From the Dean of Identity and Community
Pilgrimage
Most recently I had the opportunity to visit India and Ireland with Senior Leaders from other EREA schools throughout Australia as part of a pilgrimage to look at the work of the Brothers in India and our founders in Ireland. While in India we visited schools in Kolkata and Delhi and had a profound spiritual experience in Varanasi. Next year as part of our India Immersion we will visit the St Joseph’s and St Georges schools in Kolkata which is two of the schools I had a chance to see. St Joseph’s is a fee paying Edmund Rice school with students predominately from Hindu backgrounds.
The fees the students pay support the neighbouring school called St George's which educates students who are living on the streets surrounding the school. On one of the afternoons we were walked around the local streets by Br Franco who took us to where some of the students live. There was a young girl by the name of Mya who walked with us and Brother Franco shared her story. She is in Year 6 but she is 15 years old and missed a large amount of school in her life trying to earn for her family. He brother is in prison and there are days when she travels two hours in both directions to see him in prison and take food to him. She has an ambition to be a police officer. She was a humble young woman who went out of her way to show us hospitality.
Br Franco knew the story of each and every person he took us to and this harks back to the mission of the brothers to be present and provide education that liberates. Next year our students will have the same opportunities to form relationships and hear the story of both the St Joseph’s and St George's students.
Next week I will share with you our experience in the Ganges and the deep sense of spirituality experienced before following the footsteps of Edmund and Nano Nagle in Ireland.
Year 9 Rite of Passage
A reminder to our Year 9 Parents to register for the Rite of Passage Evening through Parent Portal. This is a significant event in your son's journey and we look forward to seeing all of our parents there. The Rite of Passage Ceremony will be held in ERPAC on Tuesday 29 October and conclude with a Smoking Ceremony on the oval to mark the students’ transition into Senior School. The ceremony will end with an opportunity for parents and sons to personally connect with each other as part of the closing ritual.
Students are requested to wear their formal uniform, including college blazer and tie.
Logistics | Students
All Year 9 students are to remain at the College after 3pm until the beginning of the ceremony. They will go through activities with Heads of House and preparation for ceremony. Students are not to leave the campus as they will go straight into activities. There will be a sausage sizzle before the ceremony for the students.
Logistics | Parents
5pm arrival for a 5.30pm start. The Ceremony should conclude by 6.30pm.
MR PAUL CORFIELD
Dean of Identity and Community