Included this week in RE News:-
- Footy Colours Day
- Haily House Visit
- Vinnies Festival Gathering for our Mini Vinnies Students
- Review of Torie's Belgium Study Tour
Footy Colours Day
Thank you so much for your support last term. We raised $301.80.
Next Hailey House visits
October 30th (Tues) - Years 3 and 6
November 20th (Tues) - Years 4 and 5
December 11th (Tues) - All Mini Vinnies members (3-6) Christmas Carols
Vinnies Festival Gathering for our Mini Vinnies Students
This year we are hosting the Ballarat festival where Mini Vinnies members come together to celebrate the work we do. This is the following advertisement that has gone out to schools:
Thank you so much for your support last term. We raised $301.80.
Next Hailey House visits
October 30th (Tues) - Years 3 and 6
November 20th (Tues) - Years 4 and 5
December 11th (Tues) - All Mini Vinnies members (3-6) Christmas Carols
Vinnies Festival Gathering for our Mini Vinnies Students
This year we are hosting the Ballarat festival where Mini Vinnies members come together to celebrate the work we do. This is the following advertisement that has gone out to schools:
Catholic University Leuven Belgium
Enhancing Catholic School Identity Victoria
3-21 September 2018
Thirty-five delegates travelled from across Victoria to gather at the Irish College in Leuven to attend Catholic University Leuven Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies. The purpose of the study tour was to deepen our understanding of the ECSI data. I focused on the way in which our school member’s perceive the school’s Catholic identity and their preferred stance for this in the future. I was able to use our school ECSI data from 2016. I was able to identify the possibility of further developing the school's Catholic identity.
The three-week intensive program commenced each day with morning prayer. Colleagues took the responsibility of organising the morning gathering. The diversity of our group; priests, teachers, director, education consultants and principals meant that our time in prayer was deeply spiritual, meaningful and allowed for contemplation.
The formal learning took place in a variety of lecture theatres across the university campus. We were privileged to be lectured by engaging and passionate professors who were awe inspiring in their knowledge and understanding in their field of expertise and our cultural setting in Australia. The lectures were approximately two hours and we attended 2-3 per day. They were held in different faculties of the university; Philosophy, Theology, Arts, STUK, Library, Gasthuisberg Hospital and Arenberg Castle.
Enhancing Catholic School Identity Victoria
3-21 September 2018
Thirty-five delegates travelled from across Victoria to gather at the Irish College in Leuven to attend Catholic University Leuven Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies. The purpose of the study tour was to deepen our understanding of the ECSI data. I focused on the way in which our school member’s perceive the school’s Catholic identity and their preferred stance for this in the future. I was able to use our school ECSI data from 2016. I was able to identify the possibility of further developing the school's Catholic identity.
The three-week intensive program commenced each day with morning prayer. Colleagues took the responsibility of organising the morning gathering. The diversity of our group; priests, teachers, director, education consultants and principals meant that our time in prayer was deeply spiritual, meaningful and allowed for contemplation.
The formal learning took place in a variety of lecture theatres across the university campus. We were privileged to be lectured by engaging and passionate professors who were awe inspiring in their knowledge and understanding in their field of expertise and our cultural setting in Australia. The lectures were approximately two hours and we attended 2-3 per day. They were held in different faculties of the university; Philosophy, Theology, Arts, STUK, Library, Gasthuisberg Hospital and Arenberg Castle.
A memorable day at Arenberg Castle for two lectures followed by a guided tour and mass at St Lambertus Chapel. A beautiful church in the woodlands.
The program had many layers and internal connections. Our lecture topics were ECSI teachings: Catholic anthropology, Post Critical Belief Scale, Melbourne Scale, Victoria Scale, SPES scale, empirical methodology including graphs tutorial session, enhancing Catholic School Identity, criteria for recontextualisation, practical wisdom sharing and further support for ECSI in the future. All of which I found challenged my thinking and extended my understanding which will assist me to support my colleges in further developing the catholic identity of St Columba’s school.
