Assistant Principal - Mission
Last week I had the great pleasure of accompanying 6 dedicated Year 11 students to Street Retreat 2023 in Brisbane - a unique CSO facilitated hands-on program, which not only promotes school evangelization and catechesis but also fosters a compassionate commitment to living as Christian disciples within our community.
The Street Retreat program, through volunteer outreach with the marginalized, enabled our students to witness firsthand the challenges faced by those living on the margins of society – individuals experiencing financial disadvantage, homelessness, abuse, and more.
During the retreat, I was profoundly impressed by the willingness of our students to step outside their comfort zones. They embraced the opportunity to offer much-needed support and compassion to those in need. It was heartwarming to see them channel their energy and enthusiasm into making a positive difference in the lives of others. Street Retreat has been a transformative experience for our Year 11 students. It has enriched their understanding of social justice and nurtured their compassion for those in need. We hope that this experience will continue to inspire them to be lifelong advocates for the marginalized and empower them to live as Christian disciples within our wider community.
Individual Student Reflections
Riley Andrews
Street retreat really put into perspective how lucky I am and how grateful I am for the wonderful people and opportunities in my life. It made me realise that these people doing it tough are genuine people who have run into unfortunate circumstances and upon this, I discovered nothing should be taken for granted.
One major thing I took away from the trip was serving in Rosie’s Sunshine Coast Ministry. I spoke to a man who had been asked a few minutes before if he had found housing yet. His response was “Yes, but I’m okay in my car, I’d rather know that someone worse off than me would have the housing.” That in particular really stuck with me as he was obviously struggling, but he still had enough compassion and kindness in his heart to put others before himself. Hearing that was an overdue reality check (I realised that some of my complaints are truly just complaints, there are so many bigger problems out there), and I’m very thankful to have had the chance to hear it.
Overall, Street Retreat is an experience that I was honoured to be a part of and would most definitely recommend to anyone. Not only is it an opportunity to become aware of the injustice in our communities, Street Retreat also provides wonderful opportunities to help find practical solutions to these problems while meeting some amazing people along the way.
Flynn Oates
First off I'd have to say that Street Retreat was a truly great experience, from being able to actually get out and help people in need to meeting new people and everything else in between. While at first it was a bit of a challenge to get out of my comfort zone and acknowledge my own predetermined stereotypical beliefs about homeless people, I quickly discovered that these people were all genuine good people with some sad, unfortunate stories. After getting over the initial nerves I was able to actively get out there and get involved in face-to-face genuine conversations with the patrons as they shared some touching stories with me.
On the first day Riley and I were in one of the first groups to actually go out and help at the ministries. We visited the ministry ‘Street Level’ where we were tasked with handing out meals to the patrons and talking with them. I remember walking in the front doors of this place and immediately being shocked out how many people there were, to be quite frank I found it fairly confronting and eye opening. While handing out the meals and talking with the patrons it was very evident how grateful these people were to be inside with some warm food and to have us helping them out. Even just having a conversation with them really seemed to brighten their day.
After this there was probably the most beautiful chapel service I have ever been a part of. People shared their stories and although everyone's singing was a bit out of tune, (my attempt of singing included,) they were together and they were all truly grateful for this community that they had. Throughout this trip there were many other experiences like this that I experienced, Rosies being the most memorable one for me as I experienced another closely knit community like Street Level. I would have to say, although it was difficult getting out of my comfort zone, talking with these people and helping them was the greatest highlight of the trip. Just seeing their faces lighting up and being truly grateful for our help will stick with me forever.
While this trip was good it was also a real eye opener for me, to see these people genuinely struggling for things that I take for granted everyday has really made me more grateful for everything I experience in my day to day life. I now plan to join as many social justice teams that I can outside and inside school to give a helping hand wherever I can. Overall, it was a great experience and I have gained so much perspective about those people who experience genuine hardship and disadvantage. I would highly recommend Street Retreat to any student interested in expanding their understanding of social justice and learning practical ways to help those less fortunate.
