From the College Principal

Newsletter 1 2024

Dear Members of the St Andrews College Community,

I hope you all had an enjoyable Christmas break and are ready to go for another year. Congratulations on the way you have all started the new school year. We start the year by welcoming 250 Year 7 students as well as many students across Years 8-11 from schools locally as well as internationally. It is wonderful to hear that St Andrews College is the school of choice in the area. We celebrate excellent 2023 HSC Results and excellent growth which is our focus as a staff. We start our school year with our Opening Mass and High Achievers Assembly, the celebration of learning and faith. I thank you once again for choosing St Andrews College as the school to bring out the best in your son/daughter. We take this responsibility very seriously. We also welcome our new staff to the College. I have had numerous emails and calls from parents in gratitude of our staff already this year. 

It’s All About Learning

Gospel Reading Mark 1:40-45
Jesus cures a person with leprosy, who reports his cure to everyone.

Background on the Gospel Reading

In today’s Gospel, we continue to hear Mark report the miraculous healings that Jesus performed in Galilee. The Gospel begins with Jesus healing a man with leprosy. Leprosy is a disfiguring, infectious skin disease that has been surrounded by many social and religious taboos throughout history. In 1873, the cause of leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, was identified. We now know that leprosy is caused by a bacterial infection. Although it is infectious, modern medical studies have shown that transmission is more difficult than previously thought. Since the 1940s, medical treatments have been available, and the patient no longer needs to be isolated once long-term treatment has begun.

In Jesus’ time, however, religious and social taboos dictated the behaviour of those with leprosy and other skin diseases. The Law of Moses provided for the examination of skin diseases by the priests, and if leprosy was identified, the person was declared unclean. People with leprosy lived in isolation from the community. They were instructed to rip their clothes and to announce their presence with loud cries when moving in the community. If the sores of leprosy healed, the Law of Moses provided a purification rite that permitted the person to return to the community.

In today's Gospel, the man with leprosy took the initiative, approaching Jesus and asking for healing. In doing so, the leper violated the religious customs of the day by approaching a person who was clean. His request to Jesus can be interpreted as a courageous and daring act. The confidence of the leper in Jesus' ability to heal him is evident in the words of his request. But his words can also be read as a challenge to Jesus, asking just how far Jesus was willing to extend himself in order to heal someone. While healing the man, Jesus touched him, which also violated established social norms. This is an important sign of the depth of Jesus' compassion for the man and an important statement about Jesus' interpretation of the Law of Moses.

Although Jesus touched the leper, he did not break completely with the Law of Moses. He instructed the man not to tell anyone about the cure and told him to present himself to the priests as prescribed by the Law of Moses. The first instruction sounds nearly impossible to honour. Certainly, the man would want to share the good news of his healing, and his quick improvement would require an explanation. The second instruction honours the Law of Moses.

Mark's Gospel tells us that after this healing, it became difficult for Jesus to travel freely. There are several possible explanations for this. There might have been concern about the repercussions of Jesus' breach of social and religious norms. In touching the man with leprosy, Jesus made himself unclean. Mark's narrative, however, leads to the conclusion that Jesus' movement was hampered by his popularity. Despite his instructions, the cured man spread the word about Jesus' healing power. Even when Jesus was in deserted places, people sought him out in search of his healing.

Congratulations Elijah Andrew Year 9:

Elijah Andrew has once again been accepted in the National Oceania Junior Cup for the 2024 season. In addition to racing the YZF-R15 (150cc race bike) in the OJC class, Elijah has entered the ASBK R3 Cup on his race prepared YZF-R3 (300cc race bikes) contending in 3 of the 6 ASBK rounds in 2024.

This will require travel around Australia for coaching and race events, and thus requiring time off school.

You can follow Elijah on Instagram and Facebook @ElijahAndrewRacing

Holiday Diving:

Congratulations to Mrs Weaver and the Diving Team on some excellent performances over the holiday period. We already have one student who has qualified for Nationals and a number that should qualify soon. Very exciting.

Renovations and Buildings:

We have two new Science Labs now on the Junior Campus that will aid in the extra practical classes scheduled. The Junior Campus toilet block will be reconfigured over the Term 1 break 2024.

‘It’s All About Learning’

Fidem in Christo

Dr Stephen Kennaugh
Principal