On Thursday 24th October Sister Josie and I had the opportunity to attend the Catholic Mission Mass with Lilly McFadden, Jerome Pongi and Miabella Spina who proudly represented St. Brigid’s as part of the student leadership team. Each Primary and Secondary school in the Broken Bay Diocese had representatives that attended Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral at Waitara to celebrate the work of Catholic Mission in particularly World Mission Month. Mission Month in October is dedicated to the life-giving work of missionaries around the world. A spokesperson from Catholic Mission at the Mass told us that this year they are raising awareness and funds for the Caring Centre in Mongolia. The Caring Centre provides a home for young people who have nowhere else to call home. The funds raised will provide nutritious meals to help them grow up healthy and strong, allow for the purchase of essential school supplies to support their education and provide warm winter clothing for the cold Mongolian winters. The student leaders after Mass had the opportunity to engage with the Catholic Mission stall to gather information and inspiration to support a great cause.
Last Term all students had the opportunity in Houses to support and participate in the Socktober competition. Socktober uses the world game of soccer to form a connection between students in Australia and the children they support with their fundraising. This cultivates the passion of students to rise up, engage their local community, and take action against poverty through the world game of soccer. It provides young people in Australia with the opportunity to lead in mission, encouraging them to think not only of what they will do to help, but why they will do it. Through Socktober, students are invited to learn about, pray, advocate for, and financially support children and communities in need around the world. The final student fundraising event for Catholic Mission was the Mission markets that were organised on the last day of Term 3. This was a fantastic event as students had the responsibility to run various stalls and raise money for a great cause.
During Mission Month, we are reminded of our call as a Catholic community to live the Gospel message of compassion and generosity. This month presents a powerful opportunity to reflect on how we can work together to alleviate the struggles faced by the marginalised both locally and globally. As Jesus calls us to action in the Gospel of Matthew, His words remain as relevant today as ever: “For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger, and you invited me in.” (Matthew 25:35)
We encourage our students, staff, and families to embody this spirit of service by supporting local charities through food drives such as the upcoming Christmas hampers, clothing donations, and volunteer efforts. As well as through education by raising awareness about the root causes of poverty which helps us understand the challenges many face. Mission Month provides opportunities for meaningful discussions in our classrooms, challenging us to think critically about how we can contribute to breaking the cycle of disadvantage.
Damien Tomsett
Assistant Principal, Evangelisation and Catechesis