Will Nulty
For me Street Retreat was an amazing experience that allowed me to connect with new and amazing people and created strong bonds with those sharing the experience with me. Coming into this I’d have to say I was scared beyond belief of what was going to happen and who I’d meet, but within minutes of arriving at the Youth Hostel, in Brisbane I already knew this trip was going to be AMAZING. We arrived on Thursday at around lunch, after a very comfortable drive up (special thanks to Mrs Gennat for keeping us safe and well looked after), and went to get some lunch from the shopping centre across the street. After our rather ‘brutal’ attack on a roast Chook we went back to the Hostel. We met the lovely team that would be supporting us over the coming days and started to get to know each other. After a rather long briefing, we were finally able to get to our rooms and meet our roommates (who were students from other schools in the Diocese that we had never met before). After a quick chat we were straight into the action, with my first team doing a little trip near Brisbane's Southbank, with a sneaky little ride on the Ferris Wheel to count solar panels (huge thanks to Andrew who let us go for a quick spin). The second day saw me waking up early to go to Eddie’s Van, which is a group that feeds the city’s homeless population with generous help from one of the local boys schools. We provided food and a chat to those who had been doing it tough. I then went to St Vincent De Paul's Warehouse in South Brisbane and spent the whole day having fun and sorting clothes and items to go off to either other countries or into the shops throughout the Brisbane LGA. That evening each group was challenged to act out a scene from a movie for a bit of light hearted fun, and in my personal opinion, my team won. Over the next few days we enjoyed many challenging but nonetheless rewarding experiences. It was sad to say goodbye to all my new friends but I look forward to seeing them again. I highly recommend Street Retreat to everyone and I will never forget the experience or the people because of it.
Koko Nichols
Street Retreat is the most heartwarming and heartbreaking school activity that I have ever done. Travelling to Brisbane for 4 days, I never anticipated the ways that I would be moved. From the students from other schools that we met, to the Mission Assistants, the people organising our ministries, and those that we helped, I’d like to say that they have all changed me in tiny, effective ways. My highlights for the trip are definitely the different ministries that I participated in. I went to Eddie’s Van, the St Vincent De Paul Society, Ignite High and Catholic EarthCare. If I had to shortlist this, it would have to be Eddie’s Van and our final debrief session. Waking up at 4:40 am, we left for St Joseph’s College to participate in an initiative that served a hot breakfast for homeless and houseless people. Zach, the man in charge of this mission, made a clear distinction between the homeless and the houseless. Houseless people are those who do not have a designated structure to sleep in at night. These people have to resort to sleeping on the street, under bridges, in tents. Homelessness, on the other hand, affects those that do have a place to stay (eg. a unit, apartment, or shelter) but experience poverty and do not have people to support them. These people lack friends, family, someone to confide in. Therefore, by giving these people a sausage and egg sandwich, a waterproof jacket, and a blanket at Eddie’s Van, we offer them a tiny moment of solidarity. Serving strangers breakfast humbled me greatly. It was beautiful to see that I could do something so simple and so meaningful. But it also highlighted the fact that anybody can end up in this situation. At the breakfast, I met a person called Leia, a Turkish migrant who only entered Australia 2 weeks ago. He didn’t speak any English (his story was told to me by another at breakfast) and was experiencing homelessness with his wife and two children. To this man, his worries concern how his family are going to eat, how they can stay warm during the winter nights, whether his children will be able to find an education, and trying to seek assistance in a language he doesn’t speak. The threat that these people face on the daily absolutely broke my heart. At that moment, my concerns - my birthday present, getting my P-plates, going well in my Maths test - all seemed selfish. It was hard leaving these people knowing that I could sleep in a bunk bed that night and wake up to breakfast and friends. But our final debrief session reminded me of what we should take from this experience.
Sunday, our final day, saw us come together to celebrate Mass and engage in a final group reflection. Kate Nestor, the wonderful woman in charge of Street Retreat concluded our final gathering by reminding us of something important. She told us to not feel guilty about our own privilege. We need to return to our communities willing to help those in need, and believing in social justice. Our experience of empathy towards these people proves that change can be made; and that it is as simple as cooking sausages and buttering bread! Street Retreat makes the inaccessible accessible. It brings to light the injustices that people face in a country where many of us ignore homeless people begging on the side of the street. The children who have to sleep in tents night after night, the elderly who can’t find support after a life of supporting others, the impoverished who have to choose between food and rent, we keep them out of sight and mind. This mission was about bringing people together and offering our time for a greater cause. We needn’t feel guilty about our privilege. Instead, we should endeavour to make it possible for others to experience our privilege too.
