Term 2 Week 5 – 17th May 2023
Dear Families and Community Members,
As we approach this Sunday’s Feast of the Ascension, it is important to reflect on the historical proofs for this pivotal event in the life of Jesus Christ. The Ascension is the moment when Jesus, after his resurrection, ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father. This event is recounted in the New Testament and has been a fundamental doctrine of the Church since Christians first went by this name.
There are several historical proofs for the Ascension, which provide a solid foundation for our belief in this event. These proofs include the witness accounts of the Apostles, the testimony of early Church Fathers, and the consistency of the Catholic Church’s teachings throughout its history.
Firstly, the witness accounts of the Apostles provide evidence for the Ascension. According to the Gospel of Luke, the Apostles were with Jesus in Bethany when he was lifted up into heaven (Luke 24:50-51). This account is also supported by the Book of Acts, where it is written that Jesus was taken up before the eyes of the Apostles (Acts 1:9-11). These accounts are consistent with each other and provide a compelling picture of the event.
Secondly, the testimony of the early Church Fathers provides additional evidence for the Ascension. For example, St. Augustine of Hippo, a Church Father from the 4th century, wrote extensively about the Ascension in his writings, including his commentary on the Psalms. St. John Chrysostom, another Church Father from the same period, also wrote about the Ascension in his sermons. These testimonies show that the belief in the Ascension was firmly established in the early Church and was not a later invention.
Finally, this belief has been affirmed by numerous councils and creeds throughout the centuries. For example, the Nicene Creed, which was adopted in the 4th century, includes the statement that Jesus “ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father”. The consistency of this teaching across different times and places demonstrates that the belief in the Ascension is not a mere myth or legend, but a historical reality.
It is important to note that the historical proofs for the Ascension do not negate the need for faith. As Christians, we believe in the Ascension not only because of the historical evidence but also because of our faith in Jesus Christ. The Ascension is a fundamental part of our faith, and it reminds us of Jesus’ victory over sin and death and his exaltation to the right hand of God the Father.
God bless,
Lucas Hurley Principal
Year 7 Livability Project
7.1 are working on their massive cross-curricular ‘Livability Project’, excitedly using classroom windows as this socially-engaged artwork’s canvas. Although based in a SOSE mapping/livability project, art, design, science, and literacy skills also came into the picture.
An old-school bypasser might quip: “Schoolwork … on windows … yeah-right”, however, those in the know (like 7.1) understand that this is the nature of c21 learning. Vibrant, socially constructive, and rich with opportunities for learning authentic to students’ life worlds.
Well done 7.1!
Shane Clifford
Netball News
The U15 Netball Inter-Region School Sport Championships were recently held. Skylah, Jemma, Darcy, Peyton, Jade, Shontai and Aardhana participated in the competition, playing 9 games of Netball across the 3 days. MacKillop teachers Ms Syme and Mrs Anderson coached one of the Top End teams and are extremely proud of all players. All girls performed well and represented the Top End region and MacKillop by demonstrating great inclusivity and respect.
Hannah Torsney (11.1) was an umpire at the event, while squeezing in time for her assessments between matches. Hannah was also named “umpire of the championships” and will travel with the NT team to Perth later this year to umpire the National Competition.
Jade Moir and Jemma Reid were also selected in the NT team of 12 and will play a key role when travelling to Perth to face other states in the School Sport National Championships.
Rostrum Voice of Youth
On Thursday the 11th May, Danella and Chrisma from Year 12, Elizabeth from Year 11 and Jack and Harshi from Year 7 all competed in the NT Rostrum Voice of Youth Public Speaking competition.
This involved many hours of writing, practising and presenting their own speeches (8 minutes for the Seniors and 6 minutes for the Juniors) and then having 15 minutes to write and then speak for 3 minutes about a secret topic given to them on the night.
Congratulations to all students on their commitment, and a special congratulations to Elizabeth who won the Senior Division and Harshi who won the Junior Division. Elizabeth and Harshi will travel to Adelaide in two weeks to compete in the SA/NT semi-finals. Well done.
MacKillop Environmental Care Club
These students have started a MacKillop Environmental Care Club of their own initiative. If you’d like to join them, they have put posters around the school with further details. They would like to get involved with activities such as Clean Up Australia Day, collecting 10c containers for recycling, and fundraising for causes like WWF.
Arts News
Anzac Day
Sports News
Eels Cup Champions
