Dear families and friends of St Edmund’s College,
2024 Scriptural Theme: “I have come so may have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10)
Camps and Retreats
I had the great pleasure last week of spending some time with our Year 12 students on their retreat in Jindabyne. I was deeply encouraged by our students in the way they engaged with the activities. The theme of the retreat was “thrive” – a highly relevant theme for our students at this very important time in their last year of secondary schooling. The activities presented to students asked then to reflect on important influences, milestones and pathways in their lives, the choices they have made or will make in the future and what informs these choices in terms of connections and relationships. My thanks to our Assistant Principal (Mission and Identity) Mrs Carmela Wilson for facilitating the retreat, and I also thank the staff attending for giving of their time and experience – Ms Anna Blore, Ms Monica Day, Ms Caroline Devlin, Mr Joachim Fatiaki, Ms Klara Manenica, Mr Trent Masters and our College Chaplain, Fr Chris Eaton.
Year 6 students participated in their camp on Monday 19 to Wednesday 21 February. They enjoyed the camp at Tuross Head and engaged with the outdoor activities with great enthusiasm and vigour! Many thanks to Mr David Kelly (Head of Junior school) for facilitating the camp and to our staff for being with our boys and allowing them to have such a great opportunity, Mr Denzil Fox, Mrs Lisa Millar, Mr Martin O’Rourke and Mr Joseph Sidorko.
Acting Deputy Principal
Our Deputy Principal, Mr Ian Garrity, is taking some well-deserved leave soon. Edmund Rice Education Australia has appointed Ms Margaret Maher as the Acting Deputy Principal during Mr Garrity’s absence (from April 2 to July 5).
High Achievers Assembly
At a special assembly held this Wednesday, we had the pleasure of welcoming back several of our top-performing students from the Class of 2023 to honour and applaud their remarkable accomplishments, particularly their impressive ATAR results and vocational success. Amidst the many activities throughout the year at the College, it is essential to remember that our primary focus always lies in learning and teaching, areas in which our high achievers have truly shone. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the following outstanding students from the Class of 2023, whom we recognised during this week’s assembly: Lachlan Vearing (Dux), Toby Francis (second ATAR), Tristan Borghouts (third ATAR), Jacob MacDonald, Sam Skvorc, Dylan Kolum, Tom Farrell, Joseph McBride, Roy Kuchel, Deveraux Tapelu, Charlie Sneddon, Ryan Goldsmid, Damian Jelfs-Smith, Aaron Ciuffetelli.
Swimming Carnivals
Thanks to the staff involved in organising the two swimming carnivals last Friday – Mr Denzil Fox (Junior School carnival) and Mr Joel Richardson (High School carnival). The weather was perfect for a day of good competition and fun house events. The boys were in very good spirits throughout the day and contributed to a great day all round.
Congratulations
Isaac Mitchell (Year 9, Clancy) recently entered three of his creations in the Lego Competition at the Royal Canberra Show. He came away with three first places along with Student Champion and Overall Lego Champion for his made-your-own creation piece. Congratulations to Isaac for this wonderful achievement, highlighting his creativity and innovation.
Musical
Rehearsals are well underway for this year’s school musical, House of Rock, in collaboration with Canberra Girls Grammar, Merici College and St Clare’s College. Please keep an eye out for details regarding the musical (with performances in early May) as tickets are sure to sell quickly.
Edmums
Our Edmums event this year is being held on Friday 5 April at Highball Bar (London Circuit, Civic), which is an ideal location to enjoy an aperitif or two. A grazing table will be available for all guests, consisting of cheeses, cured meats, pickles, dips, fresh fruits, and sweets. Additionally, guests will be greeted with a Martini Prosecco upon their arrival. Our annual Edmums event is always very attended so I wold suggest you get in early to book your ticket. Tickets can be purchased here by clicking on this link.
2025 Enrolments
I cannot believe we have already commenced interviews for 2025 enrolments (this tells me we are no longer in the “beginning” of the year!). If you are considering enrolling your son in the College or are aware of a family who may be considering this, I would encourage you to get in early and complete the enrolment procedure. Our enrolments are increasing every year, and last year we had a waiting list for some year groups (which is a great problem to have, but certainly inconvenient for families involved). Please contact our Enrolments Officer as soon as possible.
Experience Eddies Day is on Monday 25 March and Open Evening is Tuesday 26 March (4.30pm – 7.00pm). These are great events for those considering to enrol in 2025 to come along and experience the school up close.
- Information for Experience Eddies Day can be found by clicking on this link.