Street Retreat is really the best school activity that I have ever done. If you want to make incredible memories, make devastatingly heartwarming relationships, and be moved into meaningful and significant action, I invite Year 11 students to pick up an application form when they come out in 2024.
Lauren Gibbeson
Going to Street Retreat I was a little unsure what to expect and what I would take away from it. After taking on that experience I can say that Street Retreat is the best school trip I’ve been on and it was a real eye-opener to what our Australian community is like. Every person that went to Street Retreat has not a bad thing to say and wants to help our community after the experience. Meeting so many people that are there for the same reason made it easy to make friends across the Diocese. One of my highlights of the trip was going to Andy’s Place at St Andrews Uniting Church on Saturday morning. I was in the setting up and serving group where we set up a hall with around 20 tables with tablecloths, cutlery, cups and napkins to look like a big restaurant. We created this space for the homeless, rough sleepers, and people who couldn’t afford a meal, to come together and sit down to have a 2 course meal together as if it was a real restaurant where they could receive a free meal. It surprised me to see that a lot of these people coming in for a meal weren’t dressed looking like they had it tough. Everyone I encountered was nice and made me realise how big of a stereotype around homeless people there is, although in some cases it was correct. I really felt for what these people were going through and some of them were just so kind you’d wonder how or why someone like them would be in such a difficult situation they are in. I feel so inspired from the compassion these volunteers have, giving up their time every week to give back to their community. Even building relationships with the regulars! Seeing the kindness between these people sitting down together having a meal makes me question how humans have so much greed when they can be giving as little as their time back to those in need. This retreat has made me have a second opinion on society and drop some of the judgement I have on those I've never met. Though I had many highlights from this trip, I found it challenging when talking to some of these people and seeing the emotional reality of those in need of help. When I was serving coffee in the hall this old man came to ask for a coffee. When he saw my name badge he said he had a granddaughter named Laura back at home, and started to break down in tears. I didn’t know his situation. I didn’t know if he still lived at home and saw Laura, or if he lived in his car or on the streets. But seeing this man break down in front of someone he doesn’t even know over a similar name reminding him of something good he has or had in his life was really heartbreaking and made me feel so much sympathy for not just him, but every person who was in similar situations not being able to afford a meal. I realised how grateful I should be of my own fortune and how we all take things for granted, like having a warm bed to go home to each day and just be able to afford enough meals each day to not go hungry. At the end of each day we had a debrief with whoever was at the hostel at the time and not at a ministry. This allowed us to go through what everyone experienced, giving everyone an understanding of what these ministries are like even if they weren’t there. Being put into rooms with complete strangers forced us to talk to these strangers and become good friends with them. Even walking or driving to and from ministries I feel everyone made so many friendships and everyone got along so well. On Saturday night we had our Vinnies dressup and runway ( Will definitely earned best dressed male as Trev the pub grandpa) and everyone had so much fun playing with hotwheels in the hallways, getting ready together (including putting makeup and dresses on the boys), walking the catwalk, singing and dancing to music.
With all that said this whole retreat was a whole different experience for me, being both physically and mentally demanding. I have a lot to take away from it, including meeting so many amazing people. It has shown me how we can all be more kind and compassionate for the less fortunate in our community, and how making a bond with someone is so easy when you have something in common. I definitely would recommend this to next year’s year 11s as it has such a great impact on a change of perspective.
Ty Stephenson
Street Retreat for me was an experience that ultimately changed the way that I act and think of both myself and the people around me, it was a transformative journey that exposed me to homelessness and different aspects of poverty and how others live. This experience allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and witness firsthand the struggles faced by those living on the streets.
During the street retreat, I temporarily abandoned the comforts and privileges of my everyday life and immersed myself in the world of the homeless. I walked the same streets, slept in the same city. This experience showed me how people can make a difference in others lives through the generosity of strangers for basic necessities. Through this experience, I gained a deeper understanding of the daily challenges faced by individuals experiencing homelessness, such as finding shelter, food, and safety.
