From The Religious Education Coordinator
“Taking Care of Our Common Home ”
A Responsible and Fraternal Response to the Trinitarian God
Addressing the ecological crisis, the International Theological Commission (ITC) published a document examining the theological foundations of caring for our common home. The first chapter highlights creation’s Trinitarian imprint and relational nature, aligning with Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas on humanity’s call to communion with God, others, and creation. The second chapter rereads Genesis through Christ to propose an integral anthropology that balances anthropocentrism and ecocentrism, framing creation care as central to human dignity and fulfillment. The third chapter outlines an ecological spirituality and ethics, proposing environmental sin be viewed like social sin, drawing on ecumenical, interfaith, scientific, and philosophical perspectives.
Piero Coda,
General Secretary of the CTI
Fathers Day Mass
On Wednesday 2 September we celebrated our Father Daughter Mass and Breakfast at Marist Sisters’ College. It was a morning of celebration and community spirit. Students and their Fathers, Father Figures and Grandfathers celebrated the Eucharist together at Mass.
On Fathers Day when we remember what it means to have a father or be a father, we recognise the importance of fathers in our community. Fathers come in many different forms; Fathers who are working day and night to raise children, fathers who took in others’ children through adoption and foster care, fathers who are expecting, but aren’t quite fathers yet, and those fathers who have lost children and must carry on. Fathers who right now have joined God in Heaven and whom we miss dearly here on earth. We pledge as a community to love and nurture the fathers and father figures among us so that they will manifest the love of God in all that they do.
I would like to thank all the teachers, support staff, students and parents that assisted with the mass and to Father Greg Morgan from the Ryde/Gladesville Parish for celebrating the Mass. Thank you to Mr Daniel Johnson for presenting. Thank you to our parent helpers, support staff and teachers for cooking and serving the breakfast. Thank you to Mrs Erin Healey and the Yr 12 VET Hospitality students for making the Father’s Day cookies. It was wonderful to see our Marist Sisters’ College community come together for such a significant event.
Archbishop Award for Student Excellence
Sofia Vella is an active member of her parish, St Charles Borromeo, Ryde. This year Sofia attended the SPARC camp as a Youth Leader, assisted in the organisation of the camp and led sessions for the youth. She also regularly reads at Mass in the parish, has participated each year in the Stations of the Cross reenactment, attends weekly Adoration, and volunteers to visit and sing for the elderly at the Calvary Retirement home in Ryde. Sofia attends numerous events to strengthen her faith, including Sydney Catholic Youth’s Purpose
Conference and Camp, Youth Evangelisation Days, iSTAND Youth Camp, and the Sydney Catholic Youth’s Leaders’ Summit. At school, she attends morning masses, often reads at Mass and leads the weekly Friday Rosary in the College Chapel. She was a guest speaker for the ‘Faith over Fear’ Year 9 and 10 Youth Afternoon, hosted by our College, and she is involved in various social justice initiatives including Marist In Action, Project Compassion, Social Justice Week, Harmony Week and various other initiatives that serve the community. She is a faith-filled, inspiring young leader at our school, and is well regarded by both her peers and staff.
Term 4 Liturgical Life of MSCW
- Rosary every Friday
- Community Mass Week 4, 6 and 8
- Reflection Day Year 8 and 10
- Colin House Mass
- Advent Liturgy
