Social Justice

To be a Christian (and indeed to be a good person) means that we share responsibility for each other's happiness and welfare.  The example of Jesus tells us that reaching out to those in need is one of the most important things we can do to make God's "kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven".

At Magdalene Catholic Collage, all students are encouraged to reach out and make a difference to their local community and beyond. You can read some of their stories here.

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Year 10 on mission!

Zambia is a country consisting of approximately 13 million people with a life expectancy of 38.6 years. Zambia is a country that is in desperate need of our support.  If you aren’t already aware Magdalene is currently fundraising for Zambia. Each year group are taking part in contributing to get everyone involved in donating for Zambia.

This Week Year 10 homerooms came together to think of creative and fun ideas that would catch the students and teachers attention to get involved in donating. On Monday Bruchauser gave up their lunch to wash any teachers car if they wished for $15 each. They also sold outside the canteen lolly bags with a mix of yummy lollies. On Tuesday, 10 Dunne gave the students an opportunity to purchase ice blocks after participating in their chosen sports as the weather is starting to warm up students will be looking for something they can have to cool down and enjoy. On Wednesday this week, Sedgwick gave the students a once in a lifetime chance to take on the teachers at lunchtime in an arm wrestling competition if they thought they had what it took to beat them. Also on Wednesday Wilson will be selling milkshakes with the variety of chocolate, strawberry, caramel, banana and vanilla.

On Thursday this week Moore will be selling slushies for the students, which is a great idea with the spring weather taking on. Lastly, on Friday this week, our last day of school Sedgwick will bake different cakes and slices that would definitely appeal to the student to celebrate the last day of term. Also, Hogan are holding a sausage sizzle for $2 each.  Year 10 would like to thank all that participated in getting involved in donating money for our fundraising ideas because it is your generous contributions that made this week a great success. THANK-YOU SO MUCH!

Monique Borg, Taylah Earnshaw, Katelyn Hokin (Year 10 Students)

 

 

 

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Catholic Mission - Year 8

 

During these last few weeks Year 8 has come to realize how lucky they really are. Many children around the world, especially in Zambia have it rough and with the help of Year Eight, we’ve made a difference to an orphanage and the children that reside in Zambia.  Our idea for the fundraiser was to collect funds from each student to sponsor an orphan for two weeks, which would help feed and care for him or her.

In one of our pastoral lessons, Year Eight got together as Pastoral Classes and cut out paper orphans to represent the orphans they had been sponsoring. The students wrote messages of hope and solidarity on the orphan symbols and these were then placed around the cross on the Green in the shape of an eight, representing our year group.

On the 5th of September, a small number of year eight’s volunteered to help out with a sausage sizzle that we held at lunch time. The whole year group was then invited to come and collect a sausage sizzle and to have a meal in honour of their adopted orphans.

The sausage sizzle and the orphan symbols helped raise awareness across the rest of the school community about the needs of others in Zambia, as well as those who are less fortunate and suffering from poverty. Year 8 really grew an understanding on what those less fortunate face and how luck we really are.

A big Thank you to all the students of Year Eight and the Pastoral Care teachers for their terrific work with this project. Early estimates indicate that approximately $700 was raised for Catholic Mission’s work in Zambia.  

Written by Victoria Stuart-Smith, Sarah Reardon and Elyse Beauchamp (Year 8)

Special thanks to Mr. Collins (Year 8 Coordinator) & all Year 8 Pastoral teachers for their support.

 

 

 

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DOOR KNOCK APPEAL (St Vincent de Paul)

Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 August 
Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 August 
Magdalene will be used as a collection centre for the Annual Doorknock Appeal.
Student participation is required to assist the Macarthur community raise much needed funds for the St Vincent de Paul society on the above collection dates.
There will be two shifts per day: 9am - 12noon and 12noon - 3pm.
 
Students should organize themselves into teams of 4 and an adult supervisor is required (parent/guardian).
There will be a barbeque lunch provided at 12 noon on all four days for the students and supervisors who are assisting with the Doorknock Appeal.
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MAGDALENE / VINNIES WINTER SLEEPOUT

Friday 17th August (2.35pm start) - Saturday 18th August (9am finish)

Permission slips are due to the front office by Wednesday 15th August.

Anyone who lives in a city in Australia, and even in some of our larger regional centres, would be all too familiar with the sight of someone huddled on the street, handwritten note on a piece of cardboard, asking for a few coins to get them through the night.

Apart from dropping some change into a cup, few of us become engaged with the homelessness crisis facing our country. And even fewer understand that beyond those men and women we see living on the street, there are hundreds and hundreds more we don’t.

Ask yourself this. How many people do you think are homeless on any given night in Australia? 

The number is up around the 105,000 mark. For any of you who have attended an AFL Grand Final, that’s more than the MCG holds for one game a year. Half this number are under the age of 25 and even more startling is that those 12 to 18 represent a quarter of this figure.

What’s clear from the research is that many don’t know why people become homeless or know the homeless figure is not only made up of those who live on the streets or in hostels, but also “couch surfers”, people living in cars and in others forms of temporary and volatile situations. In fact, 54% of homeless people seeking supported accommodation are turned away every night.

In that context, just pause to think about what would cause a 14 year old to leave home and take a chance elsewhere.

The fact we have thousands of young people living transient lives every night in this country, whether by forced choice or not, and being exposed to extreme physical and mental health risk is a tragedy we must confront and deal with.

THE MAGDALENE / VINNIES WINTER SLEEPOUT is being held on Friday 17th August (4pm start) through until Saturday 18th August (9am finish), for Years 9 -12 Magdalene students only.