Catholic Identity and Mission
Mr John Ryan - Deputy Principal
This week the College has finished distributing one Project Compassion Box to each family in the College. Please give generously to Project Compassion. We ask that the boxes are returned during the final week of the term. We ask that you provide small financial support to the charities Caritas have chosen. If you have any change lying about the house or in your car please put it into the boxes provided.
Scripture Reflection taken from the FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT – Weekend 13/14 March
2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23
Ephesians 2:4-10
John 3:14-21
In Sunday’s Gospel reading, Nicodemus has a humbling encounter with Jesus. Nicodemus was asking Jesus how it is possible for one to renew themselves, or to be born again from sin. As Jesus responds, he makes numerous references to “the light”.
Jesus invites us to “be a light in the world, a light to others”. We are all made in the image and likeness of God and thus all possess God-given gifts that we are called to share. Christ was made man to shine a light onto the darkness in this world. By his life, God revealed the ways in which to bring about the Kingdom of God on earth; demonstrating how to be a light to others so that we may attain salvation and enjoy eternal life.
We all have a responsibility to shine a light on the injustices that exist within society, and are challenged to be light that drives change.
This week, we hear the Project Compassion story of Mr Arsad, a farmer who lives in the Pandeglang District in Indonesia with his wife and three children. It was only recently, that he was able to build a toilet for his family; a common household hardware that many of us take for granted.
Mr Arsad and his family, along with millions of people globally, lack basic access to safely-managed sanitation facilities, often being exposed to dangerous conditions as well as making them highly susceptible to infectious diseases. Through a Caritas Australia supported program, Mr Arsad was able to embody the quote of St Oscar Romero “Aspire not to have more, but to be more”, by becoming involved in a community-based health development project where he learnt the skills to participate in a community-led approach to building toilets. Just as Jesus calls us to do, Mr Arsad, shared his gifts by assisting with the building of toilets for other families within his neighbourhood.
Click on the link to view this story.
https://lent.caritas.org.au/week-4
How can we, as much, or as little as we have, be the light that drives change? How can we “Be more”, and use our gifts to make a difference in the lives of others?
Prayer of Intercession
We pray for the inspiration and courage to shine the light on global injustices, and to let our own light shine unto others, so that we may be agents of change who bring about the kingdom of God on earth.
Media Internship Program
Applications are now open for Australian Catholics Media Internship Program for 2021. Now in its tenth year, the program gives Year 10 and 11 students across the country an exciting introduction to a career in the media.
The week-long program, from 10 to 14 May, offers secondary school students a valuable opportunity to engage with industry leaders, deepen their understanding of the media, build skills, and produce an edition of the largest circulation Catholic print publication in the country. Successful applicants form the guest editorial team for the Spring edition of Australian Catholics and work with staff to plan, workshop and write articles for that edition.
The internship program will again be delivered online this year.
Applications for this year’s program close at 5pm on Monday, 15 March 2021.
Young Voices Award
Australian Catholics Young Voices Award is open to all students around the country, having evolved from the Young Journalist Award, run through the magazine for the past 25 years. The Awards this year expand to recognise a wider range of media including poetry, photography, video and audio as well as written-form journalism.
Sponsored by long-time YJA sponsor Australian Catholic University (ACU), the Awards give primary and secondary schools students around the country a voice - and the opportunity to be published in the largest circulation Catholic print publication in the country. Winning entries also feature on Australian Catholics digital channels.
Entries close at 5pm, Friday, 28 May 2021.
Finding God’s Traces
Finding God's Traces is a hard-cover publication that makes an ideal gift for graduating students, as well as current and retiring staff members, parents or school alumni. A gift that they will treasure, with daily reflections that will help keep their Catholic education alive throughout their lives.
Written by Michael McGirr, it features readings for each day of the year, thoughts and reflections, a comprehensive index and 25 year calendar of moveable feast days.
FGT can easily be customised for your school, for more details go here.