Principal's Message
Mother’s Day
This morning, we welcomed many mothers and grandmothers to our Junior School Mother’s Day Mass. Restricted to Year 6 families due to COVID-19 protocols, it was most heartening to see the large numbers in attendance as we took the opportunity to share in the Eucharist and offer a meaningful and prayerful service that honoured all mothers. Our students gave thanks for their own mothers and grandmothers and were challenged to reflect deeply and truly appreciate all that they do and all that they model through their ongoing care and love. The students then presented their mothers with a beautiful flower and a small gift prior to escorting them to morning tea.
Our College remains very clear in its understanding that parents are the primary and most important educators of their children. Our role is to complement parents in the formation of their sons. Child Education expert, Michael Grose emphasises this when he says, “… it is within the family unit that children, both big and small, learn the most valuable and far reaching lessons for life.” Not surprisingly, he goes on to comment on the very special role that mothers have in this regard. He suggests that in our very fast paced and contemporary lifestyles, with different work patterns and changing family dynamics and now health pandemics, it is mums that provide the real presence, consistency and security that children need in order to develop healthy attitudes and behaviours. In other words, mothers generally provide the foundation of love upon which children grow and develop. Mums are good at being mums!
That is why we pause this Sunday to celebrate our mothers and other significant mother figures in our lives. The phrase ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ brings with it much more than a wish for a happy day. Contained within these words can be found some of the many things we never say, or do not say often enough. Happy Mother’s Day means I love you and I want to thank you for all you do. It means you matter a lot to me, and that I honour you and your role as a mother. These sentiments have been beautifully captured throughout this week as part of the Mother’s Day Appreciation Board located at Student Services.
As part of our Christian faith, motherhood is considered to be a particularly wonderful blessing because it is in motherhood that you get to share in the creative power and loving face of God. Conceiving, carrying and giving birth to a child, is as close as any person can get to the act of creation. This is the beginning of motherhood, but it is far from the end. Motherhood is also about nurturing, sacrificing, loving and ultimately, it is about letting go. These thoughts are shared by Baptist Minister, Jan Chrouchin in her ‘Mothers’ Day Creed’:
“I believe in Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who was born of the promise to the virgin Mary.
I believe in the love Mary gave her Son that caused her to follow him in his ministry and stand by his cross as he died.
I believein the love of all mothers and its importance in the lives of the children they bear.
It is stronger than steel, softer than down, and more resilient than a green sapling on a hillside.
It closes wounds, melts disappointments, and enables the weakest child to stand tall in the fields of adversity.
Thank God for all-loving Mothers; and thank Mothers for helping us to understand an all-loving God.”
I trust that all mothers enjoy a very special Mother’s Day and receive some very special treatment this weekend. As always, I am sure that it will be well deserved!
Live Jesus in our hearts.