Chaplain

Dare to love and to be a real friend. The love you give and receive is a reality that will lead you closer and closer to God as well as those whom God has given you to love. Henri J M Nouwen

Fra Oscar M Aguilera OSM Chaplain

It is that time of the year, in which we can stop and look back and reflect on the journey of life so far. So many faces and names – so many adventures – so many tears and laughter – so much love. Sometimes we do not realise how far we have come or even how short the distance we have covered.

This year is very special for me, as it is the first year in which I have been full-time Chaplain here at the College rather than the past few years as your part-time Chaplain. It is like in a blink of an eye a few years have gone past. The old Romans used to call it ‘tempus fugit’.

My journey here at Trinity began a few summers ago with a Kairos retreat, and looking back that far, it has been a really beautiful experience; each moment lived in ‘carpe diem’ – lived to the fullest.

During my time here, there have been a few changes around the College, such as new buildings, relocation of the staffroom, new connecting bridges between buildings and new undercover areas. There have also been a few changes in and around the Chapel – new sanctuary, new vestments, new Roman Missal (obviously this change comes from the ‘higher’ hierarchy) and new translations for different parts of the Mass.

The works in the Chapel had to be postponed due to unforeseen events and upgrades in other areas. Eventually, the new sanctuary came along, and with that came new furniture: altar, lectern, presiding chair and altar server chairs as well. The old Chapel furniture found a new home at another Christian Brothers’ school – Trinity continues to share the love, with the least fortunate.

Ash Wednesday Mass

Feast of the Assumption Mass

The vestments that we had were a bit dated and also a bit worn. So I followed the teaching of one of my university teachers in Rome and Hans Urs von Balthasar, the twentieth century’s notable writer on the theology of beauty, who said, “we can be sure that whoever sneers at beauty’s name can no longer pray and soon will no longer be able to love”. After much careful consideration and consultation, the College now possesses a full set of liturgical vestments (white, green, purple and red) and recently our very own Trinity vestment in white with the Trinity crowns on it.

In trying to recover that sense of transcendence and beauty of the liturgy, the College also acquired a new set of sacred vessels: chalice, pattern and ciborium. Also recently introduced was the gluten free host, so that everyone may partake in communion, and in sharing God’s love for us.

I have also changed locations a few times since I have been here. Sometimes I felt like the people of Israel in the desert, wandering aimlessly, looking for the Promised Land. My wandering was made easier by the wireless system around the College, and I was able to keep in touch with everyone. A benefit of the changing locations was that it gave me the chance to live for short periods of time in the different learning areas. In recent times I am in the Junior School building, still sharing the light switch with Ms Sandra Doick and now the office a few days a week with Ms Sharon Bush.

All the changes haven’t just been physical; some have been in the celebration of the Eucharist. We read in the letter to the Hebrews 4:12 “Indeed, the word of God is living and active”. That is why we use the reading of the day in this way so that the students are learning that sacred scripture is rich and vast – God spoke to his people and he speaks to us today as well.

It should be said that ‘hearing God speak’ might mean different things to different people. To some, it may suggest, ‘I need answers for my life, or, this particular crisis’. Another may say, ‘I’ve asked God for … but He never answers me’. God treats each of us as unique children. God doesn’t ‘speak’ the same way to all of us. The prophet Job reminds us that ‘for God speaks in one way, and in two’ (Job 33:12). We just need to be open to his Word and in turn we will open our hearts and lives to his love.

Doctor Who once said “some people live more in twenty years than others do in eighty. It is not the time that matters it’s the person” and how we spend the time that was given to us and how we loved. This sentiment shared by St John of the Cross: “In the evening of life, we will be judged on love alone.” That is why, in this short time that I have been at the College, I have been aware of giving and most important of all, of receiving, love from everyone, and scripture says, “God is love.”

Fra Oscar M Aguilera, OSM Chaplain

Fra Oscar has the whole world in his hands at the Year 12 Graduation Mass

Junior School Mothers’ Day Mass