Easter celebrates the rising of Jesus from the dead. As we approach Easter we commemorate Holy Week and travel through the journey of Jesus last week before his death. The celebration of Easter comes after the season of Lent, where fasting, prayers and almsgiving have been our focus. This enables us to renew our spirit and focus on what is important in our lives. It also prepares us well for the time of celebration and hope. The joy that new life can bring along with a renewal of our spirit and a renewed commitment to living a life that reflects the values and practices of our faith.

Here at St John’s we have celebrated with an Easter liturgy. I encourage all our community to take this opportunity to connect with your local parish, the Holy Week calendar for Nowra is attached to this newsletter and more details can be found on websites.

ST JOHN'S AS A CATHOLIC COMMUNITY

So here at St John's we are a catholic community. 

We are in the season of Lent, a time of reflection and renewal, when we are called to prayer and giving alms to support others less fortunate than ourselves. 

Soon we will be celebrating Easter, the season of joy, a time of celebration.

Sharing these seasons indicates that we are a catholic school but: what really makes us a catholic school?

• Is it the prayers and liturgies that we share?
• Is it listening to and reflecting on the words of Jesus in the Gospels?
• Is it our concerted attempt to always be mindful of catholic social teachings, such as our current focus on the Dignity of each human person?
• Is it the school values that we embed in all we do?
• Is it our unrelenting focus on peaceful relationships that aligns with our school motto Pax Christi?
• Or is it our physical environment with many representations of the holy cross?

And then there is our chapel that was built by the hands of our students and staff. In this chapel we have shared so many special times as a faith filled community.

For me personally there was one time when I felt the presence of our God amongst the people gathered there in the chapel. I was with a Year 10 group as they mourned the death of one of our students who had died in a bus accident the day before. The student's best mate *Pete was a keen sportsman, a passionate footballer and cricket player. His grief was deep but he wrapped himself in the warmth of his classmates and openly prayed with their support to God. He entrusted his best mate to God and asked God to support them. Such a precious time to be present and this was clearly a catholic school community.

A catholic school is not a building, but it is a place where catholic values and teachings guide our actions. And there are many other aspects to what makes us a catholic school.

Last week there was a volleyball game. We all wore mufti and donated to the St Vincent de Paul Flood appeal. On this day students gave their time to write a message of support from them personally to other young people in the flood affected areas.

Last week we celebrated here in the hall with games and fundraising and music to take time to raise our awareness of those less fortunate who can use our support through Project Compassion.

This faith in action is what indicates a good catholic school: A community where people live their faith.

On our open night recently our young people showcased their pride in our school and invited others to join our community with such an authentic display of the value of hospitality.

Late at night as the showcase was closing, the classroom doors were locking and school was falling into darkness. I closed the hall doors with a feeling of warmth and pride. As I walked past the science labs and a young man approached me with his family beside him. And as I saw his face I was taken back to that day in the chapel, it was *Peter. 

We talked about the school and his time at St John’s. We walked together to look at the memorial here in the school gardens of *Peter's best mate. *Peter was there with his wife and his child. He was looking to offer the catholic school community which had formed him to his own children.

This catholic school is ours, it is not the buildings, it IS the people. We, each and every one of us IS the catholic church and we are called as a part of this catholic school to be the face of Jesus to everyone that we encounter.

This is what a makes a catholic school.

St John’s is a special catholic community, may we always value this and show our gratitude in all our actions.