Principal's Message

Ash Wednesday and Lent

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent in the Church, a period of repentance and renewal which leads to Easter. A period of 40 days which reminds us of the time Jesus spent in the desert fasting and being tested.

Lent is a time where we are provided the opportunity to focus more on our daily lives in 3 specific areas; prayer, fasting and giving to charitable works. We are challenged to think about our relationship with God and to focus on others less fortunate.

The College Community marked the beginning of Lent with our Ash Wednesday liturgy in the Hall. A different ceremony this year, where staff and students were invited to have the ashes sprinkled on their heads (COVID measures given from the Vatican) a time when we shared in prayer and reflections. Ashes are an ancient symbol of repentance and renewal. The blessed palms used in the previous Palm Sunday liturgy are burnt to create the ashes. They remind us of the uncertainty of human life and new beginnings. 

This year Pope Francis gave Catholics around the world a different perspective on fasting, more than just the traditional form of abstinence. His words went something like this…

Fast from hurting words and say kind words.

Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.

Fact from anger and be filled with patience.

Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.

Fast from worries and trust God.

Fast from complaints; contemplate simplicity.

Fast from pressures and be prayerful.

Fast from bitterness; fill your hearts with joy.

Fast from selfishness and be compassionate.

Fast from grudges and be reconciled.

Fast from words; be silent and listen.

There is much we can take from these words, even if we just focus on one line a day over the next 40 days. Or perhaps we focus on one or two lines for the entire period. Whichever way we want to engage, one thing is certain, at the very worst, we come out of this period as better people and hopefully in a closer relationship with God the creator of all of us.

I am continually grateful for my vocation as a teacher in a Catholic school and am challenged every day to see the face of Jesus in all my dealings with people here at the College. A challenge I hope to improve upon, especially during this Lenten period.

God bless