No Lions in Paris

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@tasmadmonk - Fr. Mike Delaney

launcestoncatholicparish.wordpress.com

We are all guilty of thinking that our perspective on something is the correct perspective.  We see things through the lens that we use to filter and make sense of the world.  What we usually forget is that this is a lens, our lens, not necessarily right or wrong, just a lens!

'What a poor city Paris is.  It has no grass!  .......  You will need to take your own food... they eat leaves like goats..."

Musa Kirokote sees things through his lens and the lens of someone with Cerebral Palsy. 

How often do we really interrogate our reality from a different perspective?

How is our school community seen through the eyes of the most marginalised?

How is our classroom through the eyes of the student with the greatest need?

How is our Church embracing the 'smell of the sheep' as challenged to us by Pope Francis?

I know that when I am at my best I suspend judgement, assumption and opinion and just focus on seeking a better understanding.

I also know that I am not at my best as much as I should be and too often focus on trying to be understood.

                             Trivia Answer from last week:
Liz Illingworth, Principal of St. Finn Barr's was selected in the Team of the Century (1900-2000) for her Hockey Club: Tamar Churinga. 

                              

Book Week at Our Lady of Mercy Deloraine 

Book Week at Our Lady of Mercy Deloraine 

Book Week at Our Lady of Mercy Deloraine 

Everyone loves the outdoor area at Our Lady of Mercy Deloraine

Oops, caption this photo ......

Building work at St Peter Chanel, Smithton 

Building work at St Peter Chanel, Smithton 

Building work at St Peter Chanel, Smithton 

Building work at St Peter Chanel, Smithton 

Building work at St Peter Chanel, Smithton 

No problem finding Wally at Sacred Heart Ulverstone's Book Week Celebrations 

Catholic Identity

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launcestoncatholicparish.wordpress.com

Last week we (Sean Gill, Denise Long and myself) presented a workshop at the Diocesan Schools National Colloquium on School Improvement. 

Getting to Cairns was an ordeal (around 15 hours) and with our Workshop looming and preparation minimal, Frank Brennan stepped up to the dais as a key note speaker.   Frank is an Australian Jesuit, Human Rights Lawyer and advocate.

My plans to try and work out what I was going to say in the workshop were challenged by the engagement of Frank's keynote; his narrative, humour and challenging content.

There were three quotes from his keynote that continue to sit with me, churn and challenge!

'Eucharist is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak!'

'The mysticism of the Sacrament has a social character. When we receive the Sacrament turn a blind eye to the marginalised, to inequality and injustice, we receive the Sacrament unworthily.'

'We need to be a Church of the baptised not just a Church of the ordained.'

I am sure there would be divergent responses and views in response to hearing this.  

What would our response be if inserted the phrase ' Catholic Education' instead? 

What if the quotes read as follows:

Catholic Education is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak!

Catholic Education has a social character. When Catholic Education turns a blind eye to the marginalised (within and outside of each school), to inequality and injustice we dishonour our purpose.

Catholic Education needs to be a Church for the baptised (students) not just the ordained (staff -TCEO and in Schools).

We continue to discuss and grapple with the concept of Catholic Identity within our system locally and nationally. 

Is our historical Identity the same in 2017? Should it be?

Does it need to be? 

Who are our schools for? 

Who is in most need of our schools? 

Our students, classes, and schools do not belong to any of us. Whether we are the Director, TCEO staff, principals, teachers or staff, we are guardians and custodians for a period of time.  We are guardians of charism, history, vision, and mission while striving to be what we need to be now and working towards what we need to be tomorrow.

The challenge for our Church and our Educational system is to get caught up in pursuit of answers but to keep 'bending' our conversation towards these questions. 

Trivia: Last week's question:

The answer to last week's question was Brent Wilson.

This week's Trivia Question:

Which Principal is in their Hockey Club's Team of the Century (not this century by the 20th)?

