The snippets which follow are a tiny smattering from interviews carried out by Year 11 Religion and Ethics students for their unit assignment. It is such a privilege to be a witness and teacher at this important time in the development of the students’ own faith awareness. For the most part, the responses tell the story of where we are as a Catholic community. Whilst the extracts below are mainly from parents, there is a significant grandparent presence. Let no one doubt the power and influence of family on the faith and values on the children and on the effect of actually having conversations with the young people about these things. Students would unanimously agree that they really enjoyed doing the interview and were able to articulate the “surprises” within the encounter.
My mother’s early life was filled with attending Church, attending Catholic schools, pursuing her dreams and with her family giving her full support, she received the sacraments of Baptism, Holy Communion and Confirmation...the family attended Church together...had Sunday lunch together...its still important today especially for Nana. I am influenced by this interview because my mother is one of the most important people in my life. She has introduced me to the Catholic faith and I can see its importance to her, she does not pressure me to follow things the way she does but I still feel part of the religion and it is a good influence. Like my mum, I believe it is important to have faith and always be aspiring to be the best person I can be.
My mother...born to an Italian Catholic father and Australian Anglican mother, whom she remembers converting to Catholicism when she was about 8 years old; remembers a Sunday morning ritual buying fresh bread after Mass and the smell still takes her back there today. She says her greatest influence was her own education at Marymount College; it changed her whole outlook on life.
My father grew up in Ireland in a very strict Catholic family...I don’t think I've seen the same strictness here and I’ve been here twenty years...I think the Church as an organisation needs to move with the times and take us with it. I think faith is something good...I agree with my dad.
This interview has made me realise what it means to be a Catholic, the importance of being a good person, of thinking about what matters to others. It has taught me not to listen to others but to follow what I believe in myself.
My mother doesn’t practice now except perhaps at Christmas and Easter but she would not consider changing her religion and that educating her children in a Catholic school is very important to her.