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Students help prepare for Provincial Chapter

Ms Gilligan has often reminded me this year that it is a long time since we have had three Salesians working full time at the College, Fr Damien, Bro Barry and myself, all with different temperaments and talents. We too, want to make a difference and contribute our bit to the life of the College and that is achieved through a variety of ways, liturgical leadership, photography, assistance to teachers in classrooms and general presence.

Later this month Salesians will gather in Melbourne for a Provincial Chapter. Provincial Chapters are opportunities to review and plan for the immediate future. Br Barry and myself will represent the Salesians living and working in Glenorchy at this meeting. The theme for the forthcoming gathering is ‘What kind of Salesian for the youth of today.’ To help in the process young people and colleagues in Salesian settings, Schools, Parishes and Youth Centres throughout Australia have been invited to assist in how the kind of Salesian for the youth of today might look in their own setting.

As part of this process, our College Captains, Vice-Captains and Mission Captains accompanied by College Principal Ms Gilligan and Mrs McMahon came to the Salesian residence towards the end of last term. In discussion, the following were some of the responses put forward by the student leaders as to the kind of Salesian they want to see at ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ»ÆƬ:

• Salesians who are approachable
• Salesians who are connected to students on a deeper level
• Salesians who put others’ needs before their own
• Salesians who are kind hearted
• Salesians with whom it is easy to have a conversation
• Salesians who are good adult role models
• Salesians who help us connect with God
• Salesians who can unpack the Christian tradition.

I can assure the whole College community that Fr Damien, Br Barry, myself and any other Salesian who is appointed to ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ»ÆƬ will endeavour to put all those characteristics into action.

Thank you to Lachlan Rowlands, Maddison Cockerill, Ella Fitzpatrick, Tom Atkinson, Eli Morrison, Makayla Modrijan and Chey-Anne Davis Williams for your contribution in this planning phase for our Provincial Chapter.

Fr Peter Rankin SDB, College Rector