Junior School Tennis

CAMPUS MINISTRY

In Campus Ministry, our motto is “This is what the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with God” (Micah 6.8b). It is my responsibility to guide the students and staff in our retreats, so that we all have opportunities to reflect on what it means to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with God. An inspiring element of our retreats is the leadership role that the Senior School students generously assume.

Beginning with the Becoming Brothers retreat, Senior School students cared for small groups of Year 7s and continued to look out for them during the year. Another group of Year 12s trained Year 11 students to guide Year 8s through the Quest retreat. An essential part of the Quest retreat was the food collection, which helped the students see how working together can make a difference. The Year 12s took time out from their busy schedule to reflect during the Tabgha retreat; on the gifts that they have received in their lives and the gift that they are for others. After a week on Christian Service, the Year 11s meditated on how they met Jesus in reaching out to others. The Year 10s reflected on how God is present in their lives on their Emmaus retreat. On the Galilee retreat, the Year 9s experienced a walking meditation, reflecting on different ways that God calls us. On this retreat, as well as having staff members with them, some of the groups were accompanied by former students from last year who shared some of their life story so far.

We organised three Kairos retreats for the Class of 2018; a four-day event led by students who are supported by staff. Kairos is a very meaningful experience for all the students who volunteer to participate. It gives them a deeper appreciation of who they are and is an opportunity to celebrate God’s love in their lives.

We celebrated God’s presence with us in a very special way at our Eucharistic celebrations for the whole College, marking four key occasions – at the Mass of the Holy Spirit for the opening of the school year, Ash Wednesday and the feast days for Blessed Edmund Rice and the Assumption. We also gathered for year group Masses each term. We had 17 Year 12 students display faith leadership by volunteering to be Special Ministers of the Eucharist and at each Eucharistic celebration students were very keen to volunteer as altar servers and readers and to help with music and PowerPoint presentations. This year, the Special Ministers of the Eucharist for 2019 were commissioned at the beginning of Term 4.

Mr Leo Murray

All these experiences can only happen because of the generosity of staff members who sacrifice their own time, and time with their families, to accompany our students on their faith journey. I thank them for their continuing generosity.

Mr Leo Murray

Director of Campus Ministry