The Human Experience
I had always thought “that tuning an engine” meant adjusting the settings on a car to allow maximum driving power and effective fuel efficiency. Years ago, when cars had carburettors, it seemed that “tuning” was more of an art form than a science. Now I imagine tuning an engine means plugging a laptop into a USB port and working with data on a screen.
I was surprised therefore, when I heard an advertisement for a high-end car that mentioned “tuning the engine”. You might reasonably ask why this might be surprising, a high-end car will no doubt have an engine that is finely tuned for both power and efficiency and this is reasonable. Amazingly, the ad focused on how the engine sounded; tuned like a musical instrument rather than a formidable machine.
Here, the makers had been intent on the human experience of how the engine sounded. Researching and working for years, they had determined how the sounds of an engine affected the driver. Composure and elation are what you would feel when you sat in this car. You put your foot on the accelerator pedal, gently, attentively and intently, press down and the sound of two notes, pitched at 400 and 800 Hertz caress your ear drums from the thrumming engine. The human experience, composure and elation.
At Eddies the human experience has always been integral to our community. That feeling of connection and belonging, coming about in all that stems from this place on the hill is what makes our school special. This year with the restrictions we have faced we needed to adjust, modify and adapt how we approach providing an Eddies Education. We have also adjusted, modified and adapted the human experience of our community and for some the human experience of Eddies has suffered. While life goes on relatively normally for our students and staff, our parents and caregivers have had to engage in Eddies life remotely, from mobile phone, laptop and computer screens. While remote involvement is something, it’s not the full Eddies experience.
The human experience of our community, our team, includes the relationships between all of us, the face-to-face involvement that is at our heart. It’s about our young men, our staff and our parents and caregivers. The last few weeks have been hopeful. With the leadership induction, formal and valedictory dinner, drama performance, rookies graduation and rite of passage celebrations we have been able to begin a return to the full Eddies team where our human experience includes all of us, face-to-face, in person, sharing this Eddies life with each other.
Thank you to all our parents and caregivers for your support this year. Your commitment to being part of our team, in partnership for your son’s education, amongst all that has certainly made a difference. Participation through live streaming has hopefully alleviated the distance that social restrictions have created between us, but it is no match for being there, having the human experience. I look forward to a year, next year, where we see our young men celebrating their milestones and successes, their challenges and opportunities, their joys and sorrows, as we always have, together, face-to-face, as a community, as a team, as Eddies.
Ray Celegato, Principal
Volume 42, No 37
The Final Rite of Passage at St Edmund’s College
On Wednesday evening we gathered around tables at the Ipswich Showgrounds as our Year 12 Graduating Class celebrated with their families. It was a different celebration from previous years, as the impact of COVID-19 prevented us from gathering at the altar of St Mary’s Church. Nevertheless, at the celebration we acknowledged that the Year 12 young men have by their presence, enriched our community. We are indeed proud of them knowing that they leave the College holding great potential.
During the liturgy, in Corinthians we were encouraged to keep alert, stand firm in our faith. College Captain Liam Kember reminded us, it is written - ‘Be courageous, be strong, show your support and let all that you do be done in love’. This was the reading from our Opening Mass, that urged our students and staff to put themselves at the service of others; to rejoice and be happy in their heart and allow other people to refresh and inspire them.
Every day at Eddies the Year 12 students have been supported and guided to stand strong. They have been surrounded by a united community and have learnt that they can do anything through Christ who gives them strength. This is the legacy they take with them and this is the legacy they leave behind.
The liturgy was led by our Parish Priest, Fr Stephen Bliss. Throughout this year he has shared his wisdom and insight, working to build connections and make strong links. Each of our masses and liturgies has built on the wisdom of the one before. Our symbol of the seedling that was presented in the Catholic Education Week liturgy, offered strongly, a metaphor, as the now flourishing plant which sat in the centre of the ceremony. We are very grateful for the leadership and guidance offered by Fr Stephen across the year and we acknowledge the important role he plays in the formation of our students.
