Reconciliation Week 2

Year 9 Rite Journey 9

Year 10 Retreats 11-13

Green Heart School 15

Project1600 16-17

Hon. Peter Dutton’s response 20-21

Inside this issue:

AUGUST 2015

ISSUE

13 On 12 June, St.

Patrick’s College students

participated in ‘Detention for

Detention’ to raise awareness about the

222 children detained in Australian immigration

detention facilities

If you were to walk into St. Patrick’s College in the last week of May, you would have almost certainly noticed something different. Near the College’s main office, a ‘sea of hands’ greeted visitors, to acknowledge National Sorry Day held on Tuesday, 26 May. In addition, the College flag was replaced for the week with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags to recognise Reconciliation Week.

St. Patrick’s College students and staff participated in a variety of activities throughout the week, recognising three key events: National Sorry Day in recognition of the wrongs done to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in what has become known as ‘the Stolen Generation’; and the anniversaries of the successful 1967 Referendum and 1992 High Court Mabo decision. The first symbolism of solidarity for the week was the College’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students handing over their respective flags to Mr Chris Mayes, College Principal at a student assembly. These flags were later raised in the place of the College flag at a small ceremony. In addition, students also created a ‘sea of hands’ to say ‘sorry’ for the treatment of our first nations people both directly and indirectly impacted by Government policies that led to ‘The Stolen Generation’.

Throughout the rest of the week, many students took up the opportunity to view the film Rabbit Proof Fence, during their lunch times. Later in the week, many students went head-to-head in an Indigenous

themed trivia, and students and staff also had the opportunity to sample a ‘Kanga’ sausage sizzle,

alongside some younger students getting to try their hand at boomerang throwing.

Task One - Accommodation Expenses: Using the internet, find a suitable house or unit for Jordan and his three

house mates. Provide evidence of this rental property. Calculate the cost of weekly accommodation for Jordan and other accommodation expenses such as electricity and water. Assuming that all house mates pay an equal share of house expenses, calculate the weekly cost of these services for Jordan.

Task Three - Employment: 3.1 Jordan is employed as a first year assistant in nursing (assistant nurse) to work in the local retirement

village. His employer is Queensland Health. Calculate his fortnightly income from this job assuming that he usually works a 16 hour week.

3.2 Investigate the compulsory deductions that Jordan must pay from his fortnightly wage. Calculate the amount of PAYG tax and Medicare levy Jordan pays per fortnight when he works a 16 hour week.

3.6 Calculate Jordan’s annual gross wage (before tax and other deductions) and net wage (after tax and other deductions) assuming that he usually works a 16 hour week and every fourth week he works an extra 8 hours at overtime rates.

Task Five - Other Commonwealth Government Funding Assistance: 5.1 Jordan is a 19 year old, full-time tertiary student who must live away from home and family in

Noonkanbah. He is also an Indigenous student. Investigate what other funding / grants / payments Jordan is entitled to receive whilst he is studying in Brisbane.

5.2 Calculate the fortnightly income Jordan could expect to receive in Government funding whilst he is studying in Brisbane.

Task Six - Prepare a Savings Budget for Jordan: 6.1 Using all of the information gathered above, prepare a budget for Jordan and show how much he

could possibly save whilst he is studying in Brisbane. 6.2 Based upon these savings, can Jordan afford to fly home to Noonkanbah twice a year to catch up with

family and friends? Justify your answer. Jordan is still expected to pay rent and utility charges whilst he returns to Noonkanbah.

Jordan is a 19 year old Indigenous man from Noonkanbah in northern Western Australia. He is a proud member of the Yungngora people. Jordan completed high school at St. Patrick’s College Shorncliffe and had no source of income whilst he was at school. This year he commenced a combined Degree in Paramedicine and Nursing at the Australian Catholic University at Banyo. This is a four year course and course fees are supported by the Commonwealth Government. He may also qualify for other Commonwealth Government funding as a full time student living away from home and also as an Indigenous tertiary student.

Whilst Jordan is studying at ACU he has also obtained employment as an Assistant in Nursing at a Queensland Health nursing home in Toombul. As a first year Assistant Nurse (permanently employed) Jordan usually works 16 hours a week. When required Jordan may work an extra 8 hours a week at overtime wages of 150% of his normal hourly rate. As a Queensland Health employee Jordan must pay tax (PAYG), the Medicare levy and also contribute to compulsory superannuation. Jordan is sharing a house in Banyo with three other students and they each pay an equal share of housing costs and food expenses. Jordan has a push bike but also lives close enough to catch the train or bus if needed.

