By Mrs Carol Sharp, APRE

Feast day of Blessed Frederic Ozanam, September 9.

‘What is your church doing now? Show us your works and we will believe you.’

This was the challenge that Frederic Ozanam received in 1833 during a debate about how the church lives out the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. Ozanam grew up in Paris in the 1800s where poverty was rife and the slums were a place to be avoided. His response to this challenge was to set up the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul which, by the time of his death, numbered upwards of 2,000 members.

This year the challenge has particular meaning for us in our local community. We are gripped by drought and many in our region are suffering from the impact of bushfires. The Gospel calls us to act. We are the church and our faith compels us to live the mission of the Gospel. The prayer of St. Teresa of Avila reminds us that Christ has no hands but ours to do His work.

At school this term, the Saint Vincent de Paul group have certainly been doing His work. These students have organised the canteen that ran at the musical where all profits are being donated to drought relief. And it hasn’t just been this small but dedicated group of young people helping; the whole school community has been involved. Many students who are not part of the SVDP group gave up their night to help out at the canteen. Mrs Stevens’ Cert III Business class have generously donated the profits of their successful business ventures to the cause and the wider community, by supporting these initiatives, have also contributed.

In total we have raised $1500 for the term!

Well done to our students and to everyone who helped.

Bushfire Appeal

This morning our College leaders organised a sausage sizzle and ‘sports uniform’ day to raise money for victims of the bushfires that have affected our region. Thank you to all community members who were able to support them in their efforts to do something practical for those who are struggling.

We would like to thank Saturn Electrical for their kind donation, and a very big thank you to Woolworths Warwick for donating the sausages, onions, sauce and bread, which meant 100% of the money raised goes to the appeal.

In all instances mentioned above it has been the students that are the driving force for action. They are committed to caring for one another and caring for the earth. They are the hands and feet of God and they are the ‘eyes with which Christ looks compassion into the world.’

What a hope-filled future we have with these young people leading the way.