Valedictory Dinner - Father Stephen Bliss, Mr Paul McNamara, Adair McNamara and Mrs Louise McNamara
Finally, to acknowledge the last Rite of Passage at St Edmunds College, our Aboriginal Elder, Uncle Joe Kirk, was present for the final initiation in becoming a man. The tradition of the First Nation People was to present young men with symbols from their elders to mark them as warriors and men. It was fitting then, that Uncle Joe presented each of the graduating students with emu feathers and a message stick, hand painted in House colours. The message stick carried the symbol of the boomerang to remind them that they would always be part of the Eddies community and they can always come back to this bond. The feathers, worn in the breast pocket, symbolise the final step in their initiation from boy to man. In First Nation culture, the feathers are a sign of spirituality and once you are presented with the feathers, the recipient is known as an adult and a warrior.
The EREA Touchstones were also included, to remind the men to carry with them what they had gained from their time at our College.
On behalf of the College, I would like to thank Uncle Joe Kirk and his wife Sarah, for hand painting the message sticks. The symbols they prepared added a depth and richness to the Graduation as well as to the culture of the College and we are grateful for their wisdom and creativity.
The Final Blessing for the Seniors of 2020
Fr Stephen: Tonight, these young men leave the College and continue their journey in the world.
So, we ask, let the spirit of love be aflame in our hearts.
Thomas Parker: May we open our hearts so that we are strong.
Fr Stephen: Let the spirit of joy be aflame in our hearts
Thomas Parker: May this celebration help us to grow in generosity
Fr Stephen: Let the spirit of peace be aflame in our hearts
Thomas Parker: May this celebration help us to grow in compassion.
Fr Stephen: Let the spirit of faithfulness be aflame in our hearts
Thomas Parker: May we feel the blessings of this community.
Fr Stephen: Let the spirit of kindness be aflame in our hearts
Thomas Parker: May our spirit be gentle and the charism of the Eddies community go with us always.
Fr Stephen: We ask this through Christ our Lord.
ALL: Amen.
**Don’t forget to return your gifts for the Christmas Appeal!
St Vincent de Paul (SVdP) Christmas Hampers and Giving Tree gifts will be presented to SVdP on Friday 27 November at our Christmas Liturgy.
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever.
Marysia Rice, Assistant Principal Identity
Environmental Art is a very broad term. It embraces a variety of practices and movements such as, and not limited to, Land Art, Earth Art, Sustainable Art and Conceptual Art.
As a movement, Environmental Art emerged in the 1960s. The leading artists associated with this type of art included Jean-Max Albert, Piotr Kowalski, Nils Udo, and Robert Smithson. Although we may consider Environmentalism as a recent phenomenon, it is not a new concept. Early interest in the environment was a feature of the Romantic movement in the early 19th Century.
Our Year 9 students under the tuition of Ms Weston and Ms Pozzias have focused their making tasks upon this topic and have produced some wonderful pieces! Well done students, and thank you to Ms Weston and Ms Pozzias.
Ms Frances O'Sullivan, Head of Department: Creative Arts
Year 9 Environment Social Commentary
Using a Hot Box, students sourced waste materials from home and recycled them into artwork and researched them to assist their Environment commentary.
One artwork looked at the Bremer River pollution: what once was a river for fishing and swimming is no more; then extended to our Australian waters with oil and plastic pollution; and then on a larger scale to our Oceanic waters with the swirl of plastics in the oceans.
A difficult task was tackled with sensitivity to create meaningful artwork.
Well done Year 9 Students.
Ms Weston and Ms Pozzias
Pictured: Oceanic Waters Pollution - Australian Waters Pollution - Bremer River Pollution - Environment Commentary
Last Sunday, eighty-eight players took part in the eighth edition of the annual Skool2Skoolies Golf Day, raising almost $2,600 for the Skool2Skoolies initiative.
The event was the culmination of the Skool2Skoolies fundraising effort, which has raised over $36,000 for Ipswich Hospice and St Vincent de Paul. The support from the community was overwhelming. In such a short space of time and from extremely humble beginnings, this event has grown at an incredible rate to now become a permanent fixture on the College calendar.
Sincere thanks to all the players and sponsors who made the Skool2Skoolies Golf Day such a success. Special thanks to Sandy Gallop Golf Club for their generosity and support of the event for these past eight years.
Mr Lucas Wilson, Pastoral Dean: Treacy House