From the Leader of Faith, Mission and Learning

Year 8 Reflection Day

Year 8 students participated in their reflection Day on 21st June  June 2024.

The day was hosted by  YMT (https://www.ymt.com.au/) supported by our Year 10 Peer to Peer Ministry team, who encouraged the students to more fully appreciate the gift of their dignity and worth by discovering who they are in relationship to God. During the session, the students also considered that it is both possible and desirable to know Jesus as an intimate friend. The students engaged in drama skits and ice-breakers and had small group discussions to discuss who is “The Real Me.” 

The highlight of the day was the “Personal Testimony” of Isabella Cardino from Year 10.  The story of her journey to faith was both brave and inspirational for all those seeking a relationship with God. Thank you Isabella for your testimony.

The day ended with a “Personal sharing with Jesus session,” where our Year 8 students were able to venerate and sign the cross and reflect on their lives in relationship with him.

The students thoroughly enjoyed the day and gave the YMT program the thumbs up. Thank you to our Year 10 Peer-to-Peer Ministry team, Mr Carlos, Ms Amiri, Mrs Braisby, Mr Berry and Ms Dal Broi who assisted and supported our Year 8 students on the day.

Unity Day Liturgy - Pentecost

Our Unity Day Liturgy was the perfect way to ask for God’s Blessing as we began St Andrews Unity Day. In our Liturgy we focused upon Pentecost, the time when people were all united by the Holy Spirit coming upon them as tongues of fire, allowing people to speak in many different languages. The Liturgy led by Fr Kevin Redmond saw our students engaged in a Pentecost experience, as they read the Prayers of the Faithful in 10 different languages that are spoken within the College. Ms Yousif then prayed the Our Father Prayer. Praying in Aramaic the language that Jesus spoke. The Holy Spirit generates diversity in every age, he causes new and varied gifts to blossom in all people, then he brings about unity, he joins together, gathers and restores harmony, uniting the whole world. St Andrews celebrates this unity every day as we continue to walk together, work together and love each other, as a community, and as the one Body of Christ.  Thank you to Ms Yosif and all the students who led us in the Prayers of the Faithful. Thank you, particularly to Betty Blacklock, Suwanthi, Julio and Mr Chiapetta, who performed the song Holy Spirit in front of our flag bearers who held the flags of our different nations within the college celebrating our diversity.

Andrew Hoare

Director of Faith Mission and Learning