One of the most impactful aspects of the street retreat was the connections I formed with people who were homeless. I had the opportunity to engage in conversations and listen to their stories. Their resilience, strength, and resourcefulness in the face of adversity left a lasting impression on me. It shattered the way I look at people and reminded me of the humanity in every person, regardless of their circumstances.
This experience forced me to confront my own biases and judgments. It made me reflect on the privileges and opportunities I had taken for granted in my life. I became more conscious of the impact of my actions and choices on others, and I developed a greater sense of empathy and compassion.
Below are some of the ministries that we participated in while at Street Retreat:
| Rosies - Rosies aims to offer friendship and unconditional acceptance to those who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or are experiencing social isolation or loneliness. Just as you would offer a cup of tea or coffee to a friend who was visiting your home, we do the same for our friends on the street. |
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| Emmanuel City Mission - is a ministry of Emmauel Community and was established in 2009 to serve the vulnerable of Brisbane. Originally named Blind Eye Ministries, the ministry was created as a volunteer, street-based outreach service and from 2014 a place-based sanctuary at 19 Merivale Street in South Brisbane. They are open 7 days a week to serve our brothers and sisters. Monday to Friday from 7am to 3pm, Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 1pm. |
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| Catholic Earthcare - In the spirit of Laudato Si’, Catholic Earthcare works with communities and individuals across Australia to create Earthcarers - a network of living Laudato Si’ communities across Australia. They do this by developing and delivering Earthcare Programs, Earthcare Formation and Earthcare Advocacy, and by working with Earthcare Partners, to build an Earthcare Network across Australia in schools, parishes and communities. |
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| The Romero Centre - provides warm welcome and the right support for people seeking asylum. Their individualised case management service enables people seeking asylum to access the right mix of support and expertise. They provide and connect asylum seekers living in Brisbane with practical support (like food and shelter), legal connections, English classes, medical care, trauma counselling, community events and more. |
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| Street Level - A centre run by the Salvation Army where people can feel safe to drop in. The emphasis is to have warm, hearty meals around the table, Chapel services and fun activities. They aim to provide a community that is supportive and strong. Their Mission is to be a place where all people are valued, accepted and loved. This reveals the heart of Street Level and what they are all about. |
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Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA) - Tim Cox, a farmer at Yandoit near Ballarat, began CVA in 1982 as a small group planting trees on weekends. Forty years later, Conservation Volunteers Australia is the nation’s leading practical environmental group, with thousands of volunteers right across Australia rolling up their sleeves for nature. Their vision of a world where nature and people flourish together drives everything they do at CVA. Activities include big community clean-up and planting events all the way through to citizen science projects that anyone can do anywhere, anytime. |
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| Andy’s Place - An organisation run by St Andrew’s Uniting Church that supports the vulnerable and homeless in Brisbane City by providing a 2-course sit-down meal, essential clothing and toiletries, and giving a sense of community to those living on the margins in society. |
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| St Vincent de Paul - the Society is a lay Catholic organisation that aspires to live the gospel message by serving Christ in the poor with love, respect, justice, hope and joy, and by working to shape a more just and compassionate society. The St Vincent de Paul Society aspires to be recognised as a caring Catholic charity offering “a hands up” to people in need. They do this by respecting their dignity, sharing our hope, and encouraging them to take control of their own destiny. |
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| Ignite High - believe in real-world evangelisation; revealing Jesus Christ through ministry of authentic relationships. By engaging young people where they’re at and empowering them to use their God-given gifts to see young people not just changed for a day but transformed for life. | |
| Missionaries of Charity Soup Kitchen - The Missionaries of Charity is a Roman Catholic religious order established in 1950 by Saint Teresa of Calcutta, better known as Mother Teresa. In 2012 it consisted of over 4,500 religious sisters. A member of the congregation must adhere to the vows of chastity, poverty, obedience, and the fourth vow to give “wholehearted free service to the poorest of poor.” |
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Leanne Gennat
Assistant Principal - Mission