Our theme for this year, ‘Daring to Live with Courage’, invites us to consider how we can show up with our whole hearts, and bring light and positivity into the world. While our presentation today invites us to reflect on our faith in a contemporary way, the narrative at the centre of our presentation speaks powerfully of courage. We reflect on the courage of Jesus to challenge the systemic injustice of his day, to show love and compassion to all those pushed to the edges of society… The courage of the disciples to leave their work behind to follow him, even though they knew it could land them in trouble… The courage for Jesus to stay faithful to his mission, even while facing a painful and humiliating death.
We pick up the story today on Easter Sunday and prepare to meet Jesus, risen from the dead. But we remember, the resurrection does not stand alone as an isolated event. Resurrection is only possible as the emergence from darkness and pain. So today we will consider the courage of the disciples, from Mary Magdalene, to Thomas, to those journeying to Emmaus, to carry on wholeheartedly through their sadness. As we move through the stations, consider the deep uncertainty, fear and loneliness engulfing Jesus’ friends as they prepared to face a future without him, all their dreams for a reformed society seemingly dashed to pieces. And yet…
Today you are invited to remember that courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is the decision to pick yourself up and carry on in the face of difficulties. For our story teaches us that the greatest hope is found in the greatest despair.
So began our whole-school celebration of Paschal Way of Light, on Friday 29 April. Also known as the Stations of the Resurrection, the Via Lucis (Way of Light), encourages meditation upon the Resurrection of Jesus emphasising the positive, hopeful aspect of the Christian story. Traditional celebrations of the Way of Light move through 14 stations, just like the Stations of the Cross. For the 2022 MSJ Celebration of the Paschal Way of Light, we focused on 8 stations, highlighting key moments in the Resurrection story, and particularly those which resonate closely with the journey of our students:
The Year 12 leadership team stole the show by sharing with the student body the values which drive their co-missioning and engaging the audience to share their own values in an interactive dialogue. The liturgy closed with this invitation to our school community, something for us all to continue to reflect upon: “This is the hope and joy of Easter that propels us forward, daring us to live with courage. Today we have been challenged to welcome one another with open arms, to actively work to build community, to support one another on the journey, to respond to doubt with love and compassion and to share our gifts with each other. Each of you, before you leave the hall today, is asked to consider this as a personal challenge. What will you do, to bring the joy of Easter into your own life and the lives of those you share your days with?”
Friday 24 June is the Catholic Feast Day of the Sacred Heart. Mary MacKillop had a particular devotion to this Feast which led her to name her religious congregation Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart. Devotion to the Sacred Heart is a prayerful reflection on the life of Jesus grounded in his deep love for the world and particularly the most vulnerable in his community.
Love one another, bear with one another and let charity guide you in all your life
(Mary MacKillop, 1909)
Traditionally this Feast Day is marked in the Church with charitable donations. At MSJ, the Sacred Heart Drive is our major fundraiser for Term 2 and there are two ways for families to support this drive.
Donations of non-perishable food items
From Monday 30 May until Thursday 23 June, we will be collecting donations of non-perishable food items to be donated to the Sacred Heart Mission dining room and Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project. Families are encouraged to donate the following items as they are able:
We will be running an op-shop from Monday 20 – Thursday 23 June at lunchtimes. Families are encouraged to donate the following items for sale, with monetary proceeds and remaining items donated to the Newport branch of the St Vincent de Paul Society.
Donations for both the food drive and op-shop can be delivered to collection points placed around the College and the Chapel, from Monday 30 May.