Our teachers are encouraged to provide a justice and peace context for assessment and class activities. The following

are sections of the Semester 1 Year 11

Mathematics A assignment, in which students were asked to consider living costs for a student from

a remote Indigenous community who moved to Brisbane to study.

Although NAIDOC (National

Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) Week

was held during the end of Semester Two school holidays,

the St. Patrick’s College community had an opportunity

to reflect on the 2015 theme ‘We all Stand on Sacred Ground: Learn, Respect and Celebrate’ at

the end of Semester 1 Liturgy.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students celebrated

their sacred ground, carrying in simple signs to acknowledge

and identify their communities across Australia. A series of

special readings and prayers reflecting the theme were also

chosen especially for this Liturgy.

Harry Lawrence, a Year 9 student and ERA For Change

member also used this liturgy as an opportunity to educate

the community about the Recognise This campaign to

recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

in Australia’s Constitution and ensure there’s no place for racial discrimination.

Social justice is a term so often utilised in the

developing world. This notion has the potential to bring

us together in world unity, however its counterpart is

forcefully dividing the human nature. Today, we live in

an unjust society; and in terms of global poverty, the

term ‘80:20 world’ is often used. It is known that 20%

of the world consumes 80% of the world’s resources;

leaving only 20% for the latter 80% of the Earth’s

population. Such inequalities do not happen by chance

– they have been created and maintained by a wholly

unjust and unstable model of international

development.

India is a sub-continental nation situated in

South Asia, and is the second most populous country in

the world, being home to over 1.26 billion people. 1.2

billion people living in what is considered to be a

developing country, is a disaster waiting to happen.

According to an article written in ‘The Hindu’, it is

estimated that India’s top 10% in terms of wealth,

holds over 75% of the country’s total wealth. This

leaves the latter 90% of people – approximately 1.14

billion people – to live on less than 25% of India’s

economy. Furthermore, the top 1% holds almost half

of the country’s total wealth, only adding to this

extreme imbalance. All in all, 421 million people live in

‘multidimensional poverty’ in India, ultimately due to

this imbalance.

Poverty in general, is an issue that is whole-

heatedly recognised by the Catholic Church and

associated Catholic ministries and organisations. More

specifically, wealth distribution is an issue that is most

certainly covered through passages in the Bible. For

example, John 3:17 reads, “But if anyone has the

world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes

his heart against him, how does God's love abide in

him?” The underlying message embedded in this

quote, is that to expect God’s love and respect, you

must be willing to forfeit a portion of your own

possessions, to another who is severely in need. Pope

Benedict XVI is also an avid supporter of decreasing the

wealth gap. “The dignity of the individual and the

demands of justice require, particularly today, that

economic choices do not cause disparities in wealth to

increase in an excessive and morally unacceptable

manner (32)… Economic activity . . . needs to be

directed towards the pursuit of the common good, for

which the political community in particular must also

take responsibility. (36)” Caritas in Veritate. (Pope

Benedict XVI, 2009). Hence, it is clear that the Catholic

perspective is in full support of the movement to close

this evidently widening wealth gap.

Children, interestingly, have a profound

influence on the adults around them; especially when

they desire something immensely. I am particularly

passionate in the area of poverty and wealth inequality,

primarily as a result of my Immersion in India last

year. I was presented with the confronting opportunity

of visiting people who are known to be living in the

bottom 5% of the world’s wealthiest people. However,

these children, men and women, were not lacking in

two particular areas: love and generosity. I find it

incredibly unjust, that people such as those whom I had

the pleasure of meeting, are simply born into a caste

society, and have no opportunity for success should

they lie in the lower castes.

The real challenge for me is to see what I can do

after school. I am fortunate enough to have contacts of

over 60 young leaders from all over Australia and New

Zealand, each of which I am very close with. In

conjunction with these influential young people – and

my contacts in ERA For Change in Brisbane - we could

found an organisation whose sole purpose is to raise

awareness of the extreme wealth disparity of the world

we live in, and the profound effect it has on a nation’s

economy. We could accept regular (monthly, quarterly,

etc.) donations from some of those in Australia’s top

5% in terms of wealth, and donate this money to

trusted community groups and organisations, that

work in ‘lifting up the bottom’. The first two years of

this non-for-profit organisation would revolve around

publicity through social media, mailing lists, a website

and both print and technological advertisements. From

here, we could request to be shown on a television

program such as ‘The Project’, and further promote the

severe issues that our world is being faced.

