“If we walk in the light, as he is the light, we have fellowship with one another.” 1 John 1:7
To the family and friends of St Edmund’s College,
The story of the Ascension of Jesus, found in the first chapter of Acts, describes the ascent of Christ from the Earth to the Heavenly realm. This was the basis of last Sunday’s readings. According to Acts, the ascension of Jesus takes place 40 days after the resurrection in the presence of his disciples. Christ is risen up after advising them to stay in Jerusalem until the arrival of the Holy Spirit. As he raises, a cloud obscures him from their view, and two men in white arrive to tell them that he will return “in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Through his ascension, Jesus took his seat at the right hand of God: “He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.”
For me, one of them most powerful lines in this account is when the two men in white (I am assuming they are angels) tell the disciples, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up at the sky?” It is as if the angels are saying to the disciples, “You need to stop staring and wondering what happened to Jesus and just do the work he wants you to do. Just do it!”. The St Edmund’s community is a community grounded in Catholic faith, and as such we are entrusted to go and do God’s work. Yes there are certainly times for appropriate contemplation and reflection, but nothing tangible is achieved by long term contemplation and reflection unless it is accompanied by appropriate action. We have been tasked by God to feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty and welcome the stranger (Matt 25:35). This is done by work and effort, not by staring in the sky and pondering the mysteries. Edmund Rice did had a strong sense of work and effort in working with the poor in Waterford; offering an education to the young people of the time and providing them with food and material goods. This is the tradition from which we have emerged as a College community. The EREA Touchstone of Justice and Solidarity calls us to be “committed to justice and peace for all, grounded in a spirituality of action and reflection that calls us to stand in solidarity with those who are marginalised and the earth itself”.
The main principles of the Touchstone of Justice and Solidarity for a Catholic school in the Edmund Rice tradition are to:
- develop a curriculum that integrates themes of justice and peace, underpinned by Catholic Social Teaching;
- adopt prophetic stances in the light of Gospel practices and is involved in advocacy for just causes; 3. promote participation in service and solidarity learning programs in partnership with those on the margins;
- seek to provide opportunities for involvement in immersion programs in which students and staff form relationships, work with and learn from those on the margins, leading to mutual transformation;
- commit to working with and walking alongside the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia, advocating justice and promoting reconciliation;
- be actively involved in developing global partnerships through participation in Edmund Rice Education Beyond Borders;
- commit to promoting an integral ecology through demonstrating a deep reverence for the earth as both God’s work and our home, promoting ecojustice and working towards a sustainable and regenerative future for all creation;
- recognise that its members are part of a global community and actively supports the development of all humanity;
- nurture a culture of critical reflection and prayerful discernment in justice and peace issues.
A few weeks ago we acknowledged members of staff, students and an old boy in the wonderful work they do in standing alongside others. We have staff and students involved in community outreach programs and providing tangible support to various charities around Canberra and Queanbeyan. We offer practical support to the members of our own community (parents, students and staff) who are suffering and doing it tough. But I feel that as a community grounded in Catholic tradition, we can do much more and should be doing much more. We can never really say that we have done enough with so many in need around us. We will continue to explore the opportunities and avenues which allow us, in the words of Pope Francis, to restore hope to young people, help the old, be open to the future, spread love, be poor among the poor, include the excluded and preach peace.
(Pope Francis, 2013).
Student Spotlight
On a cold, wet, and windy April morning, 1458 people lined up to race the Canberra Times Running Festival 10-kilometre race. Nicholas Odgers (Year 12, Treacy) was one of those people. Nick placed first in the male 15-17 age group, and 72nd overall, with a time of 41 minutes. The tough conditions were offset by a picturesque course that weaved around Parliament House, went along the lake, and past Telopea Park, making the difficult task more enjoyable. The additional support of spectators’ cheers helped everyone push through the pain. Nick said it was a great experience and looks forward to racing again next year. Congratulations to Nick on this fine effort and achievement.
If your son has made a significant achievement in an area in or out of the College, please feel free to notify me at principal@stedmunds.act.edu.au and I will feature the achievement in Vortex. It is so important to celebrate the skills and achievements of our students across a number of fields.
Cabaret
My very best wishes to the many performers in this year’s Cabaret to be held on Thursday night. This is an absolutely wonderful opportunity for our students to share their gifts, talents and skills in a showcase of entertainment and performances of their own making. It is so important especially in a boys school setting to have students be confident in the spotlight of performance. It is these students who provide the balance in College life. I am sure that our Cabaret performers will shine (as usual) and own the stage on Thursday night.
Prayer for the Ascension
Let us pray
that the risen Christ
will lead us to eternal life.
God our Father,
make us joyful
in the ascension of your Son Jesus Christ.
May we follow him into the new creation,
for his ascension is our glory and our hope.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Blessed Edmund Rice, pray for us
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever
Joe Zavone
Principal
Christus Lux Mea