Tweets of the Week:

Around our Schools

Marketing and Enrolments Strategic Planning Meeting at Marist Regional College 

with surrounding schools

A-E, Naplan comparisons: Dave Mohr
Northern Principal Conversation: Tension Woods Centre 

 Staff Formation “Going Deeper” / Classroom Observation Templates: Janaya Plummer
Northern Principal Conversation: Tenison Woods Centre

 Learning Support:  Julia Kramer
Northern Principal Conversation: Tenison Woods Centre

Staff Consult: Our Lady of Lourdes

Silent Tragedy Impacting our Children

“Stop wearing your wishbone 

where your backbone ought to be.” 

– Elizabeth Gilbert 

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@tasmadmonk - Fr. Mike Delaney
launcestoncatholicparish.wordpress.com

Victoria Prooday is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist from Canada. In one of her most recent Blogs, she really challenged parents around what she called a 'silent tragedy' unfolding with our children. She states:

 ' even if you disagree with my perspective, please, just follow the recommendations at the end of the article. Once you have seen the positive changes, you will understand why I say what I say..'

There is a silent tragedy developing right now, in our homes, and it concerns - our children.  In my professional work I have witnessed this tragedy unfolding in front of my eyes. Our children are in a devasting emotional state! 

• 1 in 5 children have mental health problems
• 43% increase in ADHD
• 37% increase in teen depression.
• 200% increase in suicide rate in 10-14-year-olds 

Yes as painful as it can be to admit, in many cases, we the parents, are the answer to many of our kids' struggles. Unfortunately often with the environment and parenting styles, we are providing to our children, we are rewiring their brains and contributing to their challenges in everyday life.

Yes, there are always children who have serious disabilities and needs. I am not talking about children in these situations.  I am talking about the children who are being deprived of a healthy childhood that has at its centre:

• Emotionally available parents
• Clearly defined limits and guidance
• Responsibilities
• Balanced nutrition and adequate sleep
• Movement and Outdoors
• Creative play, social interaction, opportunities for unstructured play and boredom

INSTEAD, children are being served with:

• Digitally distracted parents
• Indulgent parents who let kids 'rule the world'
• Sense of entitlement rather than responsibility
• Inadequate sleep and unbalanced nutrition.
• Sedentary indoor lifestyle
• Endless stimulation, technological babysitters, and absence of dull moments.

If we want out children to grow up happy and healthy we need to go back to the basics.  We need to set limits and remember that you are your child's PARENT, not a friend. Offer kids well-balanced lifestyle filled with what they need and don't be afraid to say 'No!'

• Spend a least one hour outside a day
• Have a daily tech free dinner
• Involve children in at least one chore a day.
• Implement consistent sleep routines, ensure your child gets lots of sleep and that the bedroom is technology free.
• Don't pack your child's backpack
• Don't carry their backpack
• Don't bring to school their forgotten lunch box and don't peel a banana for a 5-year-old.  Teach them skills rather than do it for them.
• Don't feel responsible for being your child's complete entertainment crew.
• Don't use technology as the cure for boredom.
• Avoid using technology during meals, in cars, restaurants
• Turn off your phones until kids are in bed
• Be your child's emotional coach. Teach them to recognize and deal with frustration and anger
• Teach greetings, eye contact, turn taking, sharing, table manners and how to make conversation....'

I found myself nodding in agreement with many of the points raised, as well as feeling guilty about some of the practices outlined that we have lived out as parents as well. 

I know in our home, when we limit and in fact take away ICT, our kids tend to play together more, be more creative and active in their play, get outside more, get along better for longer and after a period of 'detox' not miss it.

Some pretty good reasons to reduce use and increase human interaction.


St Finn Barr's: 
NAIDOC Week Pray Liturgy 

NAIDOC Week Flag Raising Ceremony in the Launceston Mall

Trivia Question:

Which Principal has been sharing that a parent told him he looks like Sean Connery?