Religion News: Catholic Education Week

Catholic Education Week commences tomorrow, Friday the 27^th of May. Catholic Education Week is about celebrating the excellent teaching and learning across Catholic Education.  The Theme for Catholic Education Week is taken from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 16.

 “Go out into the world and spread the Good News to all creation.”

 In one form or another, the command to go everywhere and tell everyone appears in all four gospels as well as in the Acts of the Apostles (Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:46-48, John 20:21 and Acts 1:8). Over the last two hundred years, the command has come to be known as the "Great Commission." The Great Commission in Mark's gospel indicates something of its importance. With just 16 chapters, Mark is the shortest of the gospels (at 28 chapters, Matthew is the longest). Some things in the other gospels do not appear in Mark. For example, Mark says nothing about Jesus' birth or childhood. Thus, it seems that, to Mark, the Great Commission was more significant than the Christmas story. Biblical passages such as "I am sending you," "Be my witnesses to the ends of the earth," and "Go make disciples of all nations" all state that same command. The mission Jesus gave to his Apostles must have sounded totally impossible, beyond their comprehension: “Go out into the world and spread the good news to all creation.” They, were a group with so many limitations, they had even drawn back at the moment of crisis, and now they were entrusted with the mission of Jesus himself. Perhaps even more astounding is the fact that they did carry out this mission, and we, together with so many others, are the beneficiaries of their faith and trust in Jesus.

The first Catholic school in Australia was founded in October 1820, by an Irish Catholic priest John Therry. The school, which Catholic historians believe was in Hunter Street, Parramatta, New South Wales taught 31 students.  The first Catholic School in Victoria was founded in 1842, St Mary’s School in Williamston. It is the oldest continuously operating Catholic school in Victoria.

Our school, St Mary’s Catholic Primary School was established in 1918 by the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart. 

A Prayer For Catholic Education Week

Loving God, We thank you for our Catholic school communities in the Diocese of Sale.

We pray that we may walk ‘the way of the gospel’ together, as we accompany each other in our learning this year. May the Holy Spirit guide us and give us new eyes, new ears and open hearts, helping us to bring your love to all we encounter.

Mary, mother of the living gospel, pray for us.

We ask this prayer through Jesus our Lord and teacher.

Amen.

Kind Regards,

Sue Benc