21 May 2020

Adapting to Love and serve

Article by Ms Alicia Deak

Adapting to Love and serve

In Term 2, we have seen the parameters of our learning, working and living spaces shift significantly.

All of us have experience significant shifts in Term 2 to our learning, working and living spaces. Naturally, these shifts have changed the way we live, but also how we love and serve others. While we have already been loving and serving within our family and friendship networks, the opportunity to do so in our local community has been limited by the lockdown.

St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) underwent significant changes in his circumstances throughout his life: his famous cannonball injury; being expelled from Jerusalem; and even being imprisoned. While these events seem quite remarkable, what is of greater significance is the way St. Ignatius responded to each challenge and the change that followed.

In any of these moments, St. Ignatius could have given up on his hopes and dreams, and returned to a comfortable lifestyle in Spain. But St. Ignatius’ grit and ability to adapt opened more doors than it closed. While recovering from his injury, he asked himself for the first time what he truly desired in life. On discovering that his plan to walk in the footsteps of Jesus in Jerusalem were cut short, he was determined to earn his credentials so he could have a place in the Church. When faced with imprisonment for speaking about his faith, he went back to school, so that he could have a voice in the Church. He viewed each of these moments as growth, rather than failure; as opportunities, rather than a waste.

The determination with which St. Ignatius approached life is impressive because it was energised by his passion and directed by his life goals. These goals focused on how to best serve others for the greater glory of God. His ‘humble grit’ allowed him to see beyond himself and his shifting circumstances to the bigger picture of how to best love and serve others.

So, how have our staff and students adapted in order to continue to respond to St. Ignatius’ invitation to love and serve?

We have gone online! We currently have 6 students participating in the online Smith Family Reading Program. This program runs throughout all of Terms 2 and 3 and involves our students assisting students to improve their literacy skills by reading with them 2-3 times each week.

We have embraced Zoom! Through Jesuit Social Services, Jessica Breckon (Justice Captain) and Hannah Lace (Environment Captain) have been engaging in English conversation classes with Alma Nuns who run schools for students with disabilities in Timor-Leste and Indonesia.

We have gone outside! The Laudato Si’ Week Challenges, which focus on how we are caring for the environment were created to enable students to engage in service as well as advocacy, an important aspect of working towards creating a more justice society.

We have gone to the frontline! Under the leadership of Lachlan McLean and Zoe Walker (Year 8 SRCs) and support from Deborah Hodge (Year 8 Coordinator), the Year 8 cohort wrote 250 letters to Barwon Health frontline workers expressing their compassion and immense gratitude for all that they are doing for our local community.

I invite our students to take up the challenge of adapting the way they think about loving and serving those in our communities. May we be inspired by St. Ignatius to approach each change with humble grit, armed with an open mind and open heart.

Alicia Deak Justice and Service Coordinator and Ignatian Coordinator

Video message from Jessica Breckon (Justice Captain)

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