Faith, Mission and Learning

From our Priest 

Last weekend we celebrated the Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Australia celebrates Father’s Day and our Diocese conducts its Bishop’s Father’s Day Appeal. It is perhaps then a little strange that at the beginning of the Gospel passage Jesus declares that “If any [one] comes to me without hating [their] father, mother, … [they] cannot be my disciple.” This Scripture is not meant to be taken literally, but it is a challenge for us to understand that nothing can stand in our way or prevent us from following Jesus. In fact, I believe that Father’s, all parents, are great examples to us of what Jesus is asking of us.

I think of my own Father and the number of times that he sacrificed his own hopes and dreams to spend time with us, to provide for us and to strive to be a good role model and exemplar of what a man of faith looks like. In his own words, he never regretted the decisions that he made and felt himself far richer for these ‘sacrifices’ than he could imagine him being by not doing so and only looking after himself.

We are invited to see God as part of our lives, in every aspect of our lives, not just those times we are trying to be holy or religious. Not even, only those times when things have gone to plan or we have been successful. God does not want us to be stressed, does not want us to run out of petrol, get a flat battery or any number of other ‘disasters’, but if we cannot find God in the midst of these imperfect times or in the mess then we will never be able to experience God’s presence, power and comfort when we are in most need of God.

The ’yes’ we say to God has consequences and our readings are inviting us to understand that we are challenged to embrace all these consequences and recognise they are the moments when we can encounter God. It may not make having to get up in the middle of the night to look after a sick family member or accompanying a family as they grieve the loss of a loved one any ‘easier’, but God is not encountered only when things are going well but especially in the tough and difficult times.

Fr. Kevin Redmond SM

From the Director of Faith, Mission & Learning

Father’s Day Breakfast & Mass - Thursday 1 September

The College hosted a Father's Day Breakfast and Mass on Thursday 1 September on the Senior Campus. We had 90 people present throughout the morning and then Celebrated Mass with Fr Kevin at 9am Mass. Thanks to all the staff who prepared a delicious breakfast and BBQ and especially to all of the fathers, grandfathers and students who celebrated. 

With Faith in Christ,

Frank Clarke
Director of Faith, Mission & Learning

World Youth Day Lisbon 2023 - Catholic Youth Parramatta Launch Event

On Thursday night 18 August - a group of St Andrew’s College students Jeremy Delfino, Patricia Tuazon, Jericho DeLeon, Cate Astillo, Rachel Laycock and Euleila Barret attended the World Youth Day Lisbon Portugal 2023 Launch event.

This was  hosted by the Parramatta Catholic Youth  -Lifted at St John XXIII at Stanhope. We went into the event not knowing much about World Youth Day for next year but we entered with an open and enthusiastic mind.