A Message from Mrs Escalante
Newsletter Thursday 17th October
We the staff of St Patrick’s acknowledge the traditional owners, the Kulin nations, of the land on which we learn and play.
We pay respects to the Aboriginal Elders, past and present, who are our teachers.
We thank them for taking care of children and country for countless generations.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark
The Son of Man came to give his life as a ransom for all.
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached Jesus. ‘Master,’ they said to him, ‘we want you to do us a favour.’ He said to them, ‘What is it you want me to do for you?’ They said to him, ‘Allow us to sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory.’ ‘You do not know what you are asking’ Jesus said to them. ‘Can you drink the cup that I must drink, or be baptised with the baptism with which I must be baptised?’ They replied, ‘We can.’ Jesus said to them, ‘The cup that I must drink you shall drink, and with the baptism with which I must be baptised you shall be baptised, but as for seats at my right hand or my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted.’
When the other ten heard this they began to feel indignant with James and John, so Jesus called them to him and said to them: ‘You know that among the pagans their so-called rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt. This is not to happen among you. No; anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be slave to all. For the Son of Man himself did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’
Dear Parents, Carers and Guardians,
This week the Gospel tells us James and John see the signs that Jesus' kingdom is imminent, and they want to make sure their seats are reserved. Mark 10:35–45 describes the arrogant request of James and John to have positions of power and authority in Jesus' coming kingdom.
James and John request privileged places of authority in seats at Jesus’ right and left. In doing so, the sons of Zebedee appear to have missed everything Jesus has said and done. What they see instead is that glorification awaits Jesus and the authority he has exhibited in his ministry will lead to something big, perhaps to a royal rule, and they conspire to capitalize on that.
When Jesus does remind them about the ignorance of being in a position of power is not necessarily all glorification and power. He speaks about “the cup” he must drink and “the baptism” he must undergo, he reiterates that violence and death await him in Jerusalem. Jesus is a King, but ironically, he is always questioned and not believed and ultimately, he will die as an utterly despised and powerless “king.” Mark’s Gospel emphasizes that such rejection and death are inevitable and required, because of who Jesus is.
How much does having a sense of power influence our day to day lives? Is it the status, the money? Or is for the opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives? And if the job and the power that comes with it dangerous; how much are we willing to risk our own lives for this?
This weekend, our Year 6 students celebrate the sacrament of Confirmation. We wish them all the very best as they enter this wonderful phase of their decision to stay and pronounce themselves as Catholic. I ask you all to please join me in praying for the young people of St Clare’s, St Patrick’s and the state schools in and around Pakenham and Officer.
- Declan - Healey - Nathan - Owen
- Reid - Lachlan - Thomas - Mason
- Alexander - Grace - Riley - Zyjhan
- Harmony - Elizabeth - Archie - Dylan
- Andre - Alofa - Georgia - Jacob
- Julius - Paramie - Delbridge - Chayse
- Lucas
I am asking please that all students, in particular our senior school, to be wearing our proper School Uniform this final term. It is important that we still maintain a high standard of uniform and not use Term 4 as an excuse to become complacent about what we wear to school.
I will continue to ask all students to be wearing proper school shoes and uniform right up until the end of the year. I understand that students are growing constantly, however they will continue to grow for many more years and so I cannot always accept this as an excuse. We must remember that many students are adhering to the correct standards of school uniform and therefore, it is important that the students and their families please respect this. Secondary schools do not accept poor uniform standards.
If finance is a concern when it comes to uniform, please speak to your classroom teacher. St Patrick’s has a very good second hand uniform shop that you can top up your child’s uniform with. It is a third of the price you would pay at the normal uniform shop, and the money goes straight back to the school.
God Bless
Meg