Prayer & Reflection
Why a Staff Spirituality Day?
A staff retreat can be a source of great nourishment, unity and inspiration as rarely in our busy lives, let alone within the context of work, do we take the time to pause. Taking some time as a school community to reflect can be incredibly productive and can result in an entirely different and powerful orientation toward work, vision, community, and self. This is particularly important in a Catholic school where we are called to be active contemplatives in our ministry.
In 2014 Marist Regional College and Stella Maris Primary School will join together for a Staff Spirituality Day. The day will involve a range of reflective and experiential activities for staff to: learn more about the Catholic faith tradition; engage in quiet reflection and meditation; explore issues of social justice; participate in active service to the community; and spend time with each other in a relaxed environment. The aim of the day is for staff to more deeply connect with themselves and each other, exploring the spiritual and faith context of our work environment.
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The theme for the day is Nurturing the Heart. To nurture is to take care of, to look after and to protect. To nurture is to nourish. But what are we nurturing and why? The “heart” is our Catholic faith tradition, central to our existence as schools; the “heart” is also our students – the love we have for them and for our vocation. The focus of the day is on nurturing our hearts so that we can, as called, help our students flourish so that they may have life to the full.
Sources of Inspiration
The Emmaus Story (Luke 24:13-35)
Excerpt
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?”
Saint Pope John Paul II
"Keep Jesus Christ in your heart and you will see his face in every human being."