Observing Holy Week at Villanova
This year, Holy Week intersected with our term schedule, presenting a unique opportunity for the Villanova community to engage in meaningful reflections and acts of compassion. Across lent we have invited our community to engage with a daily journey to the Interior. In 2024, we marked Holy Week in three main ways:
- Holy Week Liturgy
Our Villanova community united in Goold Hall on Thursday 28 March for a moving Holy Week liturgy. Pilgrims from Emmanuel City Mission joined us as we revisited the key events of this sacred time, contemplating their relevance in our lives today. While our liturgy offered a glimpse into the suffering and death of Jesus, we are reminded that we are a resurrection people, believing in the enduring presence of the risen Christ in our lives. As we continue our spiritual journey, may we carry the spirit of Easter into our hearts and communities.
Our Holy Week liturgy closed with the following prayer, appropriate for us in this Holy week:
Loving God, stretch our hearts and minds.
Encourage us and challenge us
To reach out to a heartbroken friend.
Encourage us and challenge us
To listen the voices of the ignored.
Encourage us and challenge us
To stand up against injustices.
Encourage us and challenge us
To call ourselves Christians when it is unfashionable to do so.
Encourage us and challenge us
To remember that we should be ‘washing one another’s feet.’
Encourage us and challenge us
- Specially Crafted Stations of the Cross
As Holy Week unfolds at Villa, our boys have been deeply engaged in meaningful reflections and actions. Over the last few days, we had a profound encounter with specially designed Stations of the Cross.
The boys crafted the Stations with heartfelt intentions, inscribing their fears and worries onto white crosses, symboling the burdens we all carry. In a display of solidarity, other students willingly carried these crosses, underscoring our shared journey and unity in facing life’s challenges together.
These stations, created by a dedicated team of students, reflect upon the journey Jesus took through the narrow streets of Jerusalem, from the moment of his condemnation, to his death upon the Cross. These stations offer a profound exploration of contemporary struggles and challenges currently faced by individuals in our city. Through this experience, we aim to cultivate empathy and inspire compassionate responses. You can read more about the Stations of the Cross here.
Additionally, we were also honoured to host representatives from the St Vincent de Paul Society, including one of our Old Boy, Daniel Ingledew. Together, we explored themes of homelessness, breaking stereotypes, and fostering empathy. It was a powerful workshop, reinforcing the importance of understanding and supporting those less fortunate.
- Sponsored Walk for Emmanuel City Mission
As a culmination of our Lenten journey, student leaders embarked on a sponsored walk from Emmanuel City Mission (South Brisbane) to Villanova via South Bank. This walk symbolised our solidarity with Emmanuel City Mission and served as a fundraiser to support their vital work in providing assistance to the homeless and at-risk individuals in our community.
Join us in embracing the spirit of Holy Week through prayer, reflection, and acts of service (alms-giving). Together, let us make a positive impact and uphold the values of compassion and generosity.
