In this Sunday’s readings, the common thread that appears is the notion that humility should be our goal in dealing with other people. We hear the parable of the guest who sits at the head of the table and is asked to move lower to be replaced by someone who sat at the back and was asked to come forward. This is not about being timid or letting others do the work. Jesus constantly tells us that our light should shine, and we should use our talents for the benefit of others. This message is about quietly but confidently going about our business without expecting accolades and praise. The line from the first reading which highlights this is:

 “Be gentle in carrying out your business”

In our dealings with others, we need to ensure we are committed with what we do but are gentle in how we do it. 

Last Sunday, I attended the Campbelltown Catholic Club Annual Mass and Luncheon. This Mass was held at Our Lady Help of Christians at Rosemeadow and was celebrated by Bishop Brian Mascord. At the luncheon, Mr Peter Hill, Director of Education in the Diocese of Wollongong, spoke about the great work that Catholic schools do in educating 20% of children throughout the country. He explained the many successes that we have achieved but was also realistic in the challenges that lay before us. These challenges include social media, vaping and mental health concerns just to name a few. We are constantly aware of these as things that can negatively impact our young men and women and are working to support them as much as we can. I thank Bishop Brian and Mr Hill for their constant support and for the staff at Mount Carmel for their tireless efforts in improving the lives of our students.

On Wednesday evening, I attended the Bishop’s Student Excellence awards. These are held annually and recognise one Year 12 student from each of our system schools who embodies the characteristics of an ‘all-rounder’. This all-rounder is not in an academic sense but in the sense of their contribution to all aspects of college and community life. The all-rounder will have a strong spiritual, academic and social justice perspective and will do this from the point of view of student voice and service. I was pleased to present to Bishop Brian, our awardee, Gabriel Garcia. Gabriel has been a Year 10 Leader, SRC member, involved in youth ministry and has regularly received awards for his academic achievement and effort. He is also one of the inaugural editors of the student Ignite magazine and has been involved in regular meetings with myself and Mr Cloran to raise issues and act as a student voice when we have been considering changes within the College. I congratulate Gabriel for his success around the College but also for receiving this prestigious award.

Next year we hope to move fully to online Compass permission notes. We have been delaying this until we were sure the system worked correctly, and we were able to properly notify parents so that you could ensure your login details were secure. This will be trialled over the next few months with the intent to go fully electronic from the start of 2023. More details will follow through newsletters. Please ensure your login details are secure and look to change these if necessary.

Ite in Veritate