The Theological formation we focused on was Forgiveness and Reconciliation, the Identity of Catholic Schools, Ecology in the Catholic Faith Tradition, Vatican II, Interreligious Dialogue, Spirituality and Leadership, Theological Ethics on Sexuality, Prayer-Sacraments and Liturgy in the Catholic Dialogue School.
During our visits to the following cities: Ypres, Ghent, Brussels, Brugee, Haarlem, Amsterdam and Antwerp. We were invited into the following schoosl; Mariagaard in Wetteren, Katholiek Onderwings in Brussels, Lycerum Sancta Maria in Haarlem, the Choir School in Haarlem the Diocesan Office in Haarlem–Amsterdam, Xavier College in Borgerhout and Winderkind in Leuven. All of these education venues were specifically chosen to demonstrate where these schools were in relation to their catholic identity.
We visited many Sacred and hermeneutical spaces, chapels and Churches. St Damian’s Crypt, chapel at the Pope’s College, Irish College Hollands College, St Lambartus Chapel, Chapel of Disclosure, Begyinhofkerk, Cathedral-Basilica St Bavo in Haarlem, multiple churches in Amsterdam including Ons’ Lieve Heeer op solider, Our Lady of Victories Cathedral Antwerp, Gasthursberg Chapel. All of these scared spaces were an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the Enhancing Catholic School identity project.
The Theological formation we focused on was Forgiveness and Reconciliation, the Identity of Catholic Schools, Ecology in the Catholic Faith Tradition, Vatican II, Interreligious Dialogue, Spirituality and Leadership, Theological Ethics on Sexuality, Prayer-Sacraments and Liturgy in the Catholic Dialogue School.
During our visits to the following cities: Ypres, Ghent, Brussels, Brugee, Haarlem, Amsterdam and Antwerp. We were invited into the following schoosl; Mariagaard in Wetteren, Katholiek Onderwings in Brussels, Lycerum Sancta Maria in Haarlem, the Choir School in Haarlem the Diocesan Office in Haarlem–Amsterdam, Xavier College in Borgerhout and Winderkind in Leuven. All of these education venues were specifically chosen to demonstrate where these schools were in relation to their catholic identity.
We visited many Sacred and hermeneutical spaces, chapels and Churches. St Damian’s Crypt, chapel at the Pope’s College, Irish College Hollands College, St Lambartus Chapel, Chapel of Disclosure, Begyinhofkerk, Cathedral-Basilica St Bavo in Haarlem, multiple churches in Amsterdam including Ons’ Lieve Heeer op solider, Our Lady of Victories Cathedral Antwerp, Gasthursberg Chapel. All of these scared spaces were an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the Enhancing Catholic School identity project.
 St Damian's Crypt, Leuven |  The Silent House,Haverlee |
We analysed many art works including Christ’s entry into Brussels. Art in the Cathedral Bascilica of St. Bavo in Haarlem and large paintings by Rubens in the Antwerp Cathedral and many artworks used during the lectures.
The Highlights of my trip were;
The Chapel of Disclosure
The Highlights of my trip were;
The Chapel of Disclosure
 Photo A |  Photo B |  Photo C |
The Chapel is located on the novitiate of the Christian Brothers of Belgium. Brother Herman Lombaret’s a former professor at KU Leuven was our guide. The Chapel is part of the De La Salle Spiritual Rest and Discovery centre located on the grounds in the village of Groot Bijgaarden, Belgium. The Christian Brother’s identified the fact that there was no longer enough interest in the chapel to sustain its use. Herman Lombaret’s entrusted the expertise of architect Tom Callebaut along with other members of the Christian Brothers to rethink how they could use this space.
The chapel was built in 1924 and has undergone a radical transformation towards “transcending contemporary religious alienation”. Traditional points of recognition have shuttered away to create a new environment” It is now known as the Chapel of Disclosure. Brother Herman Lombaert’s invited us into the space and suggested “once you enter into the art, the art will enter into you and you will ask yourself what does this do to me?”.
As you enter through the red hallway known as the vestibule it is an opportunity to remove one’s socks and shoes. It became increasingly obvious the vibrant red coloured walls were designed to attract the visitor’s attention and start their wonderings. As you entered into this raw space there are no artifacts, no familiar religious relics or a focal point (Photo A). Inside the sacred Christian space there are cylindrical wooden seats scattered across a floor covered with sand. There is a white ceiling and large merino wool walls bordered by red infinite trim. The chapel is a place where individuals can get in touch with the spiritual dimensions of life.
