RELIGIOUS EDUCATION “REJOICE AND BE GLAD” (Mt 5:12), Jesus tells those persecuted or humiliated for his sake. The Lord asks everything of us and in return he offers us true life, the happiness for which we were created. He wants us to be saints and not to settle for a bland and mediocre existence. The call to holiness is present in various ways from the very first pages of the Bible. We see it expressed in the Lord’s words to Abraham: “Walk before me and be blameless” (Gen 17:1). Religious Education at Trinity College seeks to provide learning opportunities and environments for young men which nurture them to flourish and develop a lifelong learning journey. Our goal is to provide students with the opportunity to develop into Christian men who have learnt to serve and be responsible for themselves and others. The 2018 academic year provided many learning experiences for students to support their knowledge and understanding in the Religious Education learning area. The Year 10 students viewed a performance titled Building Bridges, performed by musician Mr Brett Hunt. The focus was on finding meaning in relationships through storytelling to explore the themes of relationship, responsibility and choice in Australian culture. The sessions showcased Brett’s musical talents and provided an opportunity for students to reflect on the value of relationships, a topic that was explored during Term 2. Mr Sam Clear spoke to the Year 11 Religion & Life students about his ‘Walk4One’ journey that he completed, focussing on the theme of paving a path to unity. The journey Sam completed spanned 568 days and 15,600km on foot and the stories he shared were an insight into the challenges and opportunities that he faced. This was a unique opportunity for students to listen and engage with the individual they had studied as part of their Religion & Life course. The Year 9 students attended a seminar on manhood facilitated by Mr David Kobler that provided an introduction to the Religious Education content in Term 4 on Christian love and sexuality. The format of the day enabled students to deepen their knowledge through key note presentations, personal processing time and small group discussion. The Catholic Schools Youth Summit, hosted by Catholic Education Western Australia and The University of Notre Dame Australia (UNDA) at their Fremantle campus was attended by a group of Year 11 students. The summit commenced with leaders reflecting on the theme and purpose of the day, including Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, Archbishop of Perth and Professor Celia Hammond Vice Chancellor, UNDA. The format of the day allowed for opportunities to listen to speakers, engage in discussion during concurrent sessions and consider ways to plan for developing ideas at a school level. Melbourne rapper, Mr Fablice Manirakiza, performed and spoke about his past as a refugee escaping violence in Burundi and how his story influenced his music and its message. Fellow Burundian, Ms Mireille Kayeye, a journalist with experience in social and community development work, shared her insights on being a young
Mr Jarrad Quartermaine
woman influencing positive change. Students who represented Trinity College at the event were: Joseph Dawson (11.1), James Della Gatta (11.7), Matthew Della Gatta (11.2) and Kinta Pinchin-Yamada (10.2). The Religious Education program taught in Years 7–12 is mandated by the Bishops of Western Australia. Students are able to deepen their knowledge of the Catholic tradition and focus on the College Vision and Mission Statements reflected in the maxim of our students to be Men for Others. The Middle School outcomes are: •
Discovering God
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Drawing on human experience
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Knowing Jesus
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Living like Jesus
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Catholic practices
The Religion & Life course completed by Senior School students has a course syllabus directed by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority. The course explores the interplay between religion, society and individuals. Students examine the nature of religion and an understanding of its place in the world. Updates to the Religion & Life course to ATAR and General have been implemented during 2018 across Years 11 and 12. This has provided significant opportunities to continue the development of this course and enhance learning outcomes. The Religion & Life course provides an emphasis on: •
The human need for God
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Finding meaning and purpose in life
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Jesus and the Gospel message he proclaims
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Christians share in the work of Jesus
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Empowerment through Sacrament and Prayer
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Religious identity and purpose
The Religious Education program at Trinity College is supported by the dedication and passion of Mr Ray Kosovich (’76) as Middle School Coordinator and complemented by the Campus Ministry program directed by Mr Leo Murray and the Christian Service program under the guidance of Mrs Marya Stewart. We farewell Mr Leo Murray from the department and his position after many years of distinguished service and Ms Kathryn Down for her service to the Religious Education Department and Campus Ministry. The Ministry team’s dedication and commitment to the students are a distinctive element of the College community and Christcentred focus. The Ministry team provides opportunities for students to learn how to live a Gospel inspired life.
TRINITY COLLEGE ANNUAL 2018
Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation, Gaudete et Exsultate, described the call to holiness in today’s world.
I thank the staff who have contributed and supported the Religious Education Department this year. The staff at Trinity College are sincerely committed to the young men entrusted to them. Mr Jarrad Quartermaine Head of Religious Education
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