RE MATTERS

Good day, good people,

Welcome to Term 4.  We know this term goes extremely quickly and we all hit the ground running.  We have a busy term on both campuses, starting with the celebration of St Francis’ Feast Day (which occurred over the holiday break).

The week prior to the holidays was the Year 12 Retreat, with students reflecting on their journey so far, and where they might be heading into the future. This term also sees us celebrate together as a community with our Sports Awards Night (Assisi), Year 12 Awards Night, Rite of Passage (Assisi and Padua), Graduation and our End of Year Masses on both campuses.  It is a wonderful time for us to celebrate the successes of our students and the year as a whole with our St Anthony’s family. 

FEAST DAY OF ST FRANCIS

On Friday, 4th October, was the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, a saint who modeled his life on the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels. St. Francis embodied the message of love in all that he did, reminding us of the transformative power of love and wisdom: "Where there is love and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance" (St. Francis of Assisi). 

Even though this feast day did not fall within the College term, it is important to acknowledge the Franciscan heritage of the College. At St. Anthony’s, we embrace the core principles of Catholic Social Teaching alongside the values of our Franciscan charism: promoting the dignity of the human person, fostering community and care for creation, and serving with humility like St. Francis and St. Anthony. On this special Feast Day, we are reminded of the significance of these values and the importance of prayer in our everyday lives. Some of our staff celebrated this feast day by joining a Pilgramage to Assisi, Italy, an experience that reinforced true sacredness of our Franciscan Charism.

In the Franciscan tradition, prayer acknowledges that life may be unpredictable, but we trust that God is always with us, within us, and surrounding us with His boundless love. Through prayer, we draw closer to God. The Peace Prayer of St. Francis resonates with his philosophy and continues to inspire us as a powerful expression of peace and humility.

Peace Prayer

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; 

where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; 

where there is doubt, faith; 

where there is despair, hope; 

where there is darkness, light; 

where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, 

to be understood as to understand, 

to be loved as to love.  

For it is in giving that we receive, 

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, 

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen

God Bless

Rachel Bond                                                                          Rose  Fitzsimmons

 Acting APRE (Secondary)                                                       APRE (Primary)