I acknowledge the First People of this land who have walked on and cared for the land for tens of thousands of years. I pay my respects to the Dharug people and to their elders - past, present and emerging. I pay my respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of our community.
The following is an excerpt from Saturday’s Sydney Morning Herald. It is written by Stan Grant with a powerful message in response to injustice in both the United States and here in Australia:
This is the legacy of our history: those wounds of the soul that don’t heal and can so easily turn toxic. History hangs so heavy in our world. These are treacherous fault lines. From the grievance of history we construct our identity and identity at its worst can be a terrible thing. Identity can pit us against each other; we form our tribes and we tear each other apart. How I wish we did not have to choose sides. How I wish we could slip the yoke of history.
Daniel Delany’s Patrician Brothers, like so many other religious communities, responded to injustice by providing education. Education is a right of every human, and it is rightly invested most heavily in our youth. It is through education that we can “slip the yoke of history”.
Delany College Granville is a microcosm of our Australian and global society. It is a cultural and faith melting pot, and like all successful communities, richer for its diversity. We are also privileged to be an educational community at which and on which we work to improve the lives of the young women and men who will be part of the next pages of history. The education we work towards is academic; it is faith and spiritual formation; it is gender identity; it is self belief and efficacy; it is collaborative; and it is inclusive. We endeavour to have graduates who know they are formed in the image of God and who can make a meaningful contribution to their families, their communities and to our society.
A strong Delany identity exists because we cherish and celebrate the identities of all who attend the College. We are a richer community exactly because of our differences. I observe this every day as I watch the way in which our students and staff interact in a caring and mutually respectful way. I observe this in the yard at recess and lunch as senior students interact and play with junior students. I observe this as students work and play together - as culturally diverse young men and women with a million different accents (perhaps I exaggerate) and 375 different lunch boxes.
This daily experience is best manifest at our annual Multicultural Day. Traditionally held in the second last week of Term 2, COVID-19 has postponed this event until later in Term 3. Nonetheless, MCD2020 is now in planning and the countdown has begun! As we head toward this event, which supports the international work of the Delany Foundation, we will revel in our various identities. Rather than “tearing each other apart” or choosing sides, our students will educate each other about their cultural dress codes, foods and performances. It is a highlight of my calendar.
For many, now is a time of deep uncertainty. COVID-19 has caught us off guard, international politics are aggressive, fire has ravaged our Eastern coast, and the worst of racism has reared its ugly head. Strong communities provide a protective shield in uncertainty. I know our Delany community is a safe and supportive place for the staff and students who attend each day. I also invite our parent community to seek support here at the College: you are always welcome. You, as well as our staff, will educate your children to “slip the yoke of history”. Or better still, write their own history.
St Patrick, pray for us.
Mr Anthony Blomfield
Assistant Principal