This concept of the 80:20 world is one that has

provoked great interest among world leaders over the

past decade; but not enough. Not enough so that they

can commit to their promises and having a positive

influence on the world in which we live. It is

imperative that we, the youth of society, understand

our incredible leverage that we have on the ever-

developing living conditions. It is not until social

justice is restored, that we can be satisfied as a human

race.

By Jacob Lawrence, Year 12

By Ethan Bartley, Year 6 Why on earth did we humans dare think about caging animals? This piece will include facts and opinions on why animals should have the right to live with their own and other species, live in their natural environment and that caging animals is cruel. The most important part of an animal’s life is being able to live with their own and other species, so why do we take it away from them? Firstly I would just like to ask you one question, how would you like it if you were taken away from your friends and family? So how do you think animals feel? If animals are not raised among their own species, how will they learn to survive? For example, how are they going to know how to hunt and what to hunt for? Imagine what an animal would do if it was kept in captivity for the start of its life then was released into the wild. Without being taught how to hunt and what to hunt for, how will it survive? These are all reasons why we humans must allow animals to be raised with their species. It is extremely important that animals deserve to live in their natural habitat. Therefore, why do we remove them from it? Animals that live in the wild are able to wander and explore a variety of environments and foods. For instance, if animals in captivity wanted to roam around, it would be impossible because they can only move within their enclosure. Whereas, when they are in their natural environment they can travel as far as they want. Animals that do not grow up in their natural habitat will not know what there is to eat, what they can eat and how to eat it. In their own environment there are no limits unlike in a manmade enclosure. This allows animals to do what they want when they want.

It is crucially important that people understand that caging animals is cruelty. We all know how it is, so why do we continue to do it? By caging an animal, it will affect it mentally and physically. Some mental and physical issues consist of not knowing how to hunt, therefore it may starve, becoming unfit and overweight from being fed incorrect foods and feeling like a slave since being forced to do stuff without wanting. In conclusion, it is very clear to see that animals should not be caged. With all these insightful ideas I have provided you with, you must agree

that animals should have the right to live among their species and in their natural habitat and that caging animals is cruel. I strongly encourage everybody to stop caging animals and release the ones that are already caged. Finally, how would you like it if you were caged?

Why animals should not be caged

By Jack McDonald Year 8

Throughout the poem a father instructs his son on what is necessary in life to become a mature man. The poet conveys messages of powerful knowledge. The lines of the poem have the ability to change the feelings, attitudes and values of the reader. The poet uses shifts in emotion and word groups to capture the positive and negative worth of things. The poem is significant in the powerful message of life balance conveyed by a father, imparting knowledge gained through life experiences, in guiding his son towards manhood. The message of life balance is supported by contrasts like, “If you can wait and not be tired by waiting” or, “If you can dream—and not make dreams your master” then “Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it” inferring maturity attributable to a man. The poet cleverly uses these contrasts to highlight how maturity reflects the ability to recognise that despite your success you should remain down to earth. The features of this poem provide direction toward life success derived from humility. The essence of the text clearly demonstrates the significance of life balance in developing maturity, an interpretation gathered through life experiences.

The poem is powerful in altering the reader’s feelings, attitudes and values through the emphasis placed on striving to achieve whilst maintaining modesty. The poem says, “If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster, and treat those two impostors just the same” which means maturity requires level headedness and the capacity to realise the value that can be derived from both good and bad situations. This is thought provoking as often people want success at all costs yet a life spent being humble in success will invoke feelings of happiness, positivity and solid values which will allow resilience in difficult times. These feelings, attitudes and values are impacted by life experiences and thus the poem has the capacity to alter or re-direct the reader on a valuable path to maturity. A characteristic of the poem is the shifts in emotion from security to insecurity. The text reads, “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you” demonstrates the desire to remain strong and positive despite unavoidable reactions by others. The poem is particularly effective in opposing positive attributes with negative whilst highlighting the importance of maintaining a will to, ‘Hold on!’ in adversity, a quality of a secure individual. Holding on means not crushing under pressure inferred by others which you cannot control because in doing so you will ultimately gain the respect of others and be well placed to handle similar situations in the future. Clearly the constant shifts

