This week our College community gathered to celebrate one of the most significant days in the life of our school, the Feast of the Sacred Heart.

As a Catholic community, celebrating Mass together is central to who we are. It is in the Eucharist that we come together to give thanks, to listen to God's Word, to pray for one another, and to be nourished by Christ so that we might go out and live the Gospel in our daily lives.

The Feast of the Sacred Heart invites us to reflect on the heart of Jesus, a heart that loves without limit, shows mercy without condition, and reaches out with compassion to every person.

During the homily, students were challenged to consider the future that lies ahead of them. While none of us knows exactly what that future will hold, we can each make a conscious decision about the kind of person we choose to become. Students were invited to select one of our Mercy values and commit to living that value each day. Grounded in the love of Christ, these values become a way of living that shapes our relationships, our decisions and our contribution to the world.

We extend our sincere thanks to Fr Declan and Fr John for leading our celebration. We also warmly welcomed Fr Zaher to Sacred Heart for the first time. Fr Zaher spoke of how welcomed he had felt by our community, a wonderful affirmation of our Mercy value of Hospitality in action.

It was also a privilege to welcome Sisters Madeleine and Carol, whose presence provided a tangible connection to our rich Mercy heritage and the generations of Sisters of Mercy who have shaped our College. We were equally pleased to welcome staff representatives from St Brigid's Primary School, Gisborne, one of our valued feeder schools.

Finally, we congratulate and thank the many students who contributed to the celebration. We are incredibly proud of them. 

The word Mass comes from the Latin missa, meaning "to be sent." We do not simply leave Mass. We are sent into the world to live what we have celebrated. May the love of the Sacred Heart continue to inspire each of us to be people of Mercy, bringing Christ's love to all those we encounter.