Kolbe Catholic College celebrated a NAIDOC Mass on Wednesday, July 3.
Mass commenced with a ‘Welcome to Country’ by Marie Taylor and set the scene for Year 11 students who joined the Indigenous students of the College to celebrate this special occasion. As part of the Mass symbols were processed and placed in front of the altar:
A copy of the Yirrkala Bark Petitions – In their efforts to seek justice, the indigenous peoples of Australia and the Torres Strait Islands petitioned Australian parliaments, beginning with Batman’s Treaty of Melbourne in 1835.
The Yirrkala Bark Petitions of 1963 are considered to be “founding documents” that led to the recognition of the rights of Indigenous Australians.
Message Stick – Over tens of thousands of years, message sticks were commonly used by Indigenous ancestors as one means of communicating between different Aboriginal tribes and nations.
Messages were painted and inscribed on a stick, which was then transported by hand.
One who carried the message stick was traditionally granted safe and protected entry to another nation’s territory – and travelled in peace and with respect. One Kolbe staff member said the message stick used in the Mass “grants us protection and favour as we pass through this land of the Noongar people”.
A lighted candle – Lighted candles have been used for two millennia to symbolise the presence of Christ in communities gathered in his name.
The candle featured with the other symbols, The Record was told, because we believe that Christ is present in our struggles for justice and peace in our communities and in the world.
During the Mass, four Year 11 Students were commissioned to the Rite for Special Ministers of Holy Communion. Kolbe commended Celeste Chalk, Courtney Pink, Georgia Cole and Stefano Spissu “for assuming this very important leadership role”.
After Mass, Rhys Collard on behalf of the Indigenous students presented College Principal Robyn Miller, with an engraved plaque saying, “as you take your next step remember the Aboriginal people who walked here first”.