{"id":6998,"date":"2023-06-30T14:37:53","date_gmt":"2023-06-30T04:37:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/mscw\/?post_type=article&p=6998"},"modified":"2023-06-30T14:37:53","modified_gmt":"2023-06-30T04:37:53","slug":"from-the-religious-education-coordinator-50","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/mscw\/article\/from-the-religious-education-coordinator-50\/","title":{"rendered":"From the Religious Education Coordinator"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u00a0In our Church \u2026\u2026<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
\u00a0<\/i><\/b>Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul <\/b>(29<\/b>th<\/b> June)<\/b><\/h5>\n

Veneration of the two great Apostles, Peter and Paul, has its roots in the very foundations of the Church. They are <\/span>the solid rock on which the Church is built. They are at the origin of her faith and will forever\"\" remain her protectors and her guides. To them Rome owes her true greatness, for it was under God’s providential guidance that they were led to make the capital of the Empire, sanctified by their martyrdom, the centre of the Christian world whence should radiate the preaching of the Gospel.<\/span><\/div>\n

St. Peter suffered martyrdom under Nero, in\u00a0<\/span>A.D. 66 or 67. He was buried on the hill of the Vatican where recent excavations have revealed his tomb on the very site of the Basilica of St. Peter’s. St. Paul was beheaded in the Via Ostia on the spot where now stands the basilica bearing his name. Down the centuries Christian people in their thousands have gone on pilgrimage to the tombs of these Apostles.<\/span><\/p>\n

Taken from:<\/span> https:\/\/www.catholicculture.org\/culture\/liturgicalyear\/calendar\/day.cfm?date=2019-06-29<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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The Feast of St Thomas the Apostle (3<\/b>rd<\/b> July)<\/b><\/h5>\n

There is very little about the apostle Thomas in the Gospels; one text calls him the “twin.” Rarely during Jesus’ lifetime does he stand out among his colleagues. There is the instance before the raising of Lazarus, when Jesus was still in Perea and Thomas exclaimed: “Let us also go and die with Him.” Best-known is his expression of unbelief after the Savior’s death, giving rise to the phrase “doubting Thomas.” Nevertheless, the passage describing the incident, had as today’s Gospel, must be numbered among the most touching in Sacred Scripture.<\/span>In the Breviary lessons Pope St. Gregory the Great makes the following reflections: “Thomas’ unbelief has benefited our faith more than the belief of the other disciples; it is because he attained faith through\"\" physical touch that we are confirmed in the faith beyond all doubt. Indeed, the Lord permitted the apostle to doubt after the resurrection; but He did not abandon him in doubt. By his doubt and by his touching the sacred wounds the apostle became a witness to the truth of the resurrection. Thomas touched and cried out: My Lord and my God! And Jesus said to him: Because you have seen Me, Thomas, you have believed. Now if Thomas saw and touched the Savior, why did Jesus say: Because you have seen Me, Thomas, you have believed? Because he saw something other than what he believed. For no mortal man can see divinity. Thomas saw the Man Christ and acknowledged His divinity with the words: My Lord and my God. Faith therefore followed upon seeing.”<\/span>Concerning later events in the apostle’s life very meager information exists. The Martyrology has this: “At Calamina (near Madras in India) the martyrdom of the apostle Thomas – he announced the Gospel to the Parthians, and finally came to India. After he had converted numerous tribes to Christianity, he was pierced with lances at the king’s command.”<\/span>\u00a0<\/span> <\/i><\/b>Excerpted from The Church’s Year of Grace, Pius Parsch and taken from<\/i><\/b> https:\/\/www.catholicculture.org\/culture\/liturgicalyear\/calendar\/day.cfm?date=2019-07-03<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/div>\n

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In our Community\u2026\u2026<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
CAMBODIA IMMERSION – BON VOYAGE<\/b><\/h5>\n

Catholic Mission is the international mission agency of the Catholic Church in Australia. Compelled by the message, life and love of Jesus Christ, Catholic Mission forms Australians for mission and raises funds for mission\u2014in Australia and around the world.\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

Catholic Mission operates in over 160 countries to support initiatives in 1,100 dioceses, including remote Australia. Grassroots needs are identified by local Catholics, to give people the opportunity for a full, enriched life\u2014physically and spiritually\u2014regardless of race, stigma, religion or gender.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mission in action happens right now and for generations, to help people immediately, longer term and eternally. We engage in mission when we proclaim our faith through our words, actions and lives.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marist Sisters\u2019 College are very fortunate to be sending seven students and two teachers to Cambodia to experience an immersion in the 6th to the 15th of July. We wish Ms Carolyn Criss, Mr Ryan Leonard, <\/span>Brianna Kelly, Sarah Bell, Sophie Marsh, Melodie Brown, Freya Bosnich, Bronte Fisher and Abby Irving a safe trip to Cambodia. A big thank you to Catholic Mission for organising and leading this wonderful immersion.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.catholicmission.org.au\/about-catholic-mission\/about-us<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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\u00a0\u00a0VINNIES WINTER SLEEPOUT<\/i><\/b><\/h5>\n