- Information for Open Evening can be found by clicking on this link.
Afternoon bus procedures
We have changed our afternoon bus procedures by having students who catch the bus near the St Clare’s lawn to congregate on the lawn itself rather than wait on the footpath. This has made this area much safer for students and supervising staff. Our students have been complying with this new procedure very well and I thank them for their co-operation.
Student Drop Off and Pick Up
Parents are not to use the staff carpark (off Canberra Avenue) to drop or collect students before and after school. This is a dangerous place for our students to be moving through and we would like to keep this area for staff only. There is plenty of room around the perimeters of the school for drop off and pick up, especially Barallier Street, Frome Street, Blaxland Crescent, and Wills Street (not McMillan Crescent).
Afternoon pickups from the front driveway are also problematic with cars blocking McMillan Crescent from Canberra Avenue. Again, I would ask these parents to consider organising your son to wait for you at a suitable place around the perimeter of the school. Thank you for helping to keep our community safe.
Gospel Reading – Third Sunday of Lent (John 2:13-25)
Last Sunday’s Gospel sees Jesus enter the temple to clear out the corruption that had developed over the decades before. In this story we have a strong reflection on the simplicity of prayer and worship. I would like to share with you a commentary on the Gospel reading (source: https://westhills.org/blog/2022/05/10/john-2-13-25-study-guide-clearing-out-the-temple) which highlights this theme of the simplicity of prayer.
The temple was designed as a place for God’s people to gather to offer sacrifice and praise and to experience his presence. Over the years various outdoor courts were added to allow for more people to gather. The central part of the temple was the Holy of Holies was the place where God manifested his presence to the high priest who would enter once a year on the day of atonement. But various other courtyards were designed for people to gather and pray and offer sacrifice, including the court of the gentiles (as a number of gentiles were also believers, though not Jewish). Since people were travelling from all over the nation to come sacrifice, the law of God made provision for people to buy an animal for sacrifice instead of travelling for weeks with one to the city. Various merchants would set up shop down in the Kidron Valley outside the temple, but over the years these merchants moved closer and closer to the temple area, taking up residence in the court of the gentiles. Instead of being a place where you would hear prayers to Yahweh and people would make sacrifice for their sins, you would instead hear people haggling over sheep and the changing of money and it all took place in a location reserved for the gentiles to gather. To top this off, these merchants would jack up the prices of the animals and skim some money off the top for the money changing. Jesus does not specifically call out these shrewd business practices but he does condemn the taking over of the temple grounds for business. God’s heart for the outsider to worship him is on display here and their injustice towards the gentiles was something that outraged Jesus.
Jesus’ cleansing of the temple is intentional and purposeful. He makes his own whip and the language is forceful saying he “drove” them out. We may cringe at the thought of him making a whip, but this was done to move on the big animals, not to use the whip on people, as that would seem to cross an ethical line that is not fitting with Jesus’ character.
The temple is called a house of prayer for the gentiles and here the merchants and money changers were preventing the gentiles from being in the presence of God and offering prayer to him (in a sign of possible disrespect to the worshipping gentiles as they were not Jewish).
It would have been startling to see this take place. The temple leaders respond to Jesus by asking him what authority he had to clear out the temple. Jesus’ response directs them to the new temple, the new place where the presence of God was found: himself.
Jesus chose this place and time to point to the true and better temple in his body. He is the place where heaven and earth meet and even though the disciples did not grasp what he said in that moment they would look back and connect the dots of what he said to what would happen on the cross and the empty tomb.
When Jesus came, he eliminated the need for a temple being in a single location. Christians became the temple of God, a house for his Holy Spirit. We have become a meeting place between heaven and earth to bring other people in to commune with God.
During Lent we reflect upon the meaning of this sign for us and for our world. We might take this opportunity to consider the quality of our prayer and worship. In our prayers we seek to deepen our relationship with the person of Christ. In our worship with the community, we gather to experience anew the passion, death, and Resurrection of Jesus and its significance in our lives. Christ promises to be present with us when we gather for prayer.
Prayer for the Third Sunday of Lent
God of goodness and mercy,
Hear our prayers as we continue this Lenten journey with you.
Let us be honest with ourselves as we look into our heart and soul,
noticing the times we turn away from you.
Guide us as we humbly seek to repent and return to your love.
May humility guide our efforts to be reconciled with you and live forever in your abundant grace. Transform us this Lent, heavenly Father.
Give us the strength to commit ourselves to grow closer to you each day.
Amen.
Blessed Edmund Rice, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever.
Joe Zavone
Principal
Christus Lux Mea