From the Dean of Identity and Community
A warm welcome to all Laurie’s families, as collectively we embark on a milestone year together. I invite you to reflect, what has filled our TV news bulletins and our newspapers over the last few weeks? We have heard and read a barrage of statements and boasts made by the newly installed President of the United States of America. They add up to his manifesto of what he intends to do in the course of his term of office. This leaves me wondering, how much does that have in common with the manifesto of Jesus? How does his words reflect those of Jesus?
Such a reflection challenges me to ask myself whether I reflect to others, by the way in which I live, that I am grateful to God for all I am and have, and that I am committed to living the Good News.
The St Laurence’s College Faith-in-Action Program, under the Charism of Blessed Edmund Rice, commits each year to a social justice agenda to provide justice and care for the forgotten and overlooked of our community, the marginalized and downtrodden, or those simply needing a helping hand. Our students, through their service to others, are called to be the Good News- the very meaning of the word “Gospel.” They do this proudly through the various service initiatives across the calendar year that assist in broadening their understanding of the real world, and act as agents of change against injustice; something our founder Edmund Rice spent his lifetime in pursuit of. A small snapshot of opportunities exist in our Student Development Program, where Year 10 student take time out of their day to serve a variety of charities, schools and organisations. They exist in our extensive House Charities where each House is strongly linked to various organisations where often students are collecting donations, or volunteering their time to help community. And they exist in our Edmund Rice Society, and Mini-Vinnie’s groups, where contemporary problems are solved by contemporary thinkers!
To provide context, I read recently that a woman in Nicaragua gets eleven cents for sewing together a pair of blue jeans that are sold for over $20. That company made $566 million in profits on those jeans in one year. One out of every five Ugandan children will not live to age five because they do not have simple, primary health care. This disparity between rich and poor occurs not just in Nicaragua and not just in Uganda. There are hurts to heal in our own community. There are poor people here. There are homeless people here. There are struggling people here. There are lonely people here. There are hurts that need to be healed!
So circling back to President Trump’s political manifesto, and in consideration of the injustices we see in our community, you may be left asking; “What can I do? What can my child do? Can we be the ones who stand in the gap between the way things are and the way things can be?”
The message for us is that we, too, as a Laurie’s community, have been abundantly blessed by God, and each of us have an opportunity to be the ‘head, heart and hands’ that bring life to those who need it most in our community. I look forward to seeing many students, staff, and indeed parents and friends, participating in our many Faith-In-Action opportunities this year.
MR LACHLAN HESHUSIUS
Dean of Identity and Community (Acting)