Principal's Message Week 3 Term Two

Prayer on the Feast Day of Blessed Edmund Rice

God, we thank you for the life of Blessed Edmund.
He opened his heart to Christ present in those oppressed by poverty and injustice. Grant us the courage and compassion of Edmund as we seek to live lives of love and service. We ask this through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

Today we celebrate and honour our founder Blessed Edmund Rice. Born in Ireland in 1762, Edmund became a successful businessman and worked around the docks in Waterford. He was moved by the plight of the poor, especially the young boys who roamed the streets. Edmund began a movement that later became known as the Christian Brothers. From humble beginnings, setting up a schoolhouse in a stable in New Street, he oversaw the growth of Christian Brothers schools in Ireland, and then later in the 1800s all the way to Australia.

Edmund’s humble, generous, and committed work, brought the Gospel to life. Inspired by his faith, and together with his band of young Brothers, and trusting in God’s providence, Edmund opened his “whole heart to Christ present and appealing to him in the poor”. Edmund Rice died in 1842, but his work and vision is still carried on in 22 countries around the school in the guise of an education in the Edmund Rice tradition. Here in Australia, Edmund Rice schools educate 43,000 students, present in every state and territory in the nation.

We give thanks today for that courageous vision, and for the generations of Christian Brothers who selflessly devoted their lives to providing a Catholic education to young men across the globe, so that they could be formed in their faith, and provide a liberating opportunity for a life that has taken thousands from poverty to something better.

In a contemporary sense, Br Patrick Ambrose Treacy led the charge by bringing the mission to Australia, and through incredible hard work and toil, opened many schools firstly in Melbourne, and then Queensland. How fortunate we are to be the beneficiaries of this remarkable story.

Ambrose Treacy College stands today as a modern school that both embraces tradition and yet forges new ground with innovative approaches to leadership, learning, and service. We remain faithful to the charter for schools in the Edmund Rice tradition by providing an education that serves to liberate, is inclusive, and inculcates in young men the importance of justice and solidarity. None of this happens if it is not tied to the Gospel imperative, to serve the poor, and bring the Good News to all. Our College motto signum fidei, serves as a pertinent reminder that we all must be signs of the faith. We do this through our actions, in what we say, and how we say it, and through our humility, kindness, and generosity.

Happy Feast Day, and may we live Jesus in our hearts, forever.

Mothers' Day

Wishing all mums, and those in mothering roles a very happy Mothers' Day this Sunday. For those in our community whose mothers are no longer with us, we remember them with love, and with a sense of loss in our hearts.

We pray for all mothers and give thanks for the vital roles they play in our lives, not just when we are growing, but throughout our entire lives. I know I am still blessed and grateful for all my mum is, and does, for me.

Dr Craig Wattam

College Principal