05 April 2016
Mount St Benedict College supports Caritas Australia
Throughout the Season of Lent a number of activities were held in support of Caritas Australia at Mount St Benedict College. There were a number of practical ways for students to practise generosity to others through the College’s work with Project Compassion. This year there was a strong focus on the Caritas theme of “Learning More, Creating Change”.
Solidarity Day
The College was involved in Solidarity Day activities supporting Project Compassion’s theme of “Learning more, creating change” through three sessions – Water & Sustainability, Empowering of Women and Prayer and Reflection. ‘Hands on’ activities simulated life living in a village within a developing nation. The girls were challenged to be resourceful for sustainable living including building a ‘Tippy-Tap’ watering system, experiencing obstacles in collecting water for their crops and creating sustainable plant holders/boxes. Each Homeroom planted a seedling (mixed lettuce leaves) that they will nurture throughout Lent using only their ‘Tippy-Tap’ watering systems. At the end of Lent, the seedlings were planted into ‘House’ planter boxes that the students constructed.
Solidarity Wall
The girls created a solidarity wall of origami hearts. This provided a simple visual reminder of the call to help those in need and the donations that formed part of the activity were a valuable contribution to the work of Caritas Australia.
Caritas Kitchen
College staff gathered for a “Caritas Kitchen” where colleagues had donated a range of foods representing an extensive range of cultural heritage. Those attending the lunch made a donation to Caritas and the occasion also provided the opportunity to discuss some of the upcoming activities that were conducted during Lent.
Caritas Trek
The College held its annual Caritas Trek, with sixty students and ten staff setting off early in the morning and walking six kilometres to collect water – something that is done by most women in the world on a daily basis. The trek involved the collection of ten litres of water carried back to the College among a small group of students. The struggle to access clean and safe water is a significant challenge in many parts of the world and by taking part in this activity students developed a sense of the challenges involved. Participants in the Caritas Trek sought sponsorship to help raise funds as part of their commitment to the work of Caritas Australia.
Coin Art
The College’s final Caritas activity during Lent provided another link to the importance of education and change as the College continued to focus on the Caritas theme of “Learning More, Creating Change”. Students were invited to add their coin donation to the image of the Caritas symbol.