Newman College Year 11 Philippines Immersion students experience compassion and love

24 May 2017

By The Record

It was an experience of a lifetime for 13 Year 11 students from Newman College who participated in the Philippines Immersion Program in the months of November and December, last year. Photo Natashya Fernandez.

By Natashya Fernandez

It was an experience of a lifetime for 13 Year 11 students from Newman College who participated in the Philippines Immersion Program in the months of November and December, last year. A two-week program that left many of them feeling privileged, humbled and enriched in their lives.

Providing students, staff and families of Newman College with the opportunity to embrace and live-out in practical ways, Deputy Principal Mission & Catholic Identity, Daniel Lynch said that this program will offer students the opportunity to further understand the way in which Catholic Social teaching calls each of us to action as witnesses to Jesus’ promise that ‘I came that you may have life and have it to the full’.

“Our hope is to share the story of our staff and students, and in doing so, promote the opportunities and benefits of school Immersion experiences as a way of evangelising and shaping our Catholic school communities as places of Gospel encounters, where we seek to actively form Christ-centred disciples as ‘good Christians, and good Citizens’St Marcellin Champagnat (Founder of the Marist Brothers (1817), Mr Lynch explained.

Newman College Immersion students and teachers group and the Indigenous Tribe of the Philippines (AETA) Community. Photo Supplied.

Principal John Finneran, who has been to the Philippines on a number of occasions and established connections and formed support structures there, thought it would be a great opportunity to start it at Newman College.

Leader of Wellbeing, Mathew Puljiz who was one of the three staff members who had the opportunity to be part of the inaugural trip said, “Mr Finneran has been on many immersions to the Philippines, having previously worked at other Marist schools and has the networks and resources there and has been a big advocate for looking out as opposed to in.”

While the process was fairly simple, Early Learning Teacher, Genna Spadaccini said it started in early 2016 when Mr Finneran put out expressions of interest to staff from Kindergarten to Year 12.

“Working as a Pre-Primary teacher, I expressed interest in the program as it would help me to bring back to my class a real life experience to share,” she said.

The program took students to a few key places such as PREDA Foundation, a human rights social development organisation where they examined some of the works being done with the street kids’ rehabilitation program, fair trade projects, agricultural projects, children abused by trafficking and visited children in prisons.

A big eye-opener for many of the students, including Luke Simonette who was touched by the simplicity and humility of the children and people at Fatima Centre, a centre for orphaned youth and children, said that he came away feeling thankful and privileged with his life.

Another student, Simonne Matthew said that it shifted the way she saw things since returning to Perth. “I always knew I lived in a first-world society and how fortunate I was but I never really completely understood it till you see the other side. Now I do not take things for granted.

“I always knew I wanted to work with kids and since coming back, I’ve realised that I want to work with disadvantaged kids in third world countries or countries where people have less of a say in their lives,” she said.

Students and teachers accompanying the social workers from KUYA Centre for street children to visit the youth and families living on the streets of Manila. Photo Supplied.

While the students spent most of their time at the Fatima Centre, they also spent time at the Kuya Centre that looks after and helps street children.

Faith and Liturgy Captain, Henry Farnan said that had he not gone on the Immersion, his life would not be the same, especially from a faith perspective.

“The Immersion really allows you to experience how other cultures experience their faith. In Australia, we experience our faith the way we choose it to be but when you go away and stay with people in places like the Fatima Centre and faith-centred places, you get to see the different ways in which faith translates over different cultures.

“Even if it was just praying the rosary and being present with the kids. I found it to be a very formative experience for me,” Henry said.

With daily updates of the Immersion being blogged, videoed on GoPros and photographed over the two weeks, the staff and students had a wealth of information to bring back to the College and have shared their experiences at assemblies and gatherings since their return.

Being the first Immersion in 2016 and with many more being looked at locally, nationally as well as internationally, Mr Lynch was excited to say that Newman College will expand its Immersion for 2017.

“This year, Newman College has partnered with St Joseph’s College Northam, and will run a combined Immersion between our two Marist schools in this the bicentenary year of the Marist Institute,” Mr Lynch concluded.