From the College Principal
Newsletter 4 2024
Dear Members of the St Andrews College Community,
As we move into Holy Week we remember the true meaning behind Easter. We take time to reflect on ourselves and how we impact on others. We reflect on the sacrifice that God made in Jesus. May you all have a wonderful long weekend next Friday to Monday and I look forward to seeing all staff and students back on Tuesday 2 April.
It has been exciting to see all the students and their families attend the Year 7 2025 interviews on Wednesday afternoon/evening. Again we have been humbled to receive so many applications for our College yet disappointed at the same time that many will miss out on an offer due to our cap of 250 students. We take very seriously the responsibility to teach and develop your sons and daughters. Thank you again for the faith you show in us.
It’s All About Learning
Reading Reflections: Palm Sunday
Guidelines: The life of following Jesus is like a procession. In this procession, we need to see what our motives are, whether this procession is out of loyalty or out of ulterior motives
- Today Jesus solemnly enters Jerusalem, the city of destiny. There he would be tried, persecuted, and killed on the cross. But he would rise from death victoriously and gloriously.
- His entry into the earthly Jerusalem signifies his entry into the heavenly Jerusalem, the heaven. But that heavenly entry must be preceded by trial and death, the moments of the way of the cross and crucifixion. There is no glory without suffering. There is no resurrection without passion and crucifixion.
- The crowd on the Palm Sunday represents the whole of humanity. This comprises different categories and different mentalities of people. There are people sincere and insincere, well-motivated and ill-motivated, trusting and stable, unbelieving and unstable, loyal and disloyal, spiritual and unspiritual.
- The occasion is solemn entry into Jerusalem and the kingly procession. But the readings are passion or suffering readings that focus on the aspect of suffering. This also shows the nature of our God, the nature of our salvation. Our God is a God who suffers for our sake. And our salvation entails necessarily suffering.
- The crowd on Palm Sunday turns into a crowd on Good Friday within a very few days. This shows how shallow was their faith in Jesus and their life of faith. It was a crowd that was largely non-committal toward Jesus. They had no deep loyalty to Jesus. Their faith was not deep. Their relationship with Jesus was not intimate or personal. Their faith was mostly based on favours and miracles. It was superficial and peripheral.
- Shallowness leads to unsteadiness and then wickedness. Being not deep-rooted and not committed, they were so wavering in their response and behaviour. They were expectant of something worldly and spectacular from Jesus. They were excited over their wrong expectations about Jesus. When Jesus upsets their political ambitions and earthly interests, they become frustrated and wicked. Thus, Palm Sunday turns into Passion Sunday.
Year 11 Retreats:
We are looking forward to the students experiencing ‘Retreat’ next week as they travel to four different venues for the Year 11 Retreats. Thank you to Mr Hoare, Mrs Anthony and Ms Tan for organising the program and for our leaders and facilitators who enhance the experience for our young men and women.
Parramatta Diocese Teaching Scholarships:
Congratulations to the following students who have gained a teaching scholarship from the Diocese. We have had a tradition at the College in fostering teacher talent and the following alumni continue that tradition. We wish them all the very best and congratulate them.
Aaryan Jai Singh, Hannah Patricia Johnston, Hayden William Laurie Saunders, Jav Antoine Calingao, Jordan Billedo, Andrew Cameron Beattie, Berend John Slager, Cooper Gregory Shield, Abiel Benedict Flores Santos, Rohan Alano.
Rostrum Voice of Youth
Thank you to Ms Douglas for her organisation of entry into this competition. It provided more opportunities for College representation and the students were fantastic. Further reports are included later in this Newsletter.
International Women’s Day:
Congratulations to the Student Leaders and staff for a wonderful breakfast celebration for International Women's Day. I really enjoyed listening to the mothers and their views on being a woman in today’s society with its joys and challenges.
Year 7 Camp to Collaroy:
Thank you to Mr Leaves, Ms Nikitovic, Mrs Cooper, Mrs Xuereb and the Year 7 Team for the facilitation of an excellent bonding experience for the group. We now move into the elections of our Year 7 Leaders for 2024. It will be a hard choice with so many quality candidates.
‘It’s All About Learning’
Fidem in Christo
Dr Stephen Kennaugh
Principal