Mission Report – March 17, 2016

If you wish to hear the St Patrick’s College community sing with gusto, then you only need to suggest a rendition of the hymn -‘Christ, Be our Light’ -­and your wish shall be granted. It was the hymn that once again concluded our annual St Patrick’s Day Mass led by College Patron Bishop Paul Bird and College Chaplain Fr James Kerr. Our music this year was enriched by the talents of the Wind Ensemble led by Ms Fiona Wilson. Our student choir was once again under the guiding hand of Mr Mitch Leviston and supported by Mrs Helen Lee on keyboard. The day remains one of the great symbols of our unity and mission as we fill the O’Malley Gym with our praises to our most generous God. Many thanks to Ms Anne-Marie Driscoll for her leadership in all matters liturgical. Thanks also to the AV Team (Mr Glenn Fisher and Mr Peter Shawcroft) and Mr Tony Liston’s Maintenance Team, and many generous staff members and students for all that they do to ensure our celebrations remain full of light.

Next week we celebrate Holy Week which is the highlight in our Liturgical year. In this most sacred time we enter once again into the great events of Jesus’ suffering, death and Resurrection. It is a time when we are reminded in the most dramatic way that love is stronger than death, and that our faith is the victory of justice and peace over ignorance and greed. The light of Easter is the same light that we celebrate when we are patient, kind and gentle with each other – when we transform a difficult situation with a loving response from the depths of our heart. It is the light that grants us the courage to endure in our works of charity and justice.

It is also the light that helps us respond to the dark parks of our history exposed through the Royal Commission investigating Institutional responses to child abuse. These events cannot be ignored because of their horror. The overwhelming drama of Holy Week includes suffering and death because all of human history was taken by Jesus onto the Cross. In this way, I suggest that it is through a community that -‘takes-on’ all that has been uncovered, and remains committed to the good that is undeniable in our College community, that we shall be able to continue assisting families in the education of their young men.- Our celebration of St Patrick’s Day reminds us once again of the true nature and vocation of our College that has been, and continues to be, faithfully served by many good people.

May this Easter be a time of renewal and great joy for us all, and may the term break be filled with much family time. Christ, be our light!