Mission Report – September 10, 2015

On Wednesday morning four students of St Patrick’s College joined with other students from Ballarat’s Christian schools for -‘See you at the Pole’.- Organised and hosted by Ballarat Christian College, -‘See you at the Pole’ is an international day of prayer as part of the Global week of student prayer to celebrate religious freedom. The original event was conducted by a group of teenagers in Texas USA who invited students from three neighbouring schools to gather around their flagpoles for prayer. Our time together was joyful, musical and full of the life that prayer invites us into. Our sincere thanks are extended to Pastor Steve Shaw and his generous students for this opportunity, which included a pancake breakfast. Thanks to our students who represented the College: Billy Sullivan, Jarrod O’Brien, Caolan Somers and John Brodie, and who participated fully in the invitation to pray for our schools.-

At a recent Senior School Assembly the students were invited to think differently about the most famous prayer of them all: The Lord’s Prayer, of course also known as the -Our Father-. The words that Jesus taught us are perhaps too often seen as instructions to follow, or merely phrases that are repeated on certain occasions. It was suggested that students dwell on the prayer as a love poem between God and us. The prayer overflows with the images of love: to hold sacred the name of our beloved; to desire to do only the will of our beloved at all times and in all places; to acknowledge that all we need comes from the one we love and that we desire to be changed totally by the love that is so freely given. These are the characteristics of family love that we cherish at the heart of our culture, and Jesus is calling us into the same profound intimacy with God. How can we refuse such an attractive and life giving offer?

On this Sunday such love in action will be moving a group of our senior students to participate in a volunteer training day for Edmund Rice Camps. The great tradition of these camps is to offer times of joy and life for young people who endure very difficult personal situations. Our senior students will be training to participate in the camps as volunteer mentors for these young people. It is a generosity born of love. Many thanks to the catering staff, Peter Shawcroft and Mark McLean for their expert assistance with this day.

Our junior students continue to be invited to donate a part of their pocket money to the building of a school in Kenya. This money is collected in pastoral care each Friday, and the intention is that students offer their own money, even at the expense of canteen delights, rather than asking for the money from Mum or Dad.- – –

Finally, may the upcoming term break be a time of joy for all our families. Spring may even appear if we are lucky. No matter the adventures you enjoy or the weather we face, may we all live in the light of God’s love, hallowed be His Name.