Solemnity of Christ, Heart of the Universe

This feast is not about dogma but about history. Situating this feast in its historical context provides a lens to situate ourselves as we come to the end of this year and begin another. This solemnity, like the Feast of the Sacred Heart, is a call to be humanised by feeling the pain and grief of people, known and unknown - particularly those who suffer from oppression, cruelty and exploitation. It is a reminder of our profound interconnection that is intended to bond us to one another. Our failure to grieve miseries, hunger and abuse is a warning signal – we can be betraying our own humanity.

On Thursday 16^th November, the Edmund Rice Centre for Justice and Community Education hosted the 'Fair Play: Exploring the Interaction between Sport, Social Justice and Human Rights Event for Schools' at Santa Sabina College, Strathfield. This event saw 250 students from Years 8 ,9 ,10 and 11 from a range of EREA (Edmund Rice Education Australia) and other partner schools gathered to explore the ways in which sport, social justice and human rights are connected. Read feedbacks from MacKillop Catholic College, St Pius X College Chatswood, Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College and Santa Sabina College. Former Australian Football Captain, lawyer, broadcaster and social justice advocate Craig Foster AM got the day underway as he shared some of his experiences. He reminded us of the fact that we all have power that we can use to act for justice.

Thirty Third Sunday of the Year

In a talk in 2013, Pope Francis urged students to develop the virtue of magnanimity ‘It means having a great heart, having greatness of mind, having great ideals, the desire to do great things in response to what God asks of us. It means also to do well the routine…daily actions, tasks meetings with people—doing the little everyday things with a great heart open to God and to others.’ The woman in Proverbs exhibiting compassion, generosity, hospitality, devotion, and commitment shares her gifts generously with family and the wider community. Her actions were done ‘with a great heart open to God and to others.’ Though some misogynistic interpretations downplay it, she is presented as a ‘woman of power’ where her work is affirmed as examples of strength, not subordination. All people are called to be like the woman of power.