Welcome back to Term 2 and another very busy and lively time at OLMC.
On Easter Monday, the world learnt of the passing of Pope Francis. As a Catholic community, we are now in the nine-day period of mourning. Each day staff and students are invited to share in prayer for Pope Francis. We are now looking forward to the election of a new Pope, and we pray for all the Cardinals who are eligible to vote, that they are guided by the Holy Spirit to elect a Pope who will lead us through the tumultuous times the world finds itself in at the moment.
It is important as a community that we reflect on the legacy Pope Francis has gifted us. His encyclical Fratelli Tutti emphasised the importance of our humanity, reminding us that we are all fellow human beings, no matter our race, colour or faith. Pope Francis spoke powerfully about our role in caring for all of God’s creation. His encyclical Laudato Si' reminds us of our responsibility to care for our common home, the Earth and all who are vulnerable to poverty and displacement.
Furthermore, we saw those words lived in the efforts of Pope Francis towards building bridges rather than walls within our diverse and interconnected world, the ability to listen respectfully to different perspectives and work towards common goals supporting all on the margins.
The final day of official mourning will be Sunday 4 May.
Last week we welcomed home a group of students accompanied by Ms Anita Galli and Ms Megan Edwards from a tour of Italy. No one would have anticipated that students from OLMC would be in Italy at the time of the passing of the Pope. Our students experienced a moment in history that I am sure they will hold in their memories forever. Congratulations to all students who were exemplary ambassadors for OLMC during their tour. We look forward to learning more about their adventures.
This year, in the week beginning Monday 2 June, we are trialing a new approach to the timing of camps and activities for students. It will be a busy week for staff and students but one we hope is energising. We are expecting all students to be fully involved in the activities planned for their year level and look forward to the support of our community.
We hope Term 2 is a successful term for all our students as they challenge themselves to reach new goals and experience all that OLMC has to offer.