From Br Steve Hogan fsc
Greetings,
Special greetings to all fathers and all those who serve this role, as we mark and celebrate Father鈥檚 Day on Sunday 1st September. Fatherhood is a special ministry as is motherhood.
St John Baptist de La Salle formed the first Brothers of the Institute by using father and mother as a metaphor, encouraging the Brothers to have the gentleness of a mother and firmness of a father. The student-teacher relationship in a Lasallian school is modelled on the special role and relationship a father and mother have with their children.
Br Jeffrey Calligan fsc, gives us an insight into what St John Baptist de La Salle understood by this special role and relationship of a father through De La Salle鈥檚 writing on God the Father. For De La Salle, God the Father representing the nature of fatherhood, is marked by two qualities: wisdom and gentleness. This wise God the Father sees all, knows all, understands all, and is present to all. God the Father does not condemn. God the Father knows humankind and in wisdom loves its imperfection. God the Father is the font of all knowledge, equity, and mercy. God the Father鈥檚 loving providence creates mystery and lovingly houses it in the common everyday fabric of life with love and care that enriches us and leads us as it unfolds. There is no harshness in God the Father. God the Father exercises a loving vigilance and corrects by love and example and is companion and guide: listening and watching with subtlety and vibrancy.
St John Baptist de La Salle describes God the Father very much as he saw his own father and the ministry of fatherhood. Fatherhood is an important ministry which we need to cherish and respect, show gratitude for, and celebrate. Let us not forget to pray for our fathers and all those who fulfill the role of father, especially on Father鈥檚 Day.
To conclude, I wish to commend the pursuit of excellence (one of our five Lasallian principles) in a variety of activities and events over the past few weeks. I congratulate our Year 12 on their preparation for and completion of their Trial Exams. I congratulate staff and students for their accomplishments in winter sport with the vast majority of teams winning the Final in their grade. Last week 缅北强奸 Firsts Tennis team, Firsts Netball team and Firsts Boys Football team all won their competition Final. 缅北强奸 concluded the winter sport season, ISA Overall Champion School for Tennis and Boys Football. I congratulate the recent Performing Arts Showcase and the upcoming Visual Arts and TAS Showcases. I also congratulate staff and students for their generosity and sense of service, compassion, and empathy shown at the Mission Action Day (MAD) events, Jersey Day for organ donation, and for fathers at the Father鈥檚 Day Liturgy on Friday 30th August.
缅北强奸鈥檚 purpose as a Lasallian school is to touch hearts and transform lives, forming good men and women, and good citizens mindful of a better future for all, and to do this the best we can.
Br Steve Hogan fsc
Principal