College Chaplain News

College Chaplain

Harriett Veukiso

 

The start to Term Two allowed the McAuley Ministry team to reflect on the past challenges the college has faced. Weekly, the liturgy group focuses on one Catherine McAuley quote and motives the College to live by. This week students and staff reflected on the quote “We should be shining lamps, giving light to all around us.” ~ Catherine McAuley. Ali Thomas shared that “we can promote positivity and do little acts of kindness to make a person’s day brighter”. This led to reflection on past struggles the college faced and supported each other through small actions of kindness.

St Patrick’s College has experienced difficult times in the past. We recognise and reflect on the community who has walked before us. We pause to relate to those who have given light to all people in rough times. To overcome these tough situations, the community stood together and became shining lights bringing brightness into dark situations. Being there for each other by doing simple things gets us through.

The 1892 tropical storm caused St Joseph’s Church to sink after nineteen and a quarter inches of rain fell in 24hrs. This left the Church to sink into an 8 foot (deep) by 40 foot (wide) foot hole. Throughout this period the college building doubled as a place of worship until the new St Joseph church was built in 1919.

The Image below shows St Joseph’s church, after the storm of 1892. The Bell Tower and the Cross presented by the Passionist Fathers remain in the empty space, with only the Presbytery and the Convent now fronting the Strand.

In 1939 War intervened. The College community and city as a whole was significantly impacted. The Battle of the Coral Sea brought its way to Townsville in December 1941. The Premier declared all coastal schools closed and home studies was the norm. This we can relate to today.

The 2019 floods impacted our college and wider community. However, throughout all this the College community stood strong together bringing light into dark times. In 2020, as we experience a worldwide health pandemic of COVID-19, may we ask God to remind us of those who walked before us and spark fire in our actions to walk in the footsteps of Catherine McAuley to bring brightness to the lives of others.