to discuss the “Principals of Living Justice Charter.” On Tuesday, a number of these girls attended the 2020 launch of Project Compassion and as a College we had special prayers service to distribute the ashes as we commence Lent.

I would also like to acknowledge the generosity of the girls who supported our Vinnies “Fire Appeal” by purchasing pancakes on Shrove Tuesday.  And as we commence Lent on Ash Wednesday all staff, student leaders and student representatives for all classes will gather for the Ashes Prayer ceremony.