Newman News Term 3 Week 6: From the Director of Mission and Catholic Identity

This Sunday 28 August is Social Justice Sunday and coincides with the launch of the Social Justice Statement from the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. The Statement Respect: Confronting Violence and Abuse aims to respond to the calls for a greater awareness to respect in relationships. The message from the Bishops seek to support those who suffer violence and abuse and seeking to promote change in attitudes and behaviour. As a Marist community we continue to promote this message through our Marist theme for 2022 Dignity for All: Known and Loved. The statement outlines the voices that need to be heard, it identifies the major enablers and drivers of the issue, why this is an issue for us as a Church and steps we can take as a community to create a community that recognises the dignity for all that builds respectful relationships. 

An excerpt from the statement below: 

Jesus Rejects Violence 

Jesus’ way of relating to women could not be more different from the toxic masculinity of the ‘man box rules’. Consider the story of the woman threatened with stoning (John 8:1-11). A woman – but somehow not the man – caught committing adultery is dragged in front of Jesus in the temple by the Scribes and Pharisees in order to set a trap for Jesus. Her life hangs in the balance, but she is not allowed to speak. She is treated as a non-person, disposable, just a tool in a power game. 

Jesus uses his status as a male teacher to turn the situation around. He rejects the Scribes’ and Pharisees’ understanding of sin and God’s response to it, which appears to justify violence against women. He actively intervenes to prevent it. Jesus’ response shows that an authentic understanding of the righteousness of God concerning relations between women and men is transformative and saves all concerned from such violence. In this story Jesus rejects the use of religious traditions to justify violence.  

Click here to read the rest of the statement. 

Father’s Day

With Father’s Day approaching on Sunday September 4, we are taking the opportunity to celebrate the importance of fathers and father figures in our families and to thank them for their contribution to our community. 

On Thursday 1 September we warmly invite fathers, grandfathers and father figures to join us at 8.10am for our Community Mass in the Champagnat Chapel and to stay after Mass for refreshments with staff and students.  

On Friday September 2, the children and staff at the Marian Campus would love to see all the fathers, grandfathers and father figures for an early breakfast at 8.00am on the Marian Oval before continuing with a special Father’s Day liturgy in St Cecilia’s Church. 

Please complete this form to register your attendance for catering purposes thank you. 

We wish all the Fathers in our Newman College community a very happy and enjoyable day next Sunday.  

Year 11 Solidarity Mullewa 

Thirteen Year 11 Game Changers have spent this week experiencing a Solidarity Camp in the regional town of Mullewa, 450 Kms north of Perth. Students were led by Bonnie Keynes (Year 11 Game Changers Leader), Aleisha Bryson (Leader of Youth Ministry and Advocacy) and fortunate to have Br Paul Murphy accompany them. 

As we seek to respond to Champagnat’s call to form good Christians and good citizens, through discernment and reflection students have an opportunity to experience ‘service’ and we hope will be inspired to take further action in recognising the dignity of all whilst deepening their experience of communal living within a Christian context.  

On the quiet bus back we tiredly reflected on having to say goodbye to the bright welcoming faces of Mullewa. The friends we made along the way, in particular the students of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Father Rob O’Bryan, and Kevin, were all sad to see us leave especially after our incredible hosting of the whole school disco on Thursday night. We spent our lunchtimes playing countless numbers of tag and together we helped the community clean up the cemetery. The peak of our community service was when the group assisted in setting up for the town’s local wildflower and agriculture show where we met the wonderfully devoted volunteers of Mullewa. We spent our afternoons hanging out at the local youth centre where we fixed a bike, made landscape artworks, and bonded with the locals. We arrived hopeful and our expectations were far exceeded. 

Reflection written by Michael and Emily 

Marist Connect Night 

On Tuesday evening, students from Bunbury Catholic College and St Joseph’s Northam met together with our Year 12 students for a Marist Connect Night held in the Champagnat Chapel. This event is an example of our three Marist communities coming together to celebrate our relationship and commitment to the Marist charism.  

Students enjoyed making connections with their peers, exploring the concept of “dignity for all” with the Youth Ministry Team and hearing about the challenges and joy of post-school life. 

The connection of our young people across the three schools is an exciting opportunity presented to our students because of our connection to the Marist family. We look forward to the schools gathering again in Term 4. 

The Marist Association of St Marcellin Champagnat 

The Perth local Marist Association of St Marcellin Champagnat continues to gather regularly to foster community and offer formation for people who are committed to living in the Marist Tradition. On Sunday 21 August, people came together to celebrate the Eucharist at St Joseph’s Subiaco and gathered in the Upper Room with family and friends to share a meal. The group took the opportunity to reflect on the importance of why we gather as some of its members prepare to head to Sydney to participate in the third National Assembly. This event is a coming together of Marists from all around the country to reflect on what it means to be Marist and what it means to belong to the Marist Association. I look forward to sharing back to the community on how the Marist Association will continue to offer formation, outreach and community for those who are seeking to live our Marist charism. 

Newman College Parents Morning Retreat: Golden Thread 

Our Marist Tradition offers our community so many different opportunities for formation. This term we are offering a Parent Retreat. Br Bill is the Director of the Hermitage located in Mittagong NSW. Throughout the year, he comes to Newman College to work with staff in faith formation. He is scheduled to return this term in Week 9 and once again spend the week with staff across the College. This time we are offering a Parent Retreat focussing on the Golden Thread. All are invited to attend, regardless of their religious experience. Please register here

Morning session: Thursday 15 September 9.00am – 11.00am 

Community Mass 

A warm welcome is extended to the whole Newman College community to join us for our regular Thursday morning Community Mass commencing at 8.10am in the Champagnat Chapel on the Marcellin Campus . The Mass is celebrated by a Priest from one of our local parishes and is hosted by both secondary and primary school students. The schedule for the next 2 weeks is as follows; 

Week 7 
Thursday 1 September (Father’s Day Celebration): Fr Hyginus, Thomas More and Year 3 Green 

Week 8 
Thursday 8 September:  Fr Hyginus, Marcellin and Year 6 Red