ST MARY’S COLLEGE CLOSING MASS 2011. 15/11/11/ 6PM
(extended version)
Tonight, we have so much for which to give thanks!
It has been an excellent year, filled with so much hard work and wonderful events… and truly excellent teaching and learning.
We thank God for the gifts and graces experienced in and through St Mary’s College this year.
It is always an honour and a pleasure to work with Principal Mrs Joy Massingham and all the staff, the students and their families. It is a great community and I know the wider Catholic parish family, represented here tonight, always takes great pride and interest in the developments of the college.
The readings for tonight are a timely reminder; as our year twelves leave us to continue along their grand journey of life; --// and as the rest of the school continues along its important educational journey….
At St Mary’s you have been given a firm foundation in education. An education for life and an education in Christian faith as well. The two go wonderfully together.
The formation of students as whole human beings, (integrating knowledge, values, faith and justice), is the goal of that Christian Education.
I congratulate College captains: Padraic O’Connell and Danielle Waterson for their leadership and representation at many events in the community throughout the year and particularly their Awards Night speeches. In their speeches, they captured so much of the values and vision of this college. I was particularly taken by Padraic’s quote from Poet, William Butler Yeats: “education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire To continue along that line….. Christianity is not merely a “filling up to the brim” of knowledge about Jesus (and who he is and what he did)….. but rather, it’s about a life of integrity based on that knowledge of Christ and even more… it’s about being “set alight” by Christ and burning with compassion, love and care.
This goal is summed up in your College Motto, which has always intrigued me and made me ponder deeply. I think is very apt. “INTEGITY AND KNOWLEDGE!”
English author and moralist Samuel Johnson once said: “Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous …..”
“INTEGITY AND KNOWLEDGE!” - The two complement and counter-balance each other.
St Mary’s seeks to respect the dignity of everyone, recognise the responsibility of all people, and inspires people to see their lives in terms of generous service of God and neighbour and the wider community. And we thank God for the many signs of this through this last year.
The first reading tonight goes to the very heart of what it means for us to be Christian people. To be people of “love”. For when we show Christian love and concern for those around us, we encounter God, because GOD IS love.
But,…..// Isn’t being a caring, loving person the goal of virtually all people of good will, (Christian and non-Christian alike??). In many ways…YES!! . (And after all, Jesus did tell us, “…whoever is not against me, is for me” ?.// So, we give thanks for all the wonderful human values that we share with all people of goodwill. As the second Vatican Council says: “Nothing genuinely human fails to raise an echo in Christian’s hearts.”[i]
So, year twelves.. (and indeed all students).. your education is preparing you, ..// as you go from here with our blessings and prayers,//…. to continue to engage in the community and in the world…. As Christian disciples with a lot to offer.. // You will be affirming all that is good and worthwhile… and supporting all that is consistent with Christ’s gospel.
And then, ///You are also commissioned to (go a step further)… and keep fostering the different values of Jesus’ Gospel, // the values that surprise non-Christians and sometimes, sadly which leads to negativity and ridicule from others. We are called by our Lord to go the extra mile…// To do good without counting the cost. //The give without expecting the return,// to love and to be compassionate and giving and forgiving even when there is no response, because that is how God acts ……
We don’t just settle for less.// We strive to be the best people we can be. We reject any values that lead to the community being selfish, mean-spirited, simplistic and intolerant.
You have probably learnt already (and you will certainly learn time and time again).. that SOME of the values of the world we live in are NOT consistent with the message and teaching of Jesus. The thinking of this world… (much of it enlightened and good) is not ALL enlightened and good…. // And sometimes discerning the difference is not at all easy, because many things in society may be POPULAR, but that does not make them good or right! And yet, that is the basis for so many self-justifications today.
The thing that strikes me about so many GREAT men and women of history… (including many inspiring Saints), such as Saint Mary of the Cross, Mackillop, …. Is that they had such a “fire” in them…// such a “vision”… //So, they knew when to go along with the ways of things.. and they also knew when to turn and stand against the tide of the times.. //
We make no apologies or exaggerations when we say… BE the great men and women of the future… Be the visionaries… the people who support and critique.. and question… and sometimes stand against the tide ….
DO not be afraid of your faith…… or your Christian tradition……. Do not be embarrassed…. Never apologise for it…… and don’t make excuses ……// please, never join the seemingly endless and disappointing line of people you hear on tv and radio saying…. “I was brought up catholic… but…..” (I won’t tell you what I think or say to God when I hear that old “chestnut!”)……Let us not feel hesitant about standing up for values and thinking of the Gospel that are different // (very different)…..// from the thinking of this world.
Don’t be cajoled into silence rather than to critique the “trendy” . Feel inspired to question the clichés and half-baked concepts that the media and society throw up all the time, ..////and which so many people regularly “swallow whole” (without chewing).
Your education has taught you to discern, to question, to research, …//to delve and check …// May this be an enormously powerful instrument for you in your daily life.
There are some things this world cannot understand about the Christian way of thinking and acting. By all means, we embrace the good in society……, //but we, (then), go deeper, think further and pray constantly, ..//and keep connecting with the faith community to be renewed and also challenged, as Jesus’ apostles were so often challenged by him. Because so many of the ways of God are NOT like human thinking.
And, You, the young people of this generation ARE important. The church NEEDS you. The Church values you. And the community needs your contribution too.
Let us be instruments of change and also (at times) instruments of challenge.
May God who has begun this good work in you……// this (at times), counter-cultural and thought-provoking work, // ….May God bring this work in you… to perfection. God bless always.
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