Social Justice Week 2016

Genazzano FCJ College’s annual Social Justice Week was successful again this year, held from Monday 22 August to Friday 26 August. Led by Social Justice Prefect, Erin Donoghue and the Social Justice representatives from Years 5 to 12, the week was well organised and filled with an array of activities on offer.

It began on Monday, with the SingOff in the Madeleine Centre of Music and the Performing Arts – a traditional competition between groups of singers from Genazzano and Xavier Colleges. The Gen girls were the winners on the day.

Bread Roll Day followed on Tuesday. All students assembled in Houses in Homeroom, to share a bread roll lunch, in solidarity with our peers for whom hunger is a daily reality. Our canteen closes for lunch on this day, and the House Captains and Social Justice representatives led the students in prayer and reflection.

Centenary Hall was filled to capacity on Wednesday for the return of the greatly anticipated Prefect netball game. The Xavier boys had triumphed over our girls the day before at Xavier College, so it was great that the Genazzano Prefects were able to take out a win, for a home ground game.

On Thursday morning, the Social Justice representatives led morning prayer in the Chapel. The Staff- Student Comedy Debate took place at lunchtime, with the staff team of Miss Lisa O’Halloran, Mr James Gilchrist and Mr Bill Fitzsimons taking on a talented student team of Chloe Hunt, Gabriella Morgan and Melanie James from Year 12. The adjudicators struggled to find a winner, as both teams were very funny, but the students took the honours on the day.

The last event of the week of social justice activities was the Simply Sharing Dinner in the Great Hall of Xavier College, on the Friday evening. Over 300 students and staff from Genazzano and Xavier Colleges shared a simple meal, and heard our social justice student leaders, and Carol Pondevielay, speak about our responsibility to work for justice in our world. Carol Pondevielay from the Jesuit Refugee Services spoke of the struggles and the triumphs of asylum seekers in Australia. She gave an inspiring talk, addressing the students about what they could do to help. Her suggestions were practical and she commented that their presence at the dinner was one such opportunity to learn about the lives of people who are just like themselves and are caught up in war and oppression.

Due to the Social Justice team hard work, Genazzano raised over $1, 800 for Caritas Australia. Between the two Colleges, we raised an extra $2,948.80 at the dinner and the raffle held on the night.

The College thanks those who donated raffle prizes – the Genazzano Fathers’ Association, the Genazzano Mothers’ Association, Global Ballooning, Lifestyle Portraits, the Crock Family, Duesenberg Salon and Hairhouse Warehouse. We are very grateful to them for their donations.