Principal’s Blog

We are the custodians of the good news!
I write these few thoughts today, as we come to the end of the Kildare Ministries Conference where we have explored the theme ‘Living Justice Living Peace: Go out joyfully!!’ As part of the conference planning committee, it has been a privilege to be a part of bringing this conference to our national community of ministries. At this conference, the Living Justice Living Peace Charter was launched which presents a vision based on the justice actions of Jesus.

Starting our conference at Marina College in Ararat, we were immersed in the story of how the College and local parish is listening and responding to the voices of those of the margins. We heard from Bishop Vincent Long who called on us to be a prophetic and transformative presence as we work to seek positive changes reminding us that we are the custodians of the good news. During Day 2 we heard from a panel of first nation students who reminded us of unintended racism, stereotyping and the power of elders, story and culture. Sr Anne Boyd csb, brought the cries of the earth to our attention with a hopeful reminder of the power within all of us to take action and bring about healing of creation and her people.

Today we were joined by Fr Michael Trainor, who centred the historical Jesus in our conversations and painted for us a vivid picture of the social, economic and ecological context of his time and how this impacts on the way we understand the actions of Jesus. The three Kildare Ministry Community Works shared how they work for justice, especially with those on the margins, and go out with joy aiming to bring life in abundance to those they serve. Following a shared dialogue across all ministries, we were enlivened by actions and possibilities for the Trustees to consider as we chart our way forward as a collective. This time has been food for the head, heart and soul and there is much more to share with you in time.

A few short reminders and acknowledgments before I leave you this week:
Thank you to all parents who were able to attend the information session conducted by Headspace. It was really well attended and we received positive feedback about the usefulness of the information. Please note that further parent sessions are scheduled for later in the year.

A reminder to all our current families that enrolments for Year 7 2022 close on May 7. Thank you to those who have already got this information into the College. To keep our young people safe, we are encouraging students who catch buses on Minerva Rd after school to exit via the Church St gate. This takes students down to the pedestrian crossing which enables students to cross safely at the end of the day.

Our architects who have been working on our Masterplan will be presenting information sessions to families on May 10 in conjunction with our Senior Pathways evening. Keep an eye out for further information about session times. These presentations will outline the key elements of the masterplan design and how we have responded to the feedback from our community which formed part of the design process.

And finally, a special thanks to the staff who were a part of the Year 8 Queenscliff experience this week and will join the Year 12 retreat next week. We appreciate the time and commitment they give to our young people to ensure these experiences are possible. We have grown a greater appreciation of these experiences after being unable to enjoy them last year.


Blessings
Luci