“As Lent is the time for greater love, listen to Jesus’ thirst.” St Teresa of Calcutta

We are now a little over half-way through our Lenten journey and what a great time to ask ourselves how we are going. Lent is a time that calls us to renewal, to prayer, self-denial and altruistic generosity. Particularly in the busyness of our modern lives, it is wonderful to have this time in our year to attempt to strip away all the things in our lives that don’t matter, replacing them with virtues whose actions create enduring positive effect in our lives and the lives of those around us. Of course, Saint Brigid knew this only too well having lived a life, not just a Lent, of heroic virtue to prayer, sacrifice and generosity.

As part of our learning around altruistic generosity, the student body have been fundraising throughout Lent for Project Compassion. This is what St Teresa of Calcutta means when asking us to be Jesus in those in need. The student leaders have a number of initiatives to close out the term and one way you can help their campaign is to find out more information about the amazing work done by Caritas Australia in assisting the alleviation of poverty around the world (see www.caritas.org.au ). You can also use the QR code (right) to donate to Kilbreda’s Project Compassion total. Your daughter also has access to an individual QR code for her Homeroom which is another way to add to her total. We only have around a week until the conclusion of term and less than 20 days until Easter…really the last opportunities to assist this amazing work!

Year 7 Reflection Day

The Year 7 Reflection Day was held on 21 March. This was such an amazing and fun day. Throughout the day, these newest members of our Kilbreda College Community deepened their relationships with others in the year level, expanded their understanding of the charism of Kilbreda, thought deeply about how they can bring their gifts and talents (their unique light) to the world and focused on their spiritual journey and relationship with God. Thank you to the Year 7 students who entered so beautifully into the day. Our special thanks to the Year 11 and 12 student leaders who assisted on this important day.

Student Reflection

Kildare Education Ministries Student Social Justice Seminar

Learning about the true inequalities of humanity. 

Inspired by advocates striving to make a difference. 

Leaving with the spark, tools, and the collective ideas of other like-minded students to be the change we want to see. 

That’s the incredible journey that we experienced at the Social Justice Seminar in Lower Plenty, joining students from all the Kildare Ministries schools in Victoria – Marian College West Sunshine, Star of the Sea, Killester, Marian College Ararat, Clonard and from Adelaide, Sydney and all the way from Brisbane. Connected through Kildare Ministries, we were eager to discuss and be exposed to the injustices inflicted on vulnerable demographics, particularly asylum seekers and the homeless.

Phenomenal sessions were run by non-profits such as BASP, St Vinnies, and Third Culture. What I’ll forever be impacted by is Brigidine Sister, Brigid Arthur, introducing us to Ushe and Brahman, both asylum seekers from Ethiopia who fled three months ago due to political unrest. Bruhman was a mathematician, and Ushe was a geologist working in government, and mother to a two year old she tragically had to leave in Ethiopia. It was her birthday the day Ushe came to speak to us, and every student was snapped into the devastating reality endured by asylum seekers suffering in silence. 

Overall, it was an insightful experience and we’re undoubtedly grateful for the opportunity.

Rhiannan Marie-Jeanne

Year 11: Living Justice Leader

John Riddle

Director of Catholic Identity and Mission

Head of Counselling Services