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Speak words of comfort…

Dear members of the Whitefriars College Family,

Every morning over tea and toast, I have a quick flick through the paper to ensure I keep up with the news of the day. I have to say it is not often an uplifting experience. Concerning issues on a global, national and local level, dominate. Issues we cannot shy away from or ignore. Issue too which must be confronted, understood and acted upon. Even my beloved bombers have not given me cause for much joy in recent times!

In the midst of all this we are in the season of Lent in our Church Calendar. A season where we are supposed to stop, reflect and prepare for that most hope filled of moments in our Church; Easter. But in these troubling times it is hard to feel hopeful.

Our good friend Pope Francis encourages us to be hope-filled people during this time. In his Lenten message Francis tells us…

“In these times of trouble, when everything seems fragile and uncertain, it may appear challenging to speak of hope. Yet Lent is precisely the season of hope, when we turn back to God who patiently continues to care for his creation.”

But how is this possible when things appear a little bleak? The answer, Francis believes, lay in the idea of reconciliation. He says that if we seek forgiveness from God and from those we have wronged, we in turn can spread forgiveness to others. So, the challenge Francis provides us during this time is to…speak words of comfort, strength, consolation, and encouragement, and not words that demean, sadden, anger or show scorn”.  Easier said than done, I know, but an action which could be quite liberating all the same.

Whitefriars is a place that continues to provide me with a great sense of hope both in the present and for the future. I am filled with hope when I see young men engaging thoughtfully and respectfully in the week of activities and discussion presented to them in recognition and Celebration of International Women’s Day, which occurred this week. I am inspired too, when I see a group of committed students come together, dedicated to the care of our planet as part of our Environmental and Social Justice partnership with Catholic Ladies College (CLC) Eltham. The aim of this group is for students to come together to discuss, plan and complete environment and social justice projects in our communities.

Whitefriars is a place too, where our young men thrive and challenge themselves through a wide range of activities and initiatives. Many of our students have a passion for music, both in front of and behind, the microphone. I would like to highlight three students in particular who not only have supported our music program here at Whitefriars but who also demonstrate their talents for singing and leadership beyond the gates of our school. I would like to congratulate three Whitefriars Boys who have been granted leadership positions in the 2021 National Boys Choir leadership team. Well done to:

  • Sourav Gray – Choir Captain (8S)
  • Lucas Thang  – Prefect (7A)
  • Daniel Joshua – Prefect (7M)

 

Mr Mark Murphy

Principal