St Mary's School
16th February, 2024
'Lent is a call to renew a commitment grown dull, perhaps, by a life more marked by routine than by reflection.' – Joan Chittister
Kia ora e te whānau,
God's love is for everyone. That was the theme of Room Rūrū's prayers shared on Monday morning. It's always uplifting to hear the children talk about all the different ways they can show our values in their lives. Room Rūrū shows love by using kind words, trying to be 'good today, better tomorrow', caring for others, smiling and saying hello to people they come across. You'll also notice that the art they created to go with their prayers is vibrant and cheerful, just what we need for a Monday morning.
These prayers got me thinking about love and Lent. While I was sitting at my laptop pondering my principal's message, I came across this fantastic reflection from a parishioner of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church of Washington. I'm on a roll this year, coming across plenty of great reflections that sum up these themes for Lent better than I ever could. Roger Sullivan writes ...
'Lent is a time for almsgiving, fasting and prayer. It is also a time when we remember God’s great love for us in the person of Jesus Christ. This Lenten season, we invite you to explore with us, “God is love” and how God invites each of us to love. St. Paul writes in his First Letter to the Corinthians:
Love is patient, love is kind;
love is not jealous or boastful,
it is not arrogant or rude.
Love does not insist on its own way,
it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice at wrong,
but rejoices in the right.
Love bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
(1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
We are not suggesting an exploration of a saccharine kind of love. Rather, a love that “believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7). This is the love God has for each of us. This is the love Jesus expressed in his public ministry, on the road to Calvary and as he hung on the cross. We know that Jesus showed us how to love in a very chaotic time. The land where Jesus walked, taught, healed and preached was in many ways as it still is today. Jesus saw the most vulnerable in society abused and marginalised. In the midst of the Roman occupation, Jesus joined in the people’s struggles and invited them to turn to him: “all you who are weary and find life burdensome, come to me.” (Matthew 11:28)
Jesus was patient and forgiving even when the Roman soldiers were torturing him. He never retaliated. His consciousness was focused on his Father, and he stayed connected to the love he grew up with from his parents, Mary and Joseph. Jesus never lost sight of his own goodness nor the goodness of those who crucified him. Jesus taught us how to love.
We invite you to spend time this Lent with Jesus. By coming to know him more intimately, we can love him more deeply and desire to be more like him in our daily lives. With and through a more intimate relationship with Christ, we can discern how to bring his truth and love into our broken and suffering world.'
Who are the vulnerable, abused and marginalised you can hold in your thoughts and prayers this season of Lent?
Ma te Atua e manaaki - God bless,
Mallory
Principal | Tumuaki
John Parsons - Parent Night Invitation
Kia ora e te Whānau,
We are delighted to welcome John Parsons back to St Peter’s College on Wednesday 28 February. John is a highly experienced and highly regarded Cybersafety expert, who works tirelessly to help people keep themselves and their families safe.
If you missed John speaking at St Mary’s last year and would like to hear him, you are very welcome to join with us at 6.30pm in our school Chapel on Wednesday evening. Instances of sextortion, shaming, and harassment through platforms such as Tik Tok, as well as over sharing of personal information continue to be major concerns across the motu for tamariki and rangatahi and their families. John has worked with those most affected by these issues and is able to share relevant and practical advice on what whānau can do to avoid them or work their way through situations should they arise.
We look forward to hosting John next week and please do come and join with the St Peter’s Whānau at 6.30pm on Wednesday 28 February if you would like to.
Ngā mihi nui,
Bridget Ryan
Deputy Principal Teaching and Learning.
Contact Us
Email: admin@stmarys.school.nz
Website: https://stmarys.school.nz/
Location: 14 Ardwick Street, Gore 9710, New Zealand
Phone: +64 3-208 7733
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1407464649522913