From the College Principal

Newsletter 13 2025

Dear Members of the St Andrews College Community,

It has been a pleasure celebrating the many and varied achievements of our Senior students at our Assembly this morning. It seems a long time ago that we had a Senior Assembly due to Trial HSC commitments. I have viewed and read over the Major Works across Society & Culture, Music, Visual Art, Drama, English Extension 2, Industrial Technology Medimedia and Timber, and Design & Technology and I have been so impressed with the calibre of student work. I also discussed how impressed I have been with the Year 11 student leader letters, their interviews and their performance in the Trial HSC for the Accelerated students. I discussed how important their attitude, work ethic, demeanour, and enthusiasm  is when it comes to further improvement leading up to the Higher School Certificate. In the end though it’s how they as young people perceive their situation, their challenges, their success and what they do to enhance their performance that determines future success. I look forward to celebrating these successes in upcoming weeks at the Year 12 Graduation Mass, Awards Evening and Formal.

Gospel Reflection:  Luke 14:1,7-14 

When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.

Meals played an important role in the society in which Jesus lived. More than a time for sharing nourishment, they were a time to share ideas and to model different aspects of social relationships. In Luke's Gospel, the places that a person ate (at the home of a tax collector, 5:29), the people with whom a person ate (sinners, 5:30), whether a person washed before eating (11:38), and, as is the case here, the place that a person sits while eating are all important. The narrator says Jesus tells a parable, but it is really wise advice to both guests and hosts about finding true happiness at the heavenly banquet.

Jesus warns guests to wait before taking their places at the table lest they be asked to move if someone more important arrives. This is more than just a lesson about dinner etiquette. It is advice on how to find your true place in the Kingdom of God. Jesus advises hosts not to invite people who would be expected to repay them to dinner but to invite those who could not repay: the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. This is where real blessings can be found.

In these sayings, Luke gives us not only advice on how to approach the end times but also on how to live according to Jesus' vision of a good society. Luke's Gospel also advises us how the Church must be part of bringing about this society. It is yet another example in Luke's Gospel of the reversal the kingdom brings about.

Year 12 Retreat:

The Year 12 class of 2025 had their last Retreat at the College last week. Thank you to the team providing this opportunity to our students. After such an intense period involving the Trial HSC it is appropriate to take time to stop, reflect on their relationship with God.

Test Results:

Congratulations on the outstanding NAPLAN, Australian Mathematics Competition, PAT Results throughout the College. With some students in the top .01% of the country we have performed very well. Thank you to the students and staff for their dedication and hard work.

Sport Representation:

Congratulations to the Intermediate Boys Football Team who won the Grand Final last Thursday in wet conditions. Only one loss for the season is a great effort. Thank you to Miss Breeze for coaching the boys again this season. Commiserations to Mr Danaeef and Ms Britton on their teams going down in the Grand Final and Semi-Final respectively.  Both the Junior Boys and Intermediate Girls had excellent seasons as well and both matches could have gone either way.

As we move into the next season now with Girls Basketball and Touch Football for the girls, 5 A Side Soccer for the boys, and Cricket for both boys and girls. I thank the staff for their willingness to coach the teams and the students for trialling.

Fidem in Christo

Dr Stephen Kennaugh
Principal