It is possible to recognise the recontextualisation of Catholic Identity in the Chapel of Disclosure because the chapel, built in 1924 now has a new context and has undergone a shift in meaning. The Catholic religious’ component is still viable as the old sanctuary of the chapel is revealed (Photo C) and in front of the altar is a stone roughly 5 meters wide. On the walls are old stained glass images of saints (Photo B). There is a contextual component present as visitors are able to enter into genuine dialogue and learn how the Holy Spirit is at work in a variety of different ways. The creator has created a tension between the old and the new. The new space excludes all reference to the iconography and liturgy associated with the original chapel. In summary the Chapel of Disclosure is a true example of Recontextualization as its characterised by a “shift in perspective that leads an invitation to make meaning”.
Presenting St. Columba’s Data in the STUK
The STUK is one of the oldest lecture theatres in the world dating back to 1400’s and has appeared in many movies.
The chapel was built in 1924 and has undergone a radical transformation towards “transcending contemporary religious alienation”. Traditional points of recognition have shuttered away to create a new environment” It is now known as the Chapel of Disclosure. Brother Herman Lombaert’s invited us into the space and suggested “once you enter into the art, the art will enter into you and you will ask yourself what does this do to me?”.
As you enter through the red hallway known as the vestibule it is an opportunity to remove one’s socks and shoes. It became increasingly obvious the vibrant red coloured walls were designed to attract the visitor’s attention and start their wonderings. As you entered into this raw space there are no artifacts, no familiar religious relics or a focal point (Photo A). Inside the sacred Christian space there are cylindrical wooden seats scattered across a floor covered with sand. There is a white ceiling and large merino wool walls bordered by red infinite trim. The chapel is a place where individuals can get in touch with the spiritual dimensions of life.
It is possible to recognise the recontextualisation of Catholic Identity in the Chapel of Disclosure because the chapel, built in 1924 now has a new context and has undergone a shift in meaning. The Catholic religious’ component is still viable as the old sanctuary of the chapel is revealed (Photo C) and in front of the altar is a stone roughly 5 meters wide. On the walls are old stained glass images of saints (Photo B). There is a contextual component present as visitors are able to enter into genuine dialogue and learn how the Holy Spirit is at work in a variety of different ways. The creator has created a tension between the old and the new. The new space excludes all reference to the iconography and liturgy associated with the original chapel. In summary the Chapel of Disclosure is a true example of Recontextualization as its characterised by a “shift in perspective that leads an invitation to make meaning”.
Presenting St. Columba’s Data in the STUK
The STUK is one of the oldest lecture theatres in the world dating back to 1400’s and has appeared in many movies.
- I was given the opportunity during ‘Practical Wisdom Sharing’ on our final day to present St. Columba’s ECSI data results from 2016. I was able to clearly interpret the data and explain what the future direction is for the members of our school community. Prof.Dr.Pollefeyt could see that the Sacred Space had been carefully created in our school. He was affirming in the path that we are travelling down and suggested that our Sacred Space would appear as an example of best practice in promoting Dialogue in a hermeneutical space on his website in the not too distant future. I received feedback from other members of the Theology and Religious Studies faculty team on some additions that could strengthen our children’s understandings.
- Professor Roger Burggraeve’s a Salesian priest lecture on the Good Samaritain. He challenged my thinking and opened my mind to the “interruption” that occurs between one and the other the face-to-face encounter. A powerful lecture that was enjoyed by all the participants.
The Graduation and final banquet
Pro. Dr. Didier Pollefeyt presentation of certificates at D’Artagnan Restaurant
There was the VERY odd minute to enjoy some pastries, chocolate and a selection of beer in the little bit of spare time we had.
Pro. Dr. Didier Pollefeyt presentation of certificates at D’Artagnan Restaurant
There was the VERY odd minute to enjoy some pastries, chocolate and a selection of beer in the little bit of spare time we had.
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