Staff Spirituality Day

Our staff travelled to West Wyalong on Monday, 17 July to attend a staff Spirituality Day with fellow colleagues from St Mary’s War Memorial School, West Wyalong, and St Francis Xavier School, Lake Cargelligo. The day was led by Lee Herden, Principal Catholic Identity Officer at Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn. Our focus theme was ‘Mercy’. 

Mercy Definition: The disposition to be kind and forgiving. Founded on compassion, mercy differs from compassion or the feeling of sympathy in putting this feeling into practice with a readiness to assist. It is therefore the ready willingness to help anyone in need, especially in need of pardon or reconciliation. 

Staff focused particularly on Scripture exploring mercy, defining characteristics of a Catholic School and the grammar of dialogue. The staff found the day very rewarding as they reflected on their work in schools and considered future actions that they could implement.

“We should be as the compass that goes round its circle without stirring from its center. Our center is God from whom all our actions should spring as from their source.”

• Catherine McAuley 

It has been wonderful to see the eager smiling faces of students as they return to school this term. We are looking forward to another busy, yet very productive term ahead for everyone.

Sunday Gospel Reflection (July 30)

Gospel             Mt 13:44-52

We must all seek, find, and appreciate the hidden pearls within people. It is essential to understand that God has also sought, found, and recognised the treasures that lay within ourselves. God paid the highest price and ultimate sacrifice of His Son Jesus on the cross so that we might be saved and made welcome in the kingdom of heaven. Being a Catholic comes with sacrifice. Do you face yours with the exuberant joy of the man in the parable, or do you give way to frustration, exhaustion, and apathy? We need to remind ourselves of the celebration of the treasure that we are seeking and to reach for the ‘fine pearls’ that are found in the scriptures and the sacraments. The analogy of the dragnet is an apt one, particularly in schools gathering people from many backgrounds and beliefs. For some, it might be tempting to seek only the ‘good fish’ and not extend the invitation to the diverse faith experience that we find in our seas. By narrowing our focus, we risk overlooking the treasure that exists in both the new and old. Have you seen the pearl of great value, for which you are ready to sell all that you have to buy it? (Nathan A’Hearne, Mission and Life Formation Marist Schools Australia)

 Dear Lord,

Help us to seek the treasure of a comforting kindness,

which manifests as understanding more precious than riches,

more powerful than the oppression of others,

with the power to continually transform our hearts.

Let our parable be manifest in our actions, our kindness, our generosity of time

and our hearts for understanding the needs of the world.

Amen.

 Source: Formed in Prayer, CSYMI

Mini Vinnies – St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal