OPEN AFTERNOON Wednesday 28 August 2.00Pm-3.30Pm
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The Clarion “Joy and Freedom of the Spirit” No. 12 17 August 2018 St Clare's College Waverley 41-51 Carrington Road, Waverley 2024 02 8305 7100 www.stclares.nsw.edu.au A PRAYER TO ST CLARE From the Principal Clare, our sister and friend, Stir our fractured, fearful hearts To embrace God’s extravagant, Dear Parents, Carers, Students and Staff, Healing love. As last Saturday, 11 August, was the Feast of our beloved St Clare of Assisi, I am dedicating this week’s Woman, graced with wisdom and courage, newsletter item in Clare’s honour. This is especially Teach us to discern and create timely as our Year 11s begin their campaigns for the Opportunities for cooperation, challenge various upcoming senior student leadership positions. and compassion. Clare, our light and path, was an extraordinary woman filled with faith, determination, persistence, courage and Clare, our companion and guide, above all unconditional love for all. Our girls can learn Inspire our choices much from her wisdom and example, particularly from To be healers and reconcilers, her leadership. In her 41 years of religious life, Clare And trusted friends of God – clearly demonstrates her invincible resolve to lead a Reverencing all creation, simple and contemplative gospel life as Francis had Respecting each other. taught her. Next Friday, 24 August, we will gather as a community Amen. in remembrance of this extraordinary woman and her St Clare and St Francis Pray for us. inspiration to us. Parents, Carers and friends are most Sr Joyce Harris – Prayers from Franciscan Hearts welcome to join us in celebrating Clare’s Feast Day with Mass at 10.30am at Mary Immaculate Waverley. Following Mass, our Year 12 College Leaders have organised a myriad of activities back at school in which the community will participate. I hope you enjoy the following which we have also shared with our current College Captain candidates for 2018/2019... OPEN AFTERNOON Wednesday 28 August 2.00pm-3.30pm Published July 31, 2018 prayer, without her radical trust relationships near and far, with in God, she could do nothing. St. Francis and his brothers, with She prayed for strength and priests, with bishops, and with guidance when she was called Popes. to lead her community of “Poor Ladies” as a young adult. Later, Clare lived perseverance. when an invading army swarmed Her entire life, she fought for a her vulnerable convent of San way of life like Francis’ in which she Damiano, outside the protection of could be true to the gospel as she the city walls, she prayed. Upon understood it. For her, this meant praying, she felt led to stand at the living in poverty, in total reliance window in front of the army, armed upon God. She appealed to every only with the host, the body of Pope in her lifetime to approve the Christ, and her trust in God. Faced rule she had written to regulate with Clare’s shining strength, the life in her community. When Pope army became confused and fled. after Pope said no, she didn’t give Thus, through prayer, Clare saved up. Finally, on her deathbed, the not only her convent but also Pope sent word that he had heard Photo credit: Chris Light the city of Assisi. Finally, Clare’s she was dying and he wondered if prayer undergirded her day-to-day there was anything he could do for leadership in the convent. When her. When she said, “Approve my faced with lack of food, with illness, As St. Clare of Assisi’s (1194- rule,” he relented, and she received with cold, she prayed. People 1253) feast day approaches on papal approval two days before she brought turnips, medicine, and August 11, I’ve been reflecting died. blankets, and year after year, all on her soulful leadership. Best the Sisters’ needs were supplied. Leading with soul is never easy, known as St. Francis’ “little plant,” whether one lives in thirteenth- Clare eventually emerged as a century Europe or modern times. Clare knew how to strong leader in her own right The way is often fraught with build community. Though she in thirteenth-century Italy and stresses, discouragements, and lived in an enclosed community beyond. While St. Francis took obstacles that challenge our at San Damiano her entire life center stage with his extroverted commitment to walk our path with as a Sister, she built community charismatic leadership, St. Clare faith. However, we can turn to both at home and from afar. She quietly built stronger structures those who have come before us, showed her 50 fellow Sisters how behind the scenes. those like St. Clare who embody to live together in compassionate the qualities of a good leader. They As I muse on St. Clare and her service in cramped quarters and show us not only that