“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,
I am very much looking forward to our Blue and White Ball this coming Friday, followed by our annual Heritage Day this Saturday, 30 July, where all our Rugby matches will be against Marist College here at school. The last time we had a “normal” Heritage Day was in 2019, with the last two years either being cancelled or heavily modified due to covid restrictions at the time.
Heritage Day kicks off at 10.00 in our Chapel with the Old Boys Mass celebrated by our College chaplain, Fr Chris Eaton. All old boys and their families and friends are invited to this Mass. This is followed by morning tea, tours of the College (depending on demand) and then a series of reunions with old boys catching up with each other, either at school or at another venue. We then have the main games of the day at around 3.00. Both the First XV Rugby team and the First XI Football (Soccer) team will be playing on College fields at around the same time. We had outstanding attendance at our last normal Heritage Day, and I encourage as many members of our community as possible to be there on the day and celebrate a day of old boys’ spirit, community spirit and of sporting talent and sportsmanship.
We will have a special assembly on Friday 29 July to clarify with students the appropriate behaviour and attitude for the Heritage Day games, and especially for the First XV game in the afternoon. Some of the points covered in the assembly will be as follows:
- Students spectating are to wear full winter uniform (no variations at all).
- All students are to demonstrate positive sportsmanship throughout the whole day, and especially during the First XV Rugby game in the afternoon. Students not demonstrating good sportsmanship and appropriate behaviour will be asked to leave the grounds.
- This demonstration of good sportsmanship is particularly important at times when the opposition scores a try or kicks for goal.
- Students are to be respectful in their dealings with the opposition players and spectators – not using derogatory language or negative physicality before, during and after a game, including not booing during a game.
We would also expect all our old boys attending to behave in a similar manner, supporting the expectations of the College. We are very much looking forward to a great day on Saturday.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Jesse Borghouts (Year 9, Treacy), James Eppelstun (Year 9, Clancy) and Shannan Tardrew (Year 9, Treacy) who were selected to represent the ACT at the U15 School Sport AFL Tournament in Albury, NSW.
Congratulations to Luke Sakamoto (Year 10, Rice) who has been selected in the Under 16 ACT School Boys Team for soccer. The competition will be held for a week in September in Sydney.
Congratulations and many thanks to Ms Caroline Devlin (English and RE teacher) for organising a large collection of books to be sent to Trinity Catholic College in Lismore. Trinity Catholic College has been devastated as a result of the floods in Lismore, with facilities ruined, resources lost and students attending school at another site. Ms Devlin delivered the books herself during the last school holidays.
Canberra Avenue
I must express my great thanks to members of our community and the community of St Clare’s College for the wonderful support of the e-petition regarding the safe crossing of Canberra Avenue. We now have over 500 signatures which means that the issue can be raised and discussed at the Legislative Assembly. I also thank the Leader of the Opposition, Elizabeth Lee MLA, for sponsoring the e-petition and for her support of the issue. Hopefully we can look forward to a positive outcome, allowing our students to cross Canberra Avenue in safety, whether this be a 40kmh school zone or other options.
Gospel
Last Sunday’s Gospel gives us the origin of the Lord’s Prayer. It is ironic that the most significant prayer in Christianity has such humble beginnings. Many of the world’s most famous speeches have a great, inspiring story and background about them, either about how they were written or when and where they were presented. In Luke 11:1-13, the narrative details to the background to the Lord’s Prayer are very sparse. Luke very casually says that when Jesus uttered this model prayer, it happened one day when Jesus was praying in a certain place. The disciples see Jesus in prayer, and one of them asks Jesus to teach them how to pray. There was something about watching Jesus pray that made the disciples want to learn how to pray as Jesus prayed. There was something special about the prayer life of Jesus, with the way he prayed showing something of his relationship with God the Father.
The prayer that Jesus gave the disciples is what we call the Lord’s Prayer or the Our Father. It is so rich in its simplicity. We pray for five things in this prayer, (i) the hallowing of God’s Name, (ii) the coming of the kingdom, (iii) daily bread, (iv) to be forgiven on the basis of the fact that we are ourselves engaged in acts of forgiveness all the time, and (v) that we are not led into temptation.
In Matthew’s version of Jesus teaching the prayer to the disciples (Matthew 6:7-9a), we learn that Jesus also says to the disciples, “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him”. I have taught in Catholic schools now for about 37 years now, and most times that I have heard people pray the Lord’s Prayer (either staff or students), it has always seemed so rushed and tokenistic that it means virtually nothing. Jesus has given us a very simple but powerful prayer – let us immerse ourselves in its simplicity and power and take our time in praying this prayer, pausing after each phrase and reflecting on exactly what we are praying for, and not be like the “babbling pagans” who just pray for the sake of praying.
Prayer
Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen
Blessed Edmund Rice, pray for us
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever
Joe Zavone
Principal
Christus Lux Mea