“Let us consider how to stir one another to love and good works.” Hebrews 10:24-25
Dear families and friends of St Edmund’s College,
Our annual Edmums Soiree was held last Friday, and what a great night it was! Despite the chilly weather outside, our guests were cosy in the venue in Civic, enjoying good food and drink and of course good company. And everyone left with a gift! It was so encouraging to see the Eddies community in such good spirits. My thanks to all our mums who attended (including some mothers of old boys) and to the team of Lauren Reid and Rhiannon Gardiner for their wonderful organisation, assisted on the evening by Brenda Galvin.
It was also wonderful to attend another significant community event on Tuesday evening of this week, with the culmination of our Sacramental Program held at St Christopher’s Cathedral. About 31 of our students experienced the sacrament of First Holy Communion and/or Confirmation, with another three students having been baptised into the Catholic faith the week before. My heartfelt congratulations to all these students and their families on their very special experience, and my thanks to Michael Monagle and Bridget Cusack for leading our students and their families through the program.
The sacraments are ceremonies that point to what is sacred, significant and important for Christians. They are examples of God’s personal way of approaching and relating to us human beings. By this we mean that God chose to share the divine life with us not in an invisible or purely ‘spiritual’ way, but through persons, events and things we can touch and experience through our senses.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Jack White (Year 10, Mulrooney) for being selected in the Australian Secondary School Rugby League Championships U15 team. Jack will be competing against teams from other states in Redcliffe, Queensland in early July. We wish Jack all the very best.
EREA Learning Statement
Three weeks ago I introduced you to the new EREA Learning Statement. The Learning Statement is designed to provide a context and guide to what we value in teaching and learning for all EREA schools around Australia. It provides six liberating practices which schools consider when co-creating the conditions, dispositions and relationships in learning. The final two liberating practices are:
Liberating Learning Design
Where schools design and develop innovative learning environments, whether physical and/or virtual, the learner is free to access and engage in multiple pathways ad contribute to a dynamic, connected educational community.
Liberating Spiritualities
In exploring meaning and purpose in life, the learner is free to grow in their understanding of themselves, and their relatedness with God, mothers, Earth and creation, through experiences grounded in wonder, awe, contemplation, and action for justice and the common good.
Inspiration for the EREA Learning Statement
The EREA Learning Statement sources its inspiration and structure from four liberating educators and practitioners: Jesus of Nazareth, Edmund Rice, Paulo Freire and Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann.
Faithful to his tradition, Jesus of Nazareth interacted with a range of diverse learners in a variety of contexts, he challenged structures in the way in which he created learning opportunities which recognised the dignity of each person and connected with the lived experiences of each one.
Edmund Rice, encouraged by the work of Nano Nagle (founder of the presentation Sisters), challenged political and social structures by providing an education which recognised the dignity, potential and wellbeing of the individual, empowering each learner to participate more fully in society.
In articulating a Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Paulo Freire proposed that dialogue, partnership and engagement, within the learning context, created an atmosphere of hope, love, humility and trust. This approach is key to individual learners being equipped to critique their own lives and, in collaboration with others, to experience mutual liberation.
Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann addresses the importance of cultural awareness and sensitivity to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have a voice in the sharing of knowledge. Her concept of Dadirri, a way of life emphasising deep listening, provides an ancient insight into contemporary, transformative educational practice.
Upcoming Community Events
We have two significant events at the end of July. The Blue and White Ball is being held on Friday 29 July at the Hellenic Club. This is a great opportunity for current parents, former parents and old boys to get together for a dinner, dancing and a chance to catch up. On the following day (Saturday 30 July) we have Heritage Day, our annual Rugby match against Marist College but also a day of reunions and catch-up for old boys. Heritage Day commences with an Old Boys Mass, morning tea and a tour of the College, followed by opportunities for old boys to reunite with their peers and watch the First XV game against Marist followed by privately organised reunion activities. The links are below for further details.
Blue and White Ball Friday 29 July
Heritage Day Saturday 30 July
Latest Pelican Magazine
The Pelican is our alumni magazine where we share stories and profiles of our old boys and former members of staff. The current edition of The Pelican includes profiles of the following people and can be found here.
The Pelican, Semester 1 2022:
- Troy Gray, Class of 1990
- Joshua Pako, Class of 2011
- Jamie Haynes, Class of 1992
- Lisa Gersbach, current parent
- Michael Moloney, former long-term member of staff
- Josh Vaughan, Class of 1993
If you know of an old boy or are an old boy who would like to share his story, please let me know at principal@stedmunds.act.edu.au
Prayer for the Holy Trinity (Trinity Sunday was celebrated on Sunday 12 June)
Loving Father,
you sent your Word,
to bring us truth,
and your Spirit to make us holy.
Through them we come to know,
the mystery of Your life.
Help us to worship You,
one God in three Persons,
by proclaiming and living our faith in You.
We ask you this, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
one God, true and living, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Blessed Edmund Rice, pray for us
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever
Joe Zavone
Principal
Christus Lux Mea