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Dear Parents/Carers,

Last Sunday at Mass, our priest read the parable of the "narrow door" (Luke 13: 22-35). He reflected that virtuous people constantly strive to do what is right and good, often at great expense to themselves.

In today’s society, the media bombards us with messages encouraging us to spend more, be more than we currently are, be smarter, be better looking; generally not to be content with who we are. I call this ‘wide door thinking’. We can go along with the crowd, seeking to be better through consuming more or having more to show; but ultimately this will not make us happy.

At St Francis we encourage our students to live with gratitude for the gifts they have. To be of service to others and care for the natural and school environment around them. Happiness comes from having a grateful heart and working hard to support others. Narrow door thinking.

The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, he said:

“Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money.
Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health.
And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present;
the result being that he does not live in the present or the future;
he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.”

At my previous school, I had an interview with a father who was very frustrated that his daughter was getting into a great deal of trouble both at school and outside of school. He told me that he was working three jobs to provide her with everything she could ask for; a new phone, a new car, money for nice clothes etc. It didn’t occur to him that the thing his daughter was crying out for the most was to spend more time with him, so that she felt truly loved.

Please share what you are grateful for with your children. Practice being grateful and serve as good role models of gratitude. Point out any acts of service you do for others, not to draw attention to yourself but to remind your children that it is an important part of being a good citizen. Together we can help shape our students to be fine young men and women.

May God continue to bless you,

Mr Simon Abernethy
College Principal