Finding Happiness

What do you most want for your child? I suspect if we were to survey what parents want for their children in life, the most popular answer would be happiness. HSBC Holdings in 2015 published a report on parental hopes for their children across different nations. The top priority for Australian parents was for their children to be happy in life, with 77% of respondents choosing that option. By comparison, for India, it was 49%. 17% of Australian parents rated success in career as one of their top three choices, whereas 51% of Indian parents chose this option.

What do we mean by happiness? While, the HSBC Holdings Report does not define happiness, one could reasonably assume that the more commonly understood notion of happiness today in Australia, that is a maximisation of pleasure and reduction in pain and discomfort, would be a reasonable definition. Yet, Mauss, et al (2011) in their research showed that “…valuing happiness may lead people to be less happy…” If the definition of happiness is simply feeling good now, it will be short term and transitory.

In recent decades, there has been a rise in secularism, individualism and hedonism. There are positives to all of these movements. The question of what a fulfilled life is in Western countries has moved from the religious or communal to the individual. Priorities have moved from service to God and the community to the self. There is strong evidence that the focus on personal fulfilment has not worked, especially for our young people, with rates of anxiety and depression very high.

The New Testament tells us that a happy life is found in looking outward. Two of the ancient Greek words for love found in the New Testament, agape (love for all) and kenosis (self-giving love) point us in the direction of compassion for and service to others. There seems to be a simple paradox at the heart of finding happiness, or at least contentment. That is, that an exclusive focus on one’s own happiness may reduce one’s happiness. A focus on the needs of others as well as one’s own needs seems to increase one’s wellbeing. The Christian brother Damian Price recently wrote “Love, like service, is other centred and therein lays the paradox for ‘in giving we receive!’”

More flooding!

There was a sense of déjà vu in week one this term, when some of the Junior Campus classrooms, as well as the staffroom and offices, were flooded for the third time in four years. Over the last few years, significant time and money has been put into the Junior Campus to improve drainage. This has worked to some degree; in 2018, we had something like 18 classrooms flooded by comparison to the three this time. While I know nothing about engineering and plumbing, one of the problems this time seems to have been tree roots, which in part blocked some of the underground drainage. Further measures are now being taken to try and avoid any future flooding, if possible, including the troublesome tree roots.

There was great team spirit the day of the flood, with a number of staff carrying out schoolwork and equipment to the Sisters of Charity Centre. While having classes in the Sisters of Charity Centre is less than ideal, I take solace from the fact that it is teacher quality rather than facilities which have the greatest impact on student outcomes. Thank you to all for your patience and goodwill.

The College has received the resignation of Mary Macrae from her Finance and Administration position at the College. Whilst Mary is leaving the College she will not be lost to Catholic Education as Mary has accepted a position with Tasmanian Catholic Education Office (TCEO) in Finance Support. Having commenced her working life in Feb 2008 at the TCEO, Mary is effectively returning to where it all began.  

Mary started working at St Aloysius Catholic College (SACC) at the end of 2008, not long after joining Catholic Education, in recognition that someone with her skills was what was needed as the College progressed towards opening our secondary/middle school campus at Huntingfield. Whilst initially her time was split between both SACC and the TCEO, it wasn't long before Mary was working 5 days a week at SACC in Finance and Human Resources support. As the College grew, so did Mary’s role and responsibilities and it is without hesitation that we could say that Mary is one the most experienced and well-respected Finance Officers in Tasmanian Catholic Education. 

We wish Mary every success in her new role and look forward to continuing the working relationship in a different context.

Hannah Donovan resigned at the end of last term. Hannah has been a huge asset to the College, taking on the inaugural role of Parish Associate with enthusiasm and initiative, instinctively making it her own.

She has been a wonderful role model of faith to the students (and staff) of the College, leading by example in social justice, outreach, liturgy and prayer. With her approachability, openness and welcoming nature, she has helped students to question, explore and witness the Catholic faith, meeting people 'where they are at' without judgement or prejudice. 

We wish her all the best as she takes on a new job in her chosen legal field and we know she will make positive changes in the world in the future.