Community - "All Are Welcome!"

Catholic schools build community in a number of ways. Its endeavours around academic excellence contributes to the wider societal community, both in the long and short term, in producing good citizens. The school also contributes to the local community, supporting the common good and life of the town or district. Catholic schools are renowned in Australia for their efforts to build communities, sometimes as the lead contributors to student success, wellbeing, charitable acts, sport and associations.

However, these are not their reason for existence. The central role of the Catholic school is to live the mission of the Gospel. They are, first and foremost, Christian places. The earliest Christian communities show us the way, made up of "glad and generous hearts" (Acts 2:46), open and missionary, who enjoyed "favour with all the people" (Acts 2:47). Even before activity, mission means witness and a way of life that shines out to others in the community. 

In this, the Catholic school exists within a parish. “The parish is the presence of the Church in a given place, an environment for hearing God’s word, for growth in the Christian life, for dialogue, proclamation, charitable outreach and celebration (and) a community of communities, a sanctuary where the thirsty come to drink in the midst of their journey, and a centre of constant missionary outreach” (Evangelii Gaudium, 28). They exist in a Eucharistic community.

So within our own journey this week be reminded that, despite COVID-19, all are welcome at the table of the Lord to be nourished.