Final SAC FAM Session

On Thursday, 19th September, Year 12 were given the opportunity to attend a final SAC FAM (‘Faith and Mission’) Session one last time as an entire year group. As the students finished up with their final lessons, they were able to end off the day celebrating their place in our SAC faith community together as a cohort. 

The session functioned as a continuation of Year 12 Retreat, and focused on the theme from Pope Benedict XVI: “The world offers you comfort. But you were not made for comfort, you were made for greatness.” The students were able to hear from their teachers ways in which they have witnessed the greatness of this Year 12 cohort over the past 6 years, whether that be their approach to their academics, the bond they have built as a year group, or their willingness to give things a go and participate in what our school has to offer. 

“I’ve seen greatness in the Year 12 group in many ways, but I think the one that stands out the most is the relationships they have with each other. In every year group there’s always going to be ups and downs in relationships, but I think essentially in this year group, everybody is able to get along with everybody else. There’s a great sense of community and camaraderie, and that’s where I see the greatness.” 

• Mr Andrew Houseman

“A moment of greatness would be watching these Year 12’s grow, when I first took this group when they were much younger, they were still figuring out who they were and who they were meant to be. Especially since coming back, I’ve really  noticed a positive change, and I feel like they’re ready to go out into the big wide world and make it their own.”

• Mrs Andrea Utoikamanu

Students were able to reflect on the greatness they have exhibited over the years, and so now they can look forward to thinking about where or how God is calling them to greatness after they leave St Andrews and start this next chapter of their lives. Some students took the courage to share the answer to this question in front of their peers:

“I want to do  Primary Education at Notre Dame next year. When I look back during  my primary school experience, I could see that there was a lack of male teacher presence, but the male teachers who were there made such a big impact. I’ve always put my faith in Christ and have been given a lot of opportunities to serve in the Catholic Church  - I think God  has given me the  grace to give back to the community in this way.”

• Luke Binny

“I want to go into social work and community justice, possibly working in the area of families and children. I think my ability to empathise and understand people gives me the chance to see a person for who they really are, and not just their circumstances. I think throughout my life,God always stuck by me and always reminded me that there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. It’s always going to get better - he gives us  the strength and resilience to endure our struggles. I want to use that strength to help others.”

• Esther Peter

“I want to go into medicine or physiotherapy. One of my strengths is being able to connect with different people. I like seeing people passionate about something, being able to see their interests and their experiences and how it has shaped them to be who they are today - I believe that people have different lives to our own, but equally as rich and complex. I feel like I see God in other people, so it makes me feel like I want to experience God through others. I’m still finding my moment of clarity but I know God will be there for me.” 

• Jeremy Delfino

Students were then able to make their own personalised rosary decades as a reminder of their time here at SAC, and the role that faith plays in shaping their identity. Year 12 was then able to conclude the session with music from our Year 12 students, and had the chance to read the letters that they wrote to their past selves at the beginning of Year 11. 

We’d like to thank the students who helped contribute to running the session - particularly the leaders of SAC FAM and SJS (Social Justice Society) who helped out on the day. Your service to your school community is greatly appreciated.

We wish Year 12 all the best as they move forward into this next chapter of their life, and as they enjoy their last few days as St Andrews students. We hope that in discerning their vocation, they find what they are passionate about - that they find who or what they are willing to lay their lives down for. We sincerely hope that the call to greatness and desire to will the good of others in the world may be something they carry with them for the rest of their lives.

“We must know that we have been created for greater things, not just to be a number in the world, not just to go for diplomas and degrees, this work and that work.

We have been created in order to love and to be loved.”

- St Teresa of Calcutta

Miss Olivia Tan

Faith in Action Teacher (FIAT Coordinator)