Issue 19 SJC News 2020

Graduation 2020 ‘The Journey’s just begun…’

It was with a big sigh of relief and excitement that we have been able to gather as a faith community to conclude the year and celebrate the Graduation of our 2020 students in innovative ways. On our last day of the college year, we gathered in our Period 1 classes and offices to take part in a student led, End of Year Christmas Liturgy via a Teams link on screens.

We gathered as a school family in our sacred space, our St Joseph’s College Chapel via video link. We began by reflecting on waiting. This year, we’ve done lots of waiting – waiting for online deliveries, waiting to be able to visit loved ones, perhaps waiting for test results, waiting for a time when we can mix freely again. Advent is about waiting too. But in a good way!

Christmas is a very special time of the year for us as Christians. It is the time when Jesus the Son of God was born to us. This baby Jesus would go on to become the one of the most influential persons in the world. Who could have thought that a baby born in a stable 2000 or so years ago would now have a third of the world’s population claiming to follow him.

So, as we were gathered in our sacred place after the COVID challenges of 2020, we asked that Jesus and the spirit of Edmund Rice be with us as we joined together celebrating hope triumphing. We welcomed Fr Joseph Panackal from St Mary’s Parish who joined us remotely for parts of the liturgy to send a Christmas prayer and special blessing on all those staff who are retiring or leaving this year to new positions.

In our Gospel reflection we focussed on how, the first people to visit Jesus were shepherds - common, hard-working people. This emphasized that Jesus has come to bring messages of love and inclusiveness to the poor. Jesus himself is born as one of the poor, a refugee, born in a stable. As we celebrate this Christmas, we remember that, just as Jesus identified with those who are poor and rejected by others, we are called to be humble, inclusive, welcoming and to care for those in our society who are who are in need, as Jesus, Blessed Edmund Rice and St Mary MacKillop did. This is what many of our students have done this year, when they have participated in Service Learning.

In the spirit of Christmas giving, our staff have donated a Christmas hamper to Vinnies Geelong and a ham and homemade short bread made by a food technology staff member, to ‘The Lazarus Community Centre Geelong.’ It is a place for people to feel safe and welcome. Somewhere where they can take a shower, wash and dry their clothes, have a light lunch, participate in activities, meet with volunteers and receive support from specialist homelessness staff. All people are welcome whether they are homeless or not. We will continue to support the Lazarus Centre in 2021.

Friday afternoon, after the lockers were cleared out for the summer, the college came to life again as we welcomed back the Year 12 students of 2020 for their Year 12 Graduation Ceremony.

The quad was abuzz with reunions of students, selected staff and Education Support Staff who had journeyed together with many of the students over the past six years. It was a joy to chat to several of the students that I had welcomed to the College as their Year 7I Homeroom Teacher and to hear what plans they had for the years ahead. Our Education Support Department, led by Mark Turner, have played an integral role in the liberating and inclusive education so many of our students have received at St Joseph’s, such as the staff Christine Morris, Lisa Northey and Eliza Jane- Rundle, who have been Education Support Officers (ESOs) all the way through for some of our students from years 7-12. We thank them for their dedication in living out the Edmund Rice spirit in all they do.

The Graduation Liturgy began with an Acknowledgement of Country by our Year 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Captain Flynn Kinsey wearing the possum skin cloak and a hand painted tie gifted to him by Aunty Sue Collins created by Uncle Norm Stanley.

Each of our Touchstone Prefect Leaders and House Leaders represented the student body by participating in an aspect of the liturgy. Cassie Gleeson, the Head of Mt Sion proudly shared how, ‘…it had been a privilege to see you all work through an extraordinarily tough year with incredible resilience and strength.’ Year 12 student Henry Stephensen lifted our spirits with his opening song, ‘You Raise Me Up’, accompanied by Michael Wilding. The 2020 College Captain, Freddie Dripps, gave an inspirational speech about gratitude and resilience. Principal Tony Paatsch’s speech led us into the much anticipated Senior leadership, Excellence and Service Award recipients with a reflection on Matthew’s Gospel 7:12, ‘Do to others what you have them do to you’, often referred to as the Golden Rule. This teaching can be found universally, across Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism. “These ancient teachings from Christ…and Confucius, Buddha and of Hindu tradition remind us that this golden rule is in fact the golden ticket to a well lived and happy life.”

Congratulations and blessings to the Class of 2020! Your journey to a well-lived and happy life has just begun!