Year 5 students from Xavier School in Australia decided to follow the activity: What would you ask St Ignatius if he were here today? This activity was highlighted on the Educate Magis newsletter and we felt it was another way to deepen our Ignatian thinking and continue with the Global Jesuit Connection through this task.

We revisted some Youtubes on St Ignatius and in pairs the boys came up with the questions that are evidenced in the images. The boys enjoyed the task and the questions were interesting and varied.

We have the poster displayed in our chapel during each of the Year 5 Masses this term along with the Red Chair which has been to every Friday mass for the last 10 weeks.

St Ignatius Day comes around each year and the day has similar proceedings. We do a pilgrimage to either St Ignatius Church in Richmond, a suburb not too far from Xavier College. It is an hour walk with approximately 500 plus students being Companions along the Journey to share an amazing mass celebrated by  many Jesuits or  we go to our senior campus.

This Year our pilgrimage was to our Senior Campus, a 40 minute walk through the leafy suburb of Kew. We were blessed with a sunny day, and I must say St Ignatius has watched over us each year as it has never rained on his day, even though it is in the middle of winter.

As we enter the sporting stadium that has been transformed into a place of worship and celebration, there is a buzz of excitement with musicians, choirs and over 2000 students as  the 3 campuses of Xavier College have united on this special day.

The ceremony commences with 12 Jesuit Priests proceeding to the makeshift altar-an inspiring and moving site for all. The Jesuit Priests were from Poland, the Philippines and the USA, in Australia finding themselves at the end of their study leave. Smack bang in the front of the altar was the Red Chair we painted earlier in the year with the sign 56 million young children in the world have no access to education.

 Fr. John Tajon  the homilist and Tertian from the Philippines, who was to deliver the homily, was so moved by this, that he put aside his prepared Homily and spoke about poverty, education and the gratitude we should express. He was brought to tears! The mass celebration was emotional, reflective and above all, it was community. The community of God.