The annual NAIDOC Week Liturgy at St Joseph’s College Lochinvar was held early this year because of the approaching school holidays. I found it to be a very impressive and inspiring ceremony.
Teachers and indigenous students presented us with impressive music, singing, dancing, videos, artistic works, and didgeridoo accompaniment. All these highlighted this year’s NAIDOC theme Keep the fire burning! Blak, loud and proud
Two former students, Logan and Bayley, spoke with pride about their First Nations culture, their current efforts at Sydney University and Ausgrid respectively to promote a better understanding of their culture, and their desire to encourage today’s students to be equally committed to that culture.
They expressed gratitude to their former teachers, especially to Mr Frank Hales, who had encouraged and mentored them during their years at St Joseph’s.
I learnt that the roots of NAIDOC WEEK go back to 1938 when one of the first Aboriginal political activists and community leaders, William Cooper, wrote a letter encouraging all Aboriginal people to gather for a Day of Mourning on 26th January to coincide with the 150th Anniversary celebrations of the coming of the British to Australia.
He wrote that the purpose of the day was to draw attention to the present deplorable condition of all Aborigines, of whatever stage of culture, after 150 years of British rule.
He asked the prayerful support of all Christian Churches to raise awareness of the living conditions of the Aboriginal Peoples.
From a Catholic perspective, the website of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC) has a resource kit to help parishes highlight the week.
There are suggestions for liturgical celebrations, activities and recommendations. It recommends, for example, that parishes consider having An Acknowledgement to Country at the Sunday Mass, thus showing respect for the original and on-going custodians of the land on which the church stands.
The website reveals some interesting statistics about our First Peoples. Did you know that First Nations Catholics are the youngest and fastest growing demographic in the Australian Catholic Church? They number 135,681 people.
The diocese of Maitland-Newcastle with 8,436 has the third largest number of First Nations Catholics in the country, following the dioceses of Brisbane and Darwin.
After the liturgy in MacKillop Place, guests, including the indigenous students and their parents, were invited to refreshments in the Yallawa Centre, where there was a farewell presentation to Mr Frank Hales on his retirement.
Having attended several assemblies at St Joseph’s this year, each time I have come away with a sense that great things are happening at the College. I was impressed by the warm welcome, the respectfulness between teachers and students that is very evident, and the talents that were presented and encouraged. I came away with a sense that the Josephite spirit is alive and well there.
Kate Brazier rsj