in emotion are designed to reiterate feelings of security and insecurity which will be encountered in life and to create a preparedness to meet these challenges. The poet effectively embraces the positive and negative worth of things through descriptive phrases about life’s encounters. The poem suggests if you can, “walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch” meaning the ability to relate to people of all walks of life. Such descriptors educate the reader on the importance of being humble, that despite having a negative implication everything has value and provides a lesson in maturity towards a fulfilling and happy life. Thus, the use of negative and positive inferences is most successfully captured throughout the poem’s entirety in supporting a central message of maturity requiring the ability to best manage both good and bad situations. On the whole, this poem aids in providing guidance to the reader on how to best apply lessons learnt through life’s experiences on the path to becoming a successful mature man. I trust this analysis has guided you with a profound and beneficial understanding of the poem IF by Rudyard Kipling.

Throughout 2015, our Year 9 students are participating in The Rite Journey program, which is

designed to challenge students aged 13-14 to seek out responsibility and develop into Men of

Action. This term, they have been learning about the small differences they can make in the

community.

In conjunction with our Paddies Van, the young men started cooking healthy meal options for

patrons at a local community centre called SANDBAG. The team at SANDBAG praised this

initiative with an email (below) of thanks to the

students.

The White Mouse

It is getting late. The streets of Maginot are humming with German militants. No other civilian can be seen, as the remainder of the Jews now live in permanent

hiding.

I continue to lurk unseen in the shadows of Maginot Lane. The vehicle to Luxemburg appears in front of me. My husband Fiocca is perched solemnly on the edge

of the tray, straw and blankets sit in a stirring mess

behind him.

"Where are they?" I demand impatiently. "Patience madam, these streets are a dangerous place for Jewish Refugees, they must move with caution," Fiocca replies. "I must retrieve them for I fear they won't arrive at

all," I say. The streets grow dark as the surrounding buildings sheltered me from the wind. I feel an awkward tightness in my chest. Surely they would have arrived by

now, I think. I know something is wrong.

Suddenly they appear in the distance, a brown woollen mess of people. They huddle on the corner of the

alley, and streetlights stream past their faces. I impatiently

gesture for them to join me. A feeble, bushy haired man points down the main road between us. I embrace the chilled brick wall beside me, and peek around the corner.

A lean man in a pressed brown uniform, paces the

width of the road. He dangles a decorated assault rifle by the knuckles of his fingertips, playfully swinging it in front of him. I look back at the people across from me. Tears fill

their eyes. They truly believe that they will die tonight.

I start to fear what might happen next. My hands linger down the side of my coat, towards the gun pressed to my side. The cold metal of the gun sends shivers up my

spine. I slowly caress the handle as if I had a choice but to

grasp it. The weight of it gave me power like a warrior with a sword.

A few of the refugees murmur while others watch

in anticipation. My eyelids shut. The gun is now firmly embedded in my palm and my fingers linger over the

trigger. Should I kill him? I thought to myself. I exhale a warm white mist and stare into the crevices of the wall in front of me. Yes I must. I take three quick strides into the centre of the road, I adjust my stance and raise the gun up

to my face. Then I wait. The lean man looks directly into my eyes, almost pleading for mercy. He truly believes he will die tonight. We stand there for what seems like an eternity. I

take a sharp breath, squeeze the trigger of my gun, and

the soldier goes pale. His decorated weapon plummets through the air and impacts the harsh stone tile. He drops

to a knee and blood pours out the gaping hole in his uniform. A sickening look fills his face. The soldier’s lifeless body collapses into a young corpse. "Go," I hiss, "Get to the truck, now!" The refugees depart the scene in a solemn shuffle, while acknowledging the burden they had just placed upon my soul.

In memory of an Australian hero. A renounced French spy

who helped save the lives of 1000's and killed 100's of

German soldiers. "Freedom is the only thing worth living

for. While I was doing that work, I felt as though it didn't

matter if I died, because without freedom there was no

point in living." - Nancy Wake 1912-2011

Image source The Herald Sun. ‘Our Nancy Wake: Scourge of the Nazis’. 9 August 2011.

