At 11:00am on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 the guns fell silent on the war-torn fields and trenches of Europe, ending four years of bloodshed and destruction.
Today, we remembered those who have served our country in conflicts past and present.
We wore our poppies with pride and observe a minute silence with both reverence and observance.
The things we often take for granted, freedom and democracy, were and have been won and defended by the ultimate sacrifice of many. Proudly, the tradition of remembrance is stronger than ever and Remembrance Day remains a vital part of our school heritage each November.
Lest we forget.
Also on this day we remembered the passing of Catherine McAuley, on November 11, 1841.
When Catherine McAuley was dying, many of the sisters gathered around her bedside to say good-bye and to pray the prayers for the dying. Not long before she died, at the end of a long day of waiting, she said to one of the sisters: “Be sure you have a comfortable cup of tea for them when I am gone.” Ever since, the comfortable cup of tea has been a symbol of the warm and caring relationships which were at the heart of Catherine McAuley’s Mercy vision.
Prayer of Remembrance
O God of truth and justice, we hold before you those whose memory we cherish, and those whose names we will never know. Help us to lift our eyes above the torment of this broken world, and grant us the grace to pray for those who wish us harm. As we honour the past, may we put our faith in your future; for you are the source of life and hope, now and forever.
Amen.
Mary Farah
College Principal