Charism
Charism is a gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church, communicated through a particular person who gathers disciples around him or her and with whom he or she translates a bold vision into action. Charism is a living passion for whatever dimension of the life of Christ is missing now - peace, truth, mercy ... It is the heart of the founder/foundress that was aglow at one period of history, beating on in us in another day and age. It is ever changing ... it is where the reign of God is needed most. It develops from age to age and dies from age to age ... and then grows up in a new way.
Mercy – The Mercy order followed the tradition of Catherine McAuley Foundress of the Mercy Order.
Holy Cross School was opened and blessed on Sunday May 15th 1932 and two Sisters of Mercy from Avondale were in charge of 60 pupils.
The school charism was based on the Mercy tradition of:
A Mercy school is centred on children and their education. The mercy spirit is lived, not just articulated in:
-
Mission
-
Service
-
People are important
-
Gospel values
-
The place of Mary
Dominican – St Dominic was a Spanish priest who lived in the 13th century Europe. While he studied and learned throughout his life, he was also a man of constant prayer. All Dominicans have O.P. after their names standing for Order of Preachers. St Dominic sought to bring truth about Jesus to the followers of the Albigension heresy who needed to be convinced that people are good.
From humble beginnings today there are approximately 36,000 Dominican Sisters, over 6,500 Friars, 4,378 cloistered Sisters, 600 members of secular institutes and 110,000 lay people who identify as Dominican men and women. This Dominican family shares one motto – Veritas, which is Latin for Truth.
The Dominican sisters came to Holy Cross in 1971 when St Dominic’s college was built in Henderson. The Mercy Sisters moved to St Mary’s in Northcote. These moves meant that each order had a primary and secondary school in the same area.
Capuchins – The Capuchin Friars are an autonomous branch of the Order of Friars Minor, founded by St Francis of Assisi in 1209. The Capuchin reform started in 1525 and was approved by the Pope in 1528. The Friars commit themselves to live a fraternal, Gospel way of life in the spirit and footsteps of St Francis of Assisi.
The Capuchins seek to live poorly and simply in fraternity, to embrace penance, to have a special love for the poor and suffering, to imitate the gentleness and mercy of Jesus and to live out their charism in union with the Church and Mary.
On January 28th 1976, four Capuchin Friars came to Henderson and took up residence at the presbytery in View Road. During 1977 the Friars decided to open a postulancy, i.e. a first house for those entering the order, at Henderson and so transferred the presbytery to 14 Lavelle Road. The Sisters moved to View Road. The present Parish priest is Father Paul Helsham.
Explanation of the Holy Cross School Crest.
Motto – Truth
Seeking the truth of God’s Word. We are called to honour the truth in all we say and do. “The way, the truth and the life” – John 14:6
This phrase refers to the three symbols on the crest
The Cross has a long arm – this signifies protection and is attributed to St Helena, the Mother of Constantine the Great. St Helena was responsible for finding Christ’s cross which had been buried during a time of persecution by pagan rulers. Today in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre there are 22 chapels shared by six Christian groups. In the chapel of the Finding of the Cross there is a bronze statue of St Helena embracing a cross. A marble slab to the right marks the spot where the cross was discovered in 324.
Holy Cross embraces the Mercy, Dominican, Capuchin charisms, and the protection of the Cross as foundation stones that lead forward.
Holy Cross has identified and embraced five core values. They are:
-
Truth
- Respect
- Justice
- Forgiveness
- Joy
|