The following is a sample

from a Year 12 Health

Education assignment, written by

Nick Proberts

On Thursday 28 May Treacy House was

treated to a morning breakfast, however, this

time we were given a McDonald’s treat at a

discounted price of a gold coin donation

thanks to Rod Chiapello from Bracken Ridge

McDonald’s. We were given a choice of a

Sausage and Egg McMuffin or a Bacon and Egg

McMuffin, a box of McDonald’s cookies and a

small apple juice to wash it all down. We all

gathered as a house across from St. Pat’s on

the Shorncliffe beachfront, where we were all

able to interact as a house and soak in the

amazing views Shorncliffe has to offer.

We raised over $230 and with Rod’s generous donation all of the funds raised will be donated to our House charity, Ubuntu Through Health. Thanks to Mr Lawrence who organised this event and a special thanks to Rod and his staff for making this breakfast not only a success but an enjoyable time for all. By Daniel Bruce, Year 7

By Connor Clark, Year 10

St. Patrick’s College was officially recognised as a Green Heart School during Term Two, with the nomination of Year 10 student, Sam Essex, into the Brisbane City Council’s Student Environmental Leadership Network. Sam reflected on his first meeting as a part of this network in a short interview. What is SELN? SELN (Student Environmental Leadership Network) is a group of students within the Brisbane area – combining ideas, asking for help and feedback, and to get advice on how to become advocates for sustainability in our schools. What was your first meeting like? What did they talk about? This term’s meeting looked at how different communities are subtly, but powerfully introducing sustainability concepts into their communities. For example, one of the things we heard about was a paper towel dispenser, with an image that represented logging, so that as you took more paper, you saw a visual representation of the impacts that something we use everyday, can actually have. What goals did you come up with for our College? I was partnered with a mentor from the business community who helped me identify some projects we can start to look into here at St. Patrick’s College. Some of those ideas included successful ways that people have put forward different sustainability strategies – such as looking at how we manage and minimise our waste – implementation of small things that can have a big impact. Other ideas we discussed – worm farm, bees produce honey, wildlife boxes around schools, using recycled water. What drives you to help lead our College in sustainability? St. Patrick’s College is in such a lovely area, across the road from Moreton Bay. I also

live in the area, and I’ve had an opportunity to visit places like The Great Barrier Reef. I just want to make sure these pristine areas stick around for future generations, and I feel a sense of obligation (as everybody should) to play a part in doing this.

This year, all Year 9 Science classes are taking part in

The GCS Project 1600. As a Year 9 cohort, we have decided

that urbanisation is the largest threat to the marine

ecosystems across the world. In the pursuit of raising

awareness of this issue, St. Patrick's College has partnered

with two schools from India, Nand Vidya Niketan Essar School

– Jamnagar and Adani DAV Public School – Mundra. Together

we will communicate ideas, to fulfil the goal of healthier and more sustainable ecosystems across the world. In co-operation

with schools across Queensland and India, we are studying,

surveying and analysing 3200km of coastline; 1600km in

Queensland, and 1600km India. The classes in Year 9 are set

up so that every classmate has a role to play. A class leader

was elected to help all groups and looks over final work; a

media representative is in charge of a group which runs a

class blog; an India consultant talks to the two Indian schools we are paired with. A community promotions manager is in charge of groups which survey and research information for

out project and a mapping group maps the Moreton By Area.

Finally, the school promotions manager is in charge of groups

that manage the Just Us articles along with assembly

presentations that inform the school community of our

progress. Educational posters will be created to inform the

school further of our research. Together, we as a cohort will

study how urbanisation has an impact in the Moreton Bay

Area.

Urbanisation is defined as the increase in the

proportion of people living in urban locations (cities, towns,

etc.). The Moreton Bay Region has increased in urbanisation

over the last 10-15 years. Urbanisation has impacted the health

of local rivers, streams and marine occupants. This is well

documented in this environment. As urbanisation in the

Moreton Bay Region is expected to continue to increase,

urgent strategic planning is required to identify opportunities

to mitigate potential impacts on the biodiversity of Moreton

Bay.

Moreton Bay is a major home of multiple species of

plants and animals. Sand flats provide roosting sites for

migratory birds and seagrass beds nurture fish, shellfish,

dugong and turtles. Biodiversity is important everywhere,

species in your area or all over the world play a role in

maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Moreton Bay is classified as a

biodiversity hotspot. There are many waterways and

catchments that lead out to Moreton Bay including Bramble Bay

Catchment, Pine Rivers Catchment and Cabbage Tree Creek

Catchment. The Pine Rivers Catchment has C+ rating for its

water quality. All waterways are important for many reasons,

for example if we don’t take care of the waterways we put

native plants and animal life at risk.

