Principal's Message

College Theme 2021- Wonder Celebrate all that is good with joy and gratitude

Back in 1968 a spacecraft by the name of Apollo 8 was the first crewed spacecraft to leave low Earth orbit, and also the first human spaceflight to reach another astronomical object, namely the Moon, which the crew orbited without landing, and then departed safely back to Earth. They were orbiting the moon taking photos and at one point the spacecraft turned a little and the astronauts saw this view. They were the first people in history who saw the earth rising. Each day we see the sun rise and the moon rise. You can also get see the other planets rise Mars, Venus, Jupiter. But these three astronauts, Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders, were the first humans to see the earth rise above the moon. Their reaction was quite special with a lot of “wow’s” and “take a look at that.” They were like a group of kids. Their most iconic photo was called Earth Rise.

In 2021 the Kildare Ministries value that we will focus on is Wonder - Celebrate all that is good with joy and gratitude. To all the adults in our Community and, perhaps, to all the students from Year 10 upwards I encourage you to never forget how to be a child and to see the world as children see it. Seeing the world through children’s eyes is challenging, because it requires us to suspend our existing thinking and knowledge and it is as if we see the world with new eyes for the very first time, to be in the moment perhaps on your own or with someone else.

It has been said that, “A child’s world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring, is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood.” Isn’t it sad that this may be true for us? Well I encourage you to be the keepers of “Awe and Wonder” in each person you meet especially those younger than you. Let us oldies challenge young teens and children to take risks because you, together with them, have the potential to enrich the lives of families as they learn how powerful and uplifting those special “wow” moments can be especially when we are captured by the beauty, wonder and awe of what is around us.

Fortunately, cultivating childhood wonder and joy does not require monumental effort, but rather, doing less of what doesn’t matter and more of what does. Quick, simple activities can make a big difference.

Take a playful approach. Rich, meaningful play is at its core. Lucky are you if you have people in your life who are capable of engaging in play and games. Build time in your day to allow for downtime and play.

Explore Nature. Children are constantly in tune with the wonders of nature and fortunately, nature study does not have to be a big event. Nature helps to support intellectual, emotional, social and physical development by teaching you skills like observation and analysis.

Cultivate beauty. Develop routines that go beyond the merely practical. Incorporate rituals and traditions that nurture beauty, wonder, and peace. These rituals will vary from family to family and should not feel like a task. Well-chosen rituals can foster an environment that invites us to slow down and enjoy the peace of a slower pace.

Joy and wonder is not a luxury but a necessity. Small moments of joy and a feeling of wonder can give us all meaning in a sometimes chaotic world, building a sense of “rightness” and resilience from which we can draw in the years to come.

One dictionary defines 'wonder' as "a feeling of amazement and admiration, caused by something beautiful, remarkable, or unfamiliar." Wonder sparks curiosity, and associates discovery with joy.

For those who have received the sacrament of confirmation you would have heard of one of the gifts of the spirit which is wonder and awe. Wonder and Awe means to understand the wonders of the world that God created for us, to see what others could not see about the wonderful world that God created and to be amazed at how beautiful the world God gave us really is. As we experience this year of wonder, celebrate all is good, celebrate joy and give thanks that we are able to.

Raymond Pisani

Principal