Mission Report – February 4, 2016

Welcome to the 2016 school year at St Patrick’s College. The Mission Team extends a warm welcome to our new families and hopes that your introduction to St Patrick’s has been a joyful one. To our returning families we wish you every peace and joy in the coming year.

St Patrick’s College is a Catholic school in the Edmund Rice Tradition. As part of the Australian wide network of Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA) schools we offer an education based on our Touchstones:

• A Gospel spirituality

• A liberating education

• An inclusive community

• Justice and solidarity

As a community with so many opportunities across so many different fields, ranging from lawn bowls to debating right through to the Concert Band and rugby, it is important that we experience the unity of a community. In our whole College Masses that celebrate key moments of the year we come together to share a key experience of our Catholic identity. In our annual Walkathon we unite to raise money for good causes whilst enjoying the company of each other. Sport, which is such a vital part of our community, continues to offer moments when our students enjoy the company of each other and encounter the joy of being part of the community.

Friendships are at the heart of St Patrick’s College. This is not surprising when we read that Jesus calls us all friends (John 15:15), and so invites us into the friendship of God. This most remarkable invitation to a personal friendship with the God who has lovingly given us all the gifts we enjoy is reflected in the invitation of our community, expressed in the Touchstones. Among all the busy-ness, bells and bustle of the year, we know we are on track when we are flourishing through our friendships. Through our friendships we are liberated, included and united to become the people that God’s love knows us to be.-