Waterways play a very important role in our local

community. They provide essential water for agricultural

production, human consumption, industry and energy

production (Swanbank Power Station), and essential habitat for

native flora and fauna. In order to maintain these values and

uses, we need to protect our streams and to maintain or

enhance them to the best possible condition. Waterways are

important, not only because of the intrinsic values of their

diverse aquatic ecosystems, but also for their role in providing

water as a means for shifting commodities. Waterways are

critically important to the transportation of people and goods

throughout the world. The complex network of connections

between coastal ports, inland ports, rail, air, and truck routes

forms a foundation of economy worldwide. Waterways are faced

with many challenges including: land clearing, loss of riparian

(creek side) vegetation, erosion, sedimentation, loss of

permanent waterholes, runoff from land based activities

carrying nutrients, pollutants and sediments, overuse of water

(irrigation / dams) and urban development.

There are many ways we can help sustain healthy

waterways around Moreton Bay, many of which you might

already be doing. Some good places to start are:

Using eco-friendly, particularly low-phosphorous

cleaning products

Making sure chemicals such as oils and paints are never

poured down drains or into gutters

Reusing and recycling products and packaging wherever

possible

Minimising use of fertiliser or pesticide if rain is

expected, as these can wash down drains (this also

makes your fertiliser and pesticide more effective as less

is wasted)

Washing your car on the lawn, so the water does not run

off into drains

Remove litter wherever it is present in your environment

By making these simple changes and slight adjustments

to your everyday activities, we can sustain our waterways and

marine ecosystems for generations to come.

If Project 1600 truly succeeds in what it is trying to do,

the learning will go past the classes of grade 9 and past the walls

of this school, and the other schools who are also taking part in

Project 1600. We alone can’t keep out beloved waterways clean.

We alone can’t keep the ecosystems of Moreton Bay and beyond

healthy. It’s everyone’s job.

Written by students in 9B and 9C Science classes

By Zane Warnecke

By Bastian Brady

The Quran is the Islamic Sacred Text. I interviewed

my friend Saarim about the Quran and about the

Islamic faith. Saarim said that the Quran is a book

from God that lays down the laws and these kinds of

laws show what is permitted to eat and drink and

shows the punishments for certain crimes. The

Quran is also an instruction on prayers and is read

daily as it is a part of Muslims daily lives. Saarim also

said that the Quran can be linked to the pressing

issue of asylum seekers. He explained that Prophet

Mohammad said “Let the believer in God and the

Day of Judgement honour his guest,” and that this

ties with two of the core beliefs in Islam. The belief

in God and belief in the Day of Judgement. This is

basically starting, honour your guest with respect as

asylum seekers are people who have gone through

many hardships and have left their homes, families

and have sacrificed all they have in search of a new

life. It could be assumed that this adds to the world

becoming a better place as asylum seekers are

treated with respect and are welcomed instead of pushed aside.

Just like Christians, Muslims celebrate many

religious festivals. One of these is Prophet

Muhammad’s Birthday. This festival occurs on the

12th day of the mount Rabi and is an extremely

special time for all Muslims as it is the time when

their beloved Prophet was born. They celebrate this

occasion with food, drinks, and gifts are exchanged

between households. Just like Christmas for

Christians. The month of Rabi is also a month of

blessing and is a very sacred time of year. This

celebration creates a sense of hope for Muslims as it

was the time when Prophet Muhammad was born

and this could be seen as a way of creating a better

world through hope and peace.

Muslims have many rituals that they perform as part

of their faith. One of these is called Salat and this

ritual is performed five times a day and is used by

Muslims to honour or show respect for Allah. This

demonstrates the value Muslims place on Allah and

could be a way for them to improve their happiness

towards others as they know that they are respecting

and pleasing Allah. Saarim explains that you must

stop whatever you are doing turn to Mekkah which

is Islam’s holiest city, to offer five daily prayers at

dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and evening.