On Friday, 16th June, a large group of MSCW students participated in our annual Vinnies Winter Sleepout to gain a unique insight into the complex issues that people experiencing homelessness and disadvantage face by “sleeping rough” for one night. It allowed all students to honour the<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0resilience of those experiencing homelessness and acknowledge their daily challenges. Our Vinnies Winter Sleepout revolved around the theme,<\/span><\/p>\n

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‘Serve with Empathy’,<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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and we reflected on the story of Jesus’s birth <\/span>( Luke 2:1-10) as a powerful reminder of the humble circumstances in which he entered the world <\/span>and his identification with those who are marginalised and forgotten by society.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To begin our evening, Ms Carson, an Instructional S<\/span>pecialist at the College, spoke to us about the importance of the Vinnies Winter Sleepout through her own experience. Her testimony served as a reminder of the difficult circumstances in which many people worldwide live, particularly those living in poverty. After this presentation, the students completed multiple activities including ‘A Sensory Experience of homelessness’, ‘Cardboard Favelas’ and ‘Cardboard Reflection’ in small groups.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During the ‘A Sensory Experience’ activity, the group leaders initiated Think-pair-share discussion questions, such as <\/span>What does homelessness look\/sound\/feel like?,<\/span><\/i> answered on a Y-Chart. Inspired by our discussions regarding homelessness, the students embarked on their next activity, ‘Cardboard Favelas’, where we were encouraged to visualise and experience the living conditions of the people living in favelas, specifically in Brazil, by constructing miniature favelas out of recycled cardboard. This activity reflected the overcrowded conditions in favelas, where high crime levels, poor infrastructure, and limited economic opportunities occur in abundance.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Students were then provided with large cardboard panels, where they aimed to reflect on Scripture to empathise with those experiencing homelessness by copying down and annotating multiple biblical passages. These scriptures included quotes such as, “If one me<\/span>mber suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26). Through this ‘Cardboard Reflection’ activity, students embraced empathy to connect with the challenges of those in need by understanding their longing for safety, warmth, and a place to call home. It calls us to treat homeless individuals with dignity, respect, and compassion.<\/span><\/p>\n

To conclude the night, students were provided with an extremely simple dinner, enabling them to understand the physical extremities people experiencing homelessness face. Dinner w<\/span>as followed by a joint movie session, where students watched ‘Blind Side’ to understand how homel<\/span>essness comes in many different forms, including temporarily staying with other households and finding a sense of belonging. Ultimately, the birth of Jesus and “The Blind Side” hold profound parallels with the themes of homelessness, emphasising the vulnerable circumstances surrounding individuals who find themselves in desperate situations, lacking a stable home and support. The Winter Sleepout concluded at 7 am on Saturday, 17th of June.\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

We thank Ms Ison, Mrs Morizzi and Ms Vu for organising this wonderful event, and w<\/span>e welcome and wish the b<\/span>est of luck for our new Social Justice Captains, Amy Davis and Mia Bartram.\u00a0 (Written by <\/span>Isabelle Mourani & Katelyn Lopes, Social Justice Co-Captains 2022\/2023)<\/span><\/p>\n

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St. THERESE COLLABORATIVE NETWORK –\u00a0<\/b><\/h5>\n
Stage 2 Faith Retreat<\/b><\/h5>\n

On Thursday, 8th June, Year 10 AMICA Leaders, Sophie Haddad and Charlize Petracca had the opportunity to accompany Stage 2 students from St. Therese <\/span>Primary School, Denistone on their Faith Retreat to Mary MacKillop Place in North Sydney. In collaboration with Marist College, E<\/span>astwood, our students helped to facilitate the day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"\u201cIt was an enlightening journey, witnessing the power of faith, community, and personal growth. As mentors, we guided and supported t<\/span><\/i>he students, engaging in discussions and had the opportunity to watch their faith develop. The retreat created a sense of unity, fostering deep connections and teaching us the importance of giving back. We are grateful to the school staff for this opportunity and to the students for inspiring us.\u201d\u00a0 – <\/span><\/i>Sophie Haddad and Charlize Petracca, Year 10<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The staff at St. Therese, Denistone described our students\u00a0 as \u201cvery respectful and fully engaged in the student faith formation experience. Sophie and Charlize co-led reverently with the Marist College, Eastwood secondary students in prayerful experiences.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0 – <\/span>Thank you Sophie and Charlize<\/span><\/p>\n

Ms Samantha Ison<\/span><\/p>\n

Assistant Religious Education Coordinator<\/span><\/p>\n

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In our Curriculum\u2026\u2026<\/i><\/b><\/h4>\n
Year 7 Religious Education<\/i><\/b><\/h5>\n

Our Year 7 Students have been having a wonderful time exploring the unit <\/span>\u2018Stewards of Creation\u2019<\/span><\/i> in Religion. With a focus on creation and humanity, students have been exploring a variety of creation stories and developing their own interpretation of these stories. \"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

The Year 7 Students have enjoyed using our beautiful Marist Sisters\u2019 College surroundings as an outdoor classroom to explore being stewards of creation.<\/span><\/p>\n

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