Assistant Principal - Mission
Over the last couple of weeks, we certainly have seen the power of nature and some of the devastation it has caused in our country and in our own region. I hope you have not been impacted too much.
Journey to the Cross: “Lent is all about the cross, and eventually the resurrection. (source The Catholic Leader)
The College community began the journey through Lent, starting with receiving the ashes on Ash Wednesday. During the time of Lent, and in particular in this Jubilee Year of hope, Pope Francis calls us to begin our ‘annual pilgrimage of Lent in faith and hope’ and asks us to consider and reflect on the following:
- ‘Christians are called to walk at the side of others, and never as lone travellers. The Holy Spirit impels us not to remain self-absorbed, but to leave ourselves behind and keep walking towards God and our brothers and sisters’ (We have seen this very evident by our first responders and all those who have helped others in the last few weeks).
- ‘Am I really on a journey, or am I standing still, not moving, either immobilised by fear and hopelessness or reluctant to move out of my comfort zone? Am I seeking ways to leave behind the occasions of sin and situations that degrade my dignity?’
- Are we ‘walking side-by-side, without shoving or stepping on others, without envy or hypocrisy, without letting anyone be left behind or excluded? Let us all walk in the same direction, tending towards the same goal, attentive to one another in love and patience.’
As we continue to journey through Lent, we can as Pope Francis says, try to reflect on what ‘God is asking us to examine whether in our lives, in our families, in the places where we work and spend our time, where we are capable of walking together with others, listening to them, resisting the temptation to become self-absorbed and to think only of our own needs.’
Below is excerpt about another millennial saint. It is important for us to realise that saints are not just someone from hundreds of years ago but people in our own lifetime as well.
Pierangelo Capuzzimati
The Servant of God, Pierangelo Capuzzimati, was a young Italian who from the age of 14 suffered from leukemia but lived with strong faith and a deep trust in God. He was born in Taranto, Italy, in 1990 and grew up in a peaceful environment with his family in Faggiano.
His illness, far from plunging him into despair, led him to intensify his spiritual life, devoting his time to prayer, study, and contemplation of the beauty of creation. An admirer of the thought of the saints and with a great passion for the history of the Church, his testimony of serenity and dedication left an indelible mark on those who knew him. He died on 30 April 2008, at the age of seventeen with the conviction that his suffering was a gift from the Lord.
On 26 April 2018, the Holy See granted the “nihil obstat” (“nothing stands in the way”) for the opening of his cause for beatification, and on 20 January 2024, the diocesan phase of the process concluded after an exhaustive collection of testimonies and documents about his life and virtues. All the documentation will now be sent to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, where it will be evaluated by theologians and historians. If his heroic virtues are recognized, Capuzzimati will be declared venerable, which will mark a new step on his path to sainthood. (source: The Catholic Telegraph).
Mrs Lesa Morrison - Assistant Principal - Mission