PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
As we come to the end of Week 3 of the 2020 school year I thank you all for the smooth start. I also acknowledge that some of our community have had significant issues with either the fires or the rain. We live in a beautiful and unpredictable country. While we prayed for rain to ease the damage and destruction of the drought, which was then followed by the fires, we had our prayers answered. What we didn’t want was record breaking rain in such a short period of time. A number of Staff had difficulties getting to school and some of our families had home damage. But as always, the resilience of the Australian people will see us through.
We were also all shocked and saddened by the news of the tragic deaths of the three Abdallah children Sienna, Angelina, and Antony and their cousin Veronique Sakr recently. But one thing that has inspired many in the wake of this tragic accident is the response of the three sibling’s parents to their loss.
Leila, the children’s mother spoke of her heartbreak, of her hope for fairness in the courts, but also of her forgiveness. Yet she did so without any sense of superficiality or hollowness. Her forgiveness was real, and it was real because it acknowledged the immense pain she was experiencing but also of her knowledge that her faith asked this forgiveness of her. I wonder at the strength of this woman in such trying and devastating times. I wonder how we would have reacted?
This message of forgiveness has now been spread all over the country through her interview and last Saturday a further vigil took place, in the torrential rain, in the grounds at Westmead Hospital for the return to health of the remaining injured child - who is still in a coma.
In this, Leila has shown us a living example of Jesus’ in the world today. She did not let the light of her faith die even in the midst of such an horrific event, but she let it shine for all our nation to see. And this light has since spread with prayers and vigils being offered for the family – to which we should join our own prayers.
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD VISITS JOHN THERRY
Last year we had our Federal Member Dr Freelander attend the school to celebrate our students and their work in bio-technology. Last week the SMH attended the launch of our ‘radio telescope’ project being undertaken by students over the coming months. The science faculty is keen to see what results the students manage to obtain with their DIY telescope.
Below is a link to the article published in the Herald.
ONE WILD AND PRECIOUS LIFE
Each year there is a theme for all Marist schools to work with and reflect upon. In 2020 the theme is ‘one wild and precious life’. In last weeks Newsletter the theme was introduced and we published the letter from Mr Tony Clarke, Director of Marist Mission and Life Formation. In it he writes ….”At its heart, it is a question that invites us to look at who we are, the lives that we are living and our place in the world. Our response to this question can take us on a journey of understanding about what brings greater freedom and meaning in our lives …”
I believe that the students at John Therry are as good as any that I have taught in any school, but I am not sure if they believe that. Looking at and reflecting on our one wild and precious life puts things into perspective. Young people need to be ambitious. As an old teacher/mentor of mine used to say …’if you aim for the stars you never know where you will end up, but if you aim for the gutter you are sure to succeed’.
So why not have a talk to your child about taking advantage of a wild and precious life.
