iServi News | 21 February 2020 | Term 1, Week 3
Seven Holy Founders’ Feast Day
This week we celebrated a very important occasion in the life of the Servites in the form of the Seven Holy Founders’ Feast Day.
In gathering together as a whole school community on Monday this week to celebrate Mass, we welcomed our Servite Friars and Sisters, Parents and Friends and St Kieran Primary School Principal Mr Peter Cutrona.
In being part of a connected global community, we joined numerous other Servites across the world to pause and celebrate the lasting impact of our Seven Holy Founders. From humble beginnings with a community of seven, the Servites are now a flourishing movement ministering to thousands of people across many different countries.
In addressing our community after Mass, I reflected on the story of the Seven Holy Founders and the impact that they have had:
As some of you have heard many times, the Seven Holy Founders were leaders in Florence where they ran very successful businesses. As you may also know, they left this lifestyle to take up a life of prayer, service and devotion to Mary.
At the time, “the Seven Holy Founders became very frustrated that riches and the easy life meant more to the people in their city than the love of the poor and service to the needy”, and therefore they felt the call to act. Their actions had impact and challenged others to reflect on their own lives.
The Seven Holy Founders would have had the same worries and anxieties as anyone else in making a life changing decision – however they had the courage of their convictions to stand up for what they believed was right and, through their actions, encouraged others to do the same.
The rest, of course, is history with the Servants of Mary now spread worldwide, and actively ministering to those in need. The Servites promote a love of Mary, a community focussed on respect and hospitality and, of course, service to others through a genuine sense of justice and mercy.
During the Mass we also formally blessed and inducted our 2020 Student Leadership Executive Team. We were thrilled to have so many parents and friends of our student leaders present to share in the celebration. I took the opportunity to connect the leadership of the Seven Holy Founders to the courage of our Year 12 student leaders in taking up this leadership mantle:
The Seven Holy Founders model how to lead through action. Words are easy – actions can often be difficult. It is less trouble just to let things be, than to stand up and make a difference. How can we then be like the Seven Holy Founders and have the courage to step forward to stand up for what we know is right and to help shape the type of community that Jesus promoted?
One such group who have done just this is our 2020 Student Leadership Executive team, so it is very appropriate that we bless and formally induct them to their leadership positions on this significant day in the life of the Servites.
Our student leaders put the needs of others before their own as they give of their time and talents toward the continued growth of our community. Like the Seven Holy Founders, their actions will positively impact those around them in encouraging us all to become leaders and co contributors to the ongoing development our school. We wish them all of the very best in their roles for this year.
We are most grateful to Servite Friars Ruben, Chris, Myles and Leonard for their wonderful concelebration of the Mass. We acknowledge all those who contributed to the Mass including the Staff and Student Ministry Teams, along with our Property Services, Music and ICT Teams. We are also very grateful to 24/7 Ministry for their musical contribution throughout the Mass.
Servite Community Festival
We are very pleased to announce that the annual Servite Community Festival will be held at the College commencing 5.30pm on Friday 6 March 2020.
All families, friends, staff, students and alumni are warmly invited to the event which will be a wonderful celebration of our school. As a community with hospitality as a core value, we look forward to everyone gathering together to enjoy one another’s company, along with the many exciting planned activities and events on offer.
This year we have enlisted the additional support of our 2020 Student Leadership Executive Team in planning the event. Their ideas and input will ensure a fun event for people of all ages. As always, we greatly value the contribution of our Servite Parents and Friends who have been wonderful supporters of this special event since its inception.
We look forward to sharing your company during the festival event.
Enrolment Interviews
Families are reminded that interviews will resume shortly for the Year 7, 2021 and Year 7, 2022 intake. If you have not yet completed an application for your child, please do so as soon as possible. For application forms and any enrolment queries, our Enrolments Team is available via email to enrolments@servite.wa.edu.au
Mr Jeff Allen
Principal