Salat is also one of the five Pillars of Islam. Saarim

then explains that as he has been doing this ritual for

many years it has become a

routine for him and he will

plan his work around it. I

then asked him if people

are accepting of this ritual

and he replied that people

are generally fine with this

ritual as it is not affecting

them, however some

people do get

uncomfortable if they see a

Muslim praying in public.

Like Christianity, Muslims have many prayers that range from

prayers of peace to prayers of forgiveness. An example of a

prayer for peace in the world is, “O You, the almighty Sun, whose light clears away all clouds, We take refuge in You, king of all

men, God of all deities, Lord of all angles. We pray You, dispel the

mist of illusion from the hearts of the nations and lift their lives

by your all-sufficient power. Pour upon them Your limitless love,

Your ever-shining light, Your everlasting life, Your heavenly joy

and Your perfect peace”. I asked Saarim what this prayer means

to him and how he can use it in the world today. He explained

that the prayer helps him understand the power of God and what

he should be thankful for. He said God has created everything

that has existed, is existing, and will exist. God knows everything

that will and has happened and to not appreciate his power is

like not saying thank you to your mother. He also said that this

prayer could be used to reduce violence in the world and spread

calmness and love into people’s hearts. This is important as it

could reduce the amount of wars in the world and help make

people more caring to one another.

Finally, Islam’s core beliefs are the five Pillars of Islam are the

core beliefs in the Islamic Faith. The first pillar is, Shahadah

(Profession of faith), this is "There is no God but God and

Muhammad is the Messenger of God. This statement expresses a

Muslim's complete acceptance of and total commitment to Islam.

The second pillar is Salat (Prayer), this is when the world's

Muslims turn individually and collectively to Mekkah, to offer five

daily prayers at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and evening.

The third pillar is Zakat (almsgiving), this is a social

responsibility and is considered part of one's service to God; the

obligatory act of zakat enshrines this duty. Give 2.5% of your

income to the poor and needy. The fourth pillar is Sawm (fasting

during the holy month of Ramadan), this is ordained in the Holy

Qur'an and the fast is an act of deep personal worship in which

Muslims seek a richer perception of God. The fifth and last pillar

is Hajj (the pilgrimage to Makkah), this is the most significant

pillar of Islamic Faith. In performing the Hajj, a pilgrim follows

the order of ritual that the Prophet Muhammad performed

during his last pilgrimage. Saarim explains that the five pillars

help him follow a certain way of life and how he should act in the

world and they also help him become a better person. He also

said that they help show him his limits. An example of how this

makes the world a better place is by giving some of your income

to the poor and needy, you are helping the marginalised in the

community. This ultimately means that you are improving the lives or people and making the world a better place.

In conclusion, religion is a very significant part of the world

around us and it also is a way of life for the some 5.8 billion

people in the world that follow a religion. My interview with

Saarim has shown that religion

does contribute to making the

world a better place as it helps to

provide a solution for peace and

gives many people hope in an

otherwise bleak and grim life.

By James Cardwell

Year 10

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Year 10 Religious Education students explored culture and art as aspects in representing ’The Mystery of God’ in religions today. William Welch, and Conor Nguyen, Year 10 students created artwork to reflect a comparison of three religions and their respective beliefs: Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Spirituality, Hinduism and Christianity.

William Welch—’What is God?’ Miss Batten’s class

Conor Nguyen—’The Descent upon Earth’ Mr Haughey’s class

Asylum Seekers. Boat people. Queue jumpers. Whatever you

refer to them as, there is no denying that they have left

Australia with a significant humanitarian problem to solve. As a

country, we strive to exemplify the qualities of mateship and

supporting the battler. However, when a boatload of exhausted,

frightened and ultimately innocent humans arrive on our

doorstep, we shove them behind bars indefinitely. Our leaders

portray these men, women and children as a threat to our way

of life as an excuse to treat them like prisoners. I wholeheartedly

believe that we must improve our treatment of these desperate

people by embodying the fundamental human trait of

compassion. Asylum seekers are defined as “a person who has left their home country as a political refugee and is seeking asylum in another.” There are many misconceptions about the

status of an asylum seeker. It must be noted that Asylum

Seekers are seeking to be refugees. Often confused, a refugee is

someone who has been granted access to a country. In

Australia, this request for a refugee visa is the lengthy process

that keeps Asylum Seekers in detention centres. These centres

are dilapidated and in appalling condition, just last year an

Asylum Seeker died after a cut on his foot became infected. It is

clear that this is a social justice issue when people are being

subjected to such inhumane conditions.

