Assistant Principal - Mission

The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, celebrated 19 days after Pentecost, honours Christ’s divine love for humanity. This devotion highlights the physical heart of Jesus as a symbol of his boundless and compassionate love. The celebration calls the faithful to contemplate the depth of Jesus’ sacrifice and the infinite mercy extended to all.

This feast originated in the 17th century through the visions of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, who received revelations from Jesus emphasising the importance of his Sacred Heart. These visions underscored themes of reparation for sin, devotion, and the transformative power of Christ's love.

We are encouraged to develop a compassionate and loving heart, mirroring Christ’s example. It serves as a reminder to love unconditionally, to show mercy, and to strive for a heart attuned to the needs and sufferings of others. The St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal offers us an opportunity to live out that unconditional love, read on for more!
Image: Artist Unknown. Sacred Heart of Jesus (19th-century) Portuguese school. Creative Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/

The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saturday 8th June

Celebrated the day after the Patronal Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, this honours Mary's pure and loving heart. This devotion emphasises her profound love for God and her maternal love for humanity. The feast invites the faithful to reflect on Mary's virtues, especially her humility, obedience, and purity. Through her Immaculate Heart, Catholics find a model of unwavering faith and selfless love.

Mary's life is a testament to her deep trust in God's plan, despite the uncertainties and sufferings she faced. Her fiat, or "yes" to God, exemplifies perfect obedience and complete surrender to divine will. By meditating on her Immaculate Heart, Catholics are encouraged to cultivate these same virtues in their own lives. Mary's heart, filled with compassion and grace, serves as a beacon of hope and a source of strength.

From her example, Catholics learn the importance of living a life centred on love and service to others. Embracing her humility and faith can lead to a closer relationship with God. The Immaculate Heart of Mary inspires the faithful to strive for purity of heart and to be instruments of God's love in the world.
Image: Leopold Kupelwieser (1796–1862). Creative Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/

Whilst we are talking about Mary…
A question often asked is: Why do Catholics pray to Mary?

This is one of the most asked questions and is often a focus of criticism for Catholics. In English, the word “pray” means simply “to ask.” It does not mean “worship.” Many non-Catholic Christians equate the two terms, but they are not the same. In Catholicism the word “worship or adore” in Latin is latria. This is the adoration given only to God. Catholics do not worship Mary as a goddess and we do not consider her divine. She is human, just as we are, but she was chosen by God to be the Mother of Jesus, who is God with us. Therefore, we call her Mother of God. We give her what we call dulia, which is Latin for “honour or venerate.” As in the commandment to honour your father and mother. Prayers such as the Hail Mary are prayers that ask her to pray for us.

St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal

Over the coming weeks, we will be launching our Vinnies Winter Appeal. Thank you to the Student Leaders of Mission who will be coordinating events. There will be an out-of-uniform day on Friday of Week 8 for gold coin donations and donations of warm clothing and blankets. All donations of clothing should be clean and undamaged. We will communicate other events through the College's social media platforms and in morning notices for students.

Merit Update

It is wonderful to see so many students being recognised for a range of traits that exemplify who we are at SJRC. As of the 30th June, staff at the College have awarded over 8400 merits to students. Merits have been awarded for the following reasons:

• Act of Kindness
• Act of Service
• College Representation
• Consistent Application
• Demonstrating School Spirit
• Improved Application to Learning
• Improved Conduct
• Outstanding Results
• Significant Learning Growth.

Parents can see these on Compass, so we encourage parents to log in to see the merits that students have been awarded. Accrued merits earn students Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum awards, and to date, the following awards have been issued:

• Bronze Awards 340
• Silver Awards 46
• Gold Awards 4

This week, we would like to highlight and congratulate the following students for achieving the first four gold awards. Congratulations:

Ellie Fagnani
Sophie Kahler
Georgina Keogh
Riley Robinson

We encourage students to talk to their teachers if they feel that they have earned a merit!