Principals Reflection

“A man who was completely innocent, offered himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including his enemies, and became the ransom of the world. It was a perfect act.” This quote by Mahatma Gandhi epitomises the central theme of Holy Week – God’s unqualified love for us as expressed by Jesus’ sacrifice on Good Friday. The stories associated with Holy Week are central to our Christian faith. They are stories that reflect qualities that would appeal to any Hollywood producer: love, drama and deceit followed by betrayal leading to the horrific death of the main character, which culminates in a surprising and wonderful ‘twist’ to the end of the tale with the main character’s return from the grave. The stories associated with Holy Week are central to our Christian faith.

We celebrated Palm Sunday during our morning assembly yesterday. We can only gain a glimpse of Jesus’ feelings as he rode into Jerusalem, knowing that the same people welcoming him with joyous acclaim would turn on him and demand his death by Friday. How often have we turned on those who bring news that does not accord with our own selfish desires? Are we ‘Palm Sunday people’ in all situations? - Do we allow our own concerns to predominate our relationships so that we become ‘Good Friday people’, diminishing others and being unproductive regarding supporting key values such as respect, compassion, hospitality and mercy? One of the many humbling experiences that my involvement with others in my role over the past 15 years has been, is that I am now far more reticent to react narrowly and ‘authoritatively’ to the traits, behaviours and actions that ‘annoy’ me in others, because, upon even the most brief and cursory self-reflection, I more often than not possess the very traits; teaching me to take that much needed deep breath and learn to respond respectively, whilst also endeavouring to change within. One Holy Week message that resonates for me is the redeeming quality of compassion and the strength of those who display compassion regardless of circumstance.

We will continue to work hard to ensure St Patrick’s becomes an even stronger example of a W.E.S.T. school, because W.E.S.T. values are Gospel values, and our mission, as a Catholic school, is to educate the whole person. Thank you to all the parents, students and staff who share this mission. Tomorrow’s Project Compassion Fruit and Rice Day and Project Compassion coin box line is a call for action to allow children to put words into action – and we all know that words without actions result in hollow promises, which is contrary to the Lenten message. Gandhi, whose quote began this report, at one point in his early life apparently seriously considered the Christian faith due to his reading of Jesus, however, he was so disappointed with the actions of those who professed to be Christian, that he devoted his considerable gifts and energies into living out his own faith, to great positive influence. Thank-you to all in our school community who strive to ensure their individual actions speak volumes about their character and by their support of WEST and Mercy values that are ultimately supportive of our school-based resolve to affirm staff welfare and student outcomes – we would be astounded by how our everyday actions and choices have a profound effect on our children for whom we ‘serve’ and support.

 Regards,

 Rod Linhart

(Principal)