Australia receives just 0.31% of the world’s refugees, the 48th

highest percentage. This percentage still amounts to around

35,000 refugees, however, this is still a stark contrast to the rest

of the developed world. As of 31 March 2015 there are 1,509

children in detention, with 227 in immigration detention

facilities (on the Australian mainland and on Nauru), and 1,282

in community detention. The Nauru centre’s conditions are

especially harmful to children, as the Australian Human Rights

Commission found in their 2014 inquiry into children in

detention. The Commission states that “children detained

indefinitely on Nauru are suffering from extreme levels of

physical, emotional, psychological and developmental distress.”

As a nation, we are clearly violating several articles of the

United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child. Our

government is willingly exposing innocent children to high risks

of mental-illness and self-harm, whilst

denying them access to adequate

education and recreational facilities.

This is nothing short of a national

disgrace and our government should

hang its head in utter shame for such

despicable treatment of society’s

weakest members. One fundamental

law of the world we live in, is that every child is born innocent.

To subject innocent, often parentless, children to conditions

such as this defies every compassionate instinct instilled in us.

The Catholic Church teaches us these fundamental human

values, as seen in Mathew’s Gospel “For I was hungry and you

gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me

something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I

needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked

after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’37 “Then the

righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry

and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to

drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or

needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or

in prison and go to visit you?’40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell

you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and

sisters of mine, you did for me.’ This is an example of Jesus

Christ’s value and respect for people at the margins of society.

In a contemporary society, Asylum Seekers are those who exist

at the margins of our society. It is telling that a 2000 year old

scripture passage teaches us more about compassion than our

Government. Interestingly, our Prime Minister aligns with

Catholicism, a denomination which expresses support and

justice for Asylum Seekers.

Our government must resort to the human qualities of

compassion and empathy to have any hope of achieving social

justice on this issue. They must listen to the cries of the

marginalised and to the messages that are woven through

Gospel scripture to end this humanitarian disgrace.

By Isaac Wilkinson, Year 12

Image from sbs.com.au

An overwhelming number of St. Patrick’s College young men turned out for our third annual ‘Detention for Detention’. Nearly 300 students took a voluntary detention to stand in solidarity with the 222 children still detained in Australia’s

immigration detention centres. Some students chose to cover their mouths to symbolise the voicelessness and powerlessness experienced by children in immigration detention. Across Australia, approximately 15 EREA schools participated in the same

event in the same week of Term 2.

Quest Newspaper’s Northside Chronicle covered St. Patrick’s College participation in Detention For Detention in its 17th June, 2015 edition.

On Friday 5th June,

three ERA for Change

members walked in the Multicultural

Development

Association’s Lantern

Parade to create welcome for recently

arrived refugees and

migrants. Jacob Lawrence, Zekiel

Sinclair and Harry

McLaughlin proudly

represented St Patrick’s College at this event.

The boys got to carry

lanterns and signs to welcome people to

Brisbane.

The event followed the third annual ERA for

Change planning day,

where students listened to range of speakers

about human rights and

the rights of refugees and asylum seekers.

During the day,

students developed an

ERA for Change manifesto, outlining

our priorities, goals

and purpose for the coming years.

As a sign of our commitment to sustainability, this magazine has been printed recycled paper. This paper was sourced from the Australian company, Ecocern. If you are interested in using Ecocern for your publications, please visit www.ecocern.com or email ecocern@ecocern.com

Be the first person to correctly answer all the questions in this edition of Just Us to win a $50 voucher for the Etiko online shop. The first person to email all correct answers to sfisk@stpatricks.qld.edu.au will win the prize. Question 1: What is ‘protest poetry’? Question 2: What role does Hon. Peter Dutton MP hold and why is this particularly significant for St. Patrick’s? Question 3: Identify two similarities between Islam and Christianity? Question 4: What are some of the issues associated with a binge drinking culture? Question 5: Who have the Year 9 boys been cooking meals for? Question 6: How does Project1600 offer an international connection for our students? Question 7: Why did the football fiesta team wear a strange combination of uniforms? Question 8: What does SELN do in the Brisbane area? Question 9: Why have the Year 9 Rite Journey have begun cooking for the Paddies Van? Question 10: (This might be a hard one!) What are teachers encouraged to do at St. Patrick’s with justice and peace themes?