25Th Anniversary of Mt Claremont Campus
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25th Anniversary of Mt Claremont Campus Dear Parents, Students and Friends of John XXIII College This week our focus has been the 25th Anniversary of the Mt Claremont Campus of John XXIII College. On the 15th November 1986, Archbishop Foley used this blessing as he opened and blessed the campus. I think the blessing is as applicable to the current staff and students of the College as it was for the staff and students twenty five years ago. ―Let us pray—Lord Jesus Christ, You said to your disciples: When you have found entry to a house, give greeting and say: Peace be to this house! May that peace come now upon this school; upon all who teach, study or work here. Make them strong in Your service; give them true liberty of soul. Fill the teachers with knowledge, wisdom and the fear of God. Give the students Your grace in full measure, that they may understand the truths that they are taught, ponder them in their hearts, and give witness to them in their lives. May your holy Name be ever held in honour. Bless these buildings and hallow them as we enter them. May the Angels of light ever dwell within these buildings and all who frequent them; for You live and reign for ever and ever. Amen‖ At the Mass to celebrate the anniversary we were fortunate to have two previous Chairs of Council - Mr Terry O‘Connor, Mrs Jenny Bourke and current Chair Ms Mary Woodford; previous Principal Mr Greg Clune with best wishes and apologies received from Fr Daven Day and Sister Denise Desmarchelier; 2 previous Business Managers - Mr Bob Niven and Mr Peter O‘Sullivan, current Business Manager Mr Des Hardiman and many other people who played a major role in the history and development of our College. Special prayers were also received from retired Chaplain Fr Kevin King sj. It was a beautiful celebration of a significant College milestone. Issue 35 18 November 2011 Presentation evening is almost upon us and a separate item in the newsletter provides the detailed information required by families. I simply wished to extend my personal invitation to all parents, and to remind families that the evening is compulsory Together let us seek justice. for students in Years 4 - 11. This year all students in these years Yours sincerely will sit with their classroom (Primary) and tutor teachers (Secondary). The venue is the WA Basketball Centre on Stephenson Avenue and the occasion will start at 7.00pm (please be seated by 6.45pm to ensure a prompt start and finish.) Students need to be at the venue by 6.25pm to meet (Mrs) Anne Fry—Principal Around the Primary Dear Parents As I visited classes this week it struck me how happy the children are to be at school. All classes are very settled and I am confident this focus and energy level will remain over the final weeks of this term. However, it is of utmost importance that children attend school every day, on time, after a good night‘s sleep and a healthy breakfast. This routine will become even more important as we head into the second week of swimming lessons at school and we also begin our end of year celebrations at school and at home. It is only five weeks until Christmas and we have started collecting donations for the St Vinnie‘s Christmas hampers. It would be wonderful if each family could provide a special food item, such as a tin ham or a pudding to put into the Christmas hampers for the needy in our community. Donations can be left in the classrooms or at the front office. Please give generously so others may have a happy Christmas with some special treats. Every Mass is an important part of building community and celebrating that we are all part of God‘s family. It was wonderful so many parents and grandparents were able to join us at today‘s Mass. Special thanks to Mrs Fontaine, Mrs Scott and 5G for preparing today‘s lovely liturgy about showing compassion to others. Our Junior Primary Swimming Lessons started this week. It is great to see our young children participating with such excitement and enthusiasm. On the other hand, Mr and Mrs Alderman have been sharing their dancing skills with the primary students and by the sounds of it the students are having a great time learning new steps and moves. Our students in years 3-6 will be sharing their dancing talents with us on Thursday 1st December from 2pm in the hall. Everyone is welcome! To add to our busy timetable, our Year six students competed in a coeducational touch rugby carnival yesterday at Tranby College. Mr Alderman and Mr Casey were very proud of the great resilience and determination shown by our students. It was wonderful to hear our students were the stand out participants on the day. The students are to be congratulated on their fantastic rugby skills and their outstanding sportsmanship. Some important dates for your diary: The College Presentation Evening will be held at the WA Basketball Centre on Tuesday 29th November. As this an important community event for our College all students in Years 4, 5 and 6 must attend. More information will follow. Our Year Six Graduation and Farewell Mass will occur on Thursday 8th December at 6.30pm. Come along and join us for Carols by Candlelight on Sunday 4th December at 5pm on the chapel lawn. Finally, we wish our year six campers and staff all the best for their annual camp next week. Kind regards Antoinette De Pinto Head of Primary Our Year One Healthy Cafe Chaplain‘s Comments The Roman Emperor Constantine was baptized in 337. He put it off for years. In the early church Christians could confess their sins once in their lives, so Constantine remained a catechumen until he was nearing the end, when he asked for baptism, received Holy Communion and later confessed his sins. It was a watershed moment for the church. In 313, a few years before his death, Constantine had already declared that Christianity was to be the new state religion. No one could hold any other belief. It was meant to unify the Roman Empire as trade, law, taxation and their dynamic culture was done. It was indeed a mixed blessing for the church ever since. On the positive side, this ended the persecution of the earliest Christians. The blood of the martyrs had been so eloquent that their witness caused a few emperors to ask what sort of love impelled so many followers to be prepared to die for their beliefs. It also saw the early Church become a significant player in the shaping of the values of society, even taking on the worst of Roman excesses. On the cost side, the bishops became very powerful very quickly, by wearing the purple robes of senators. Church took on the shape of the Roman basilicas, while the government of the church mirrored that of the empire. Tragically the next few hundred years, conversions were demanded at the end of the sword and no religious dissent or pluralism was tolerated. It was in this context that Islam arises against Christianity in the Middle East in 6th century. After the conversion of Constantine the image of Christ the Good Shepherd disappeared and from 313, the image of Christ dressed in royal robes, with a crown, sceptre, and orb appeared. Mary is often presented in similar dress and starts to be called the Queen of Heaven. The problem with all this is not that world imperial language was now being used in reference to Jesus himself as King. Christianity started to forget that Jesus also pointed out that his kingdom was not of this world and that his courtiers could be recognized by how they feed the hungry, water the thirsty, welcome strangers, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit prisoners. Jesus was different altogether from those usually prized worldly kingdoms. That‘s why the feast of Christ the King is so important today. On the last day of the church‘s liturgical year we are challenged by Christ our King to give our true allegiance to what really matters. Not ambition, greed, status, and power, but the quiet revolutionary work of making the world a more just and peaceful place for everyone to live in. As Shakespeare says in Julius Caesar: ―there is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in stillness and miseries‘. The Divine Tide is flowing through our human history. We can trust ourselves to the tide which can carry us to the shores of Heaven. We have a choice: ―Stillness and miseries‖ or the good fortune of hearing the Lord say as we die: ―Well done, good and faithful servant...come and join in your Master‘s happiness‘. As we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the founding and blessing of our College Chapel this week, we gathered as family and friends, to affirm our belief in a God of blessings whom we have glorified these many years, especially in his love for us. May we continue to exist with that hope of fostering a Christian agenda, without any triumphalism, but by genuine service, in seeking justice, to God‘s meaning-seeking and meaning- needing children. Let us pray in every Mass for a heightened sense of the Lord, making a home with us, and a home for us; and let us pray to face his other children with eyes and a heart like his.