Call to Service
One of the central tenets of our educational program, one that is a formal expression of the faith life of the College, is the ministry of service. It is deeply embedded in the Marist DNA and is both a requirement and a manifestation of a further call to solidarity. From the moment the boys enter the gates they have an expectation of service placed before them: it is explicit, it can be demanding and at times confronting, but in all instances, it will produce growth and reward for those who give freely of themselves and to those who are the recipients of their endeavours. It is only by seeing the world through the eyes of the other and opening the ‘cracks for the light to get in’ that hearts and minds are formed: through homelessness, disability, age, discrimination, or injustice, that one can truly gain an appreciation of the adversity that life presents for countless millions of people across the world.
Such experiences bring with them a consciousness, an urge, an instinct, and a desire, to make a genuine response based upon that experience. It is here that moments of grace and deep learning occur, where the sentiments of the Gospel are lived out amid the powerlessness and the gritty reality of those who battle against such enormous and at times overwhelming odds.
Ever since Pope Francis unexpectedly came onto the scene, he has challenged us to reclaim the spirit of the Gospel. For him, it has little to do with security, comfort, complacency, and mediocrity. A self-serving and self-preserving mentality goes against the very nature of what it means to be Christian. He makes no qualms about the need to take the risk for the sake of accompanying those at the margins. ‘I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security.’
Pope Francis recalls Mary as a model of service. She set out from her town ‘with haste’ (Lk 1:39) to be of service to others. Her being one with the poor and the lowly makes her the Christian model of solidarity and accompaniment. Like Mary, we are called to leave our comfort zone and to be in the peripheries in order to offer nearness and proximity.
Tomorrow at the Senior School assembly we will present the annual Br François Service Medal to a recent former student who has continued their service in a faithful and committed manner since graduation. I am pleased to report that in any given year there are a number of strong nominees for this award. Since leaving school, many graduates have taken further the cause of their faith through service in all manner of circumstances. Congratulations to Matt Wilson, the 2023 Br François Service Medal recipient.
While a student at the College, Matt was a member of Marist Youth Ministry (MYM) and the St Vincent de Paul Group. He volunteered with Night Patrol, Community Meals, Camp Quality, AIME, and SafeShelter. After leaving school he continued his work with St Vincent de Paul as a disability support worker and contributed to the development of national projects supporting vulnerable youth. More recently he has created a prevention-focused mental health program and delivered workshops to many young people. Currently, he is the manager of a reunification program that supports young people experiencing abuse or conflict or are at risk of homelessness. He continues to be a proud advocate for mental health and youth justice.
Matt Wilson is a worthy recipient and is an exemplar of the spirit of service.
Matthew Hutchison
Headmaster