Newsletter 31 March 2023

31 March 2023

Progress is gathering momentum now in many areas. This month the college has appointed some very strong and experienced middle leaders to lead curriculum areas, they commence during next term and we look forward to introducing them to you in due course.  The college buildings are starting to take shape and the fields are already looking good to play on, which I know will provide many of our students and families with great comfort.

It is with pleasure that we confirm that a daily Examen will be part of the school timetable. The Examen is a prayerful reflection to help us detect God’s presence in our lives and discern his direction for us. This format of prayerful reflection is a spiritual exercise developed by St Ignatius through his own prayer and contemplation. The Examen is one of the many wonderful gifts of our Ignatian charism. When we regularly stop and take time to reflect in this way it bears many fruits; we grow a closer relationship with our loving God, we are attentive to our own thoughts, words and actions, we develop a habit of positively approaching what we can do in life for ourselves and for others. Most importantly, we are provided with the consolation and inner peace that God is present in our everyday lives; around us, amongst us and within us.

In the spirit of St Ignatius of Loyola,

Dean Wearmouth

Click here to learn more about the Examen and how you can begin to practice it.

The fields have been seeded and mown through the spring and summer, already looking great for lots of Co-Curriculur activities in 2024.

The main teaching block is really starting to take shape now.

St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College aims to create young men and women of ‘Competence, Conscience, Commitment and Compassion’. Who will, in the words of Saint Ignatius, ‘go forth and set the world on fire’.

‘Competence, Conscience, Commitment and Compassion’ – known commonly throughout our Ignatian world as the four C’s, have led us towards the identification of the following important cornerstones. These cornerstones form the foundation of the curriculum presented at St Ignatius:

• Broad and Rich
• For and with others
• Accompaniment
• Personal Excellence

In this newsletter, the concepts behind a “Broad and Rich” curriculum will be unpacked and shared with you.

At St Ignatius, the competent intellectual foundation of our students is the guiding principle behind all our curriculum planning. We desire to develop in our young people a sense of deep curiosity about the world, which will spark a love of learning.

This love of learning will be fostered across a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum. By following a carefully planned and tailored program with rich learning opportunities, our students will gain deep knowledge of their subjects.

Through the expert pedagogy of our teaching staff, they will work towards academic mastery in their chosen fields, which will not only prepare them for the demands of NCEA examinations but will allow them to continue to follow their academic passions into higher education, and take their place in the modern world.

Through a broad and rich curriculum we aim to successfully provide the following to all the young men and women at St Ignatius:

This in-depth cornerstone is embedded into the planning, structure and programmes found within each faculty at St Ignatius. We know that this will lead to high engagement of students , a true love of learning and a thirst for the ‘magis’. To be more, to know more, to grow more. 

Which House will you belong to?

This week we introduce to you the next of our House Patrons.

Aubert House

This house is named after Venerable Suzanne Aubert (1835-1926).  Born in France in 1835, Suzanne was a determined and courageous woman who accepted the invitation to travel to New Zealand when she was 25.  She originally worked in Auckland with young Māori women but then joined a mission station in Hawke’s Bay.  She became well-known in the area ministering to Māori and Pākehā, Catholic and non-Catholic without compromising her own beliefs. 

Tolerance and friendship became strategies for her work and mission.  She took care of the most vulnerable in society and developed medicine from native plants as part of her ministry.  In time, she moved to Wellington and started her new religious order the ’Sisters of Compassion’.  They opened a hospice and a soup kitchen, which still runs today serving the very poorest members in our society.

Today there is now a cause for Suzanne Aubert to become a saint.  Watch the video link  below to find out how she has inspired people in Aotearoa New Zealand.  

Suzanne Aubert – An Inspiration

This Sunday we celebrate Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. This is the beginning of Jesus’ journey towards the cross and resurrection.  Palm Sunday begins with the crowds worshiping Jesus and throwing their cloaks down in front of him: a recognition that his actions have been noticed. He has the power and authority to heal the sick and to affirm the outcast. It is a moment of celebration before the events of the week ahead unfold. It is a celebration that is not understood by the disciples or the crowd. Still looking for a warrior, they worship the one they believe to be the king who has come to save them from the Romans. And yet, the actions of Jesus, riding on a colt, are the actions of the king of peace. The king who uses the power afforded to him for the good of the humanity he sees in those around him.

We wish you and your families and joy-filled Easter.