it is possible contributions, three leadership difficult conditions. Beyond San to lead with soul but also that we lessons stand out for me. Clare Damiano, she instructed Agnes are not alone in the journey. teaches me about prayer, of Prague, a princess who left community-building, and behind wealth and status to (An earlier version of this blog persistence. found a religious community like appeared in April 2016.) https:// Clare’s, in building a convent. executivesoulblog.wordpress. While Francis’ communities faced com/2018/07/31/3-leadership-lessons- Clare knew the power divisive conflicts, Clare taught of-st-clare-3/ of prayer. She knew that prayer her communities to work through provided the foundation for conflicts in ways that built stronger all of her leadership. Without relationships. And she also built The Feast of the Assumption – 15 August Athletics Carnival The Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Athletics Carnival was another outstanding success. is celebrated every year on August 15. It commemorates The cheers and the participation by the girls were just Mary’s assumption into Heaven – body and soul. It also brilliant as usual. Many thanks to the PDHPE Department signifies the Blessed Virgin’s passing into eternal life and for the organisation and to all the staff for their support. it is the most important of all Marian feasts. Mark McCoy, Congratulations to: our Director of Religious Education, has shared a beautiful reflection which I hope you enjoy. Championship House Reid Participation House Reid HSC Performances and Major Projects Spirit Cup Keady This is a critical time for our Year 12 students studying Society & Culture, Music, Drama, Visual Arts and Design & Finally Technology. They are currently finalising their major works A gentle reminder as usual to all students, that ‘success is for submission and will be showcasing their work next not an option, but an expectation’, hence it is essential week. that students remain focussed, think positive and strive HSC Drama Performances will take place next Tuesday, for their personal best in all they do. Each girl can always 21 August from 5.00pm - 7.30pm. Our Annual Combined make a difference to her achievement and performance, St Clare’s College and Waverley College Visual Arts and if she is determined, hard working and consistent in her Design Show takes place next Wednesday 22 August efforts. Thank you for your continued support. from 6.00 - 8.00pm, and next Thursday, 23 August from Blessings on you and your families, 9.00am - 3.00pm. This event will be held at Waverley College. Parents, Carers, friends are invited to attend and Antoinette McGahan view the works of the students from both Colleges. HSC and Senior Music Performances have been organised for Thursday, 23 August from 6.00pm - 7.30pm. Parents, carers and students are invited to attend all these events especially to support our girls during this time. Congratulations to Reid for being the outright winners of the Athletics Carnival From the Deputy Principal Dear Parents, Carers, Students and Staff, • All students are expected to maintain 85% attendance. Those students who fall below this will be required to contact the college to discuss the matter with the Senior Students at St Clare’s Dean. Poor attendance will result in students being As we approach the halfway point of Term 3 we are restricted from attending excursions and camps. reminded that our Year 12 students only have a few weeks • Students must attend every lesson when at school. of school left with us. Furthermore, our current Year 11 Student are not permitted to sit in sick bay for the students will move into their final year of study beginning duration of one lesson. Sick bay is a place where their HSC course in term 4. There has been much to students go while parents are called and they wait to celebrate with this current group of Year 12 students. They go home. If a student is sick enough to be out of class have proven themselves to be a highly motivated and they will be sent home responsible group of young women. Their commitment • Remember if you are picking your daughter up from to their studies and the way they live out the values we school early for an appointment a note must be have here at the College has been outstanding and this handed in to the Dean in the morning. Phone calls has been made evident in their approach to their trial HSC on the day are strongly discouraged and should only exams. We actively encourage the girls to come to school occur in the case of an emergency. Students will not over the next few weeks with a view to refine and evaluate be called out of class and lessons disrupted unless their performances in these exams to ensure they are as the situation is an emergency.