Pentecost – the birth of the Church and more

Acts 2:1-4

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

At the beginning of this week we marked the Feast of Pentecost – the birth of our Church. The followers of Christ found ways to build community as people created, released and sustained by the God made known to them in the man Jesus. So, while the disciples would continue to have moments of struggle and conflict, the primary message of restoring community through radical hospitality persisted. Our role as educators, learners and Dominicans demands that we not only live this message but do so in the true form of the word ‘radical’ - that is, not simply by making a departure from tradition but by striving to affect the fundamental nature of an issue with far-reaching consequences. Across this week our Siena students have embodied the radical hospitality of our tradition in numerous ways:

• Eco Warriors held a hugely successful clothing swap to raise awareness of the impact that fast fashion has on the environment
• The first ‘Building Bridges Interfaith Dialogue in Schools’ session for this year was hosted by our group of Year 10 and 11 students
• Years 7 and 12 students participated in an enjoyable Big Sister Little Sister activity designed to foster connection
• SRC Week activities – with a focus on fundraising for Vinnies - included the Waratah House Bake Sale and the annual Staff vs Student Debate
• Our Autumn Concert highlighted the commitment of our musicians to honing their craft and delighting their audience

National Reconciliation Week

Over many years Siena College has been committed to the national reconciliation process and worked hard to acknowledge the important place that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander spirituality plays in our Australian Catholic heritage. The theme of this 2021 National Reconciliation Week is

Reconciliation – More Than A Word. It Takes Action. Our Veritas Leaders, FIRE Carriers and members of the Reconciliation Action Plan Team facilitated the launch of NRW, which included presenting our Principal Elizabeth Hanney with a mounted copy of the Uluru Statement From the Heart.