Sacred Symbols and Places

San Damiano Centre & Good Day People

Our College hall is named after a small church in Assisi, Italy, called San Damiano.  

St Francis loved to pray before the large Byzantine wooden crucifix, painted in red, gold, and blue. It did not represent the tortured Christ of later art; but the large, open, dark eyes of the Crucified, looking down with a haunting vividness. St Francis prayed that the light would shine through the darkness of his mind. As he looked up one day, he saw the lips of the Christ move, and he heard the words, “Francis, you see that my house is falling down; go and repair it for me.” And Francis answered simply, “Willingly, Lord.”

Beside the San Damiano cross we have a fitting reminder of the words of St Francis. “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words”. Hence, we let our words teach and actions speak.

This is mirrored on the Padua Campus on the library wall at the entrance of the College. St Francis was a man of peace who recognised the need for God in his life and endeavoured to share God’s love with all being a beacon of hope in a world of great need. He greeted people with the words “Good day, good people.”

From this experience of St Francis, we take our College motto ‘Let your light shine’ and pray that we will answer God’s call simply with ‘Yes’.

In the words exemplified by St Francis:

Cross, Memorial Cross & St Anthony with baby Jesus

Our connection with Christ is evident from the moment you step onto the College grounds but no more so then when you come to its centre. All pathways lead us to the cross and it stands central to the life of our community. The cross changes its story when it is wrapped in purple cloth for Lent, white for Easter and red in remembrance on Anzac Day. It is adorned with lights for graduation as a reminder to ‘Let your light shine’.

In a similar way we have the memorial cross on the Padua Campus.  It reverences the lives of staff and students who have passed away during their time at St Anthony’s.

The statue of St Anthony also brings people together… all paths lead to St Anthony.  It is a place where people gather, children climb on him and can be held within his arms.

Indigenous Welcome, Cross & Serpent

We acknowledge our Indigenous brothers and sisters who share not only their land but also the sacred stories that are interwoven into the fabric of our lives. We pay our respects to the elders past, present and emerging for they hold the hopes and dreams of all Australians.

Our Indigenous cross was designed and constructed as a joint project between the Indigenous students of the College and Gavin Kim Sung, an Indigenous artist. The tiles reflect the students’ knowledge and interpretation of the stations of the cross and are placed within an Indigenous context. It is surrounded by plants that are native to this land and was blessed by the Aboriginal elders from the local community.

The Dreamtime Serpent wanders across the walls of the Padua cultural block and reflects the link between the past and present with the inclusion of students’ handprints. It is colourful, vibrant and provides a clear link between the traditional creation story of the Old Testament and the story of the Rainbow Serpent.

Japanese Garden & Bilingual Program

In this sacred space we recognise the diversity of beliefs and cultures that permeate the very fabric of our community. Although we are a Catholic school built on Catholic traditions, we are welcoming to all who seek education at our College.

Our Japanese garden was built as a reminder of our link to our sister school Suriyo High School and Kamakura High School.

Padua campus endeavours to promote cultural diversity through the studies of Italian and Japanese within the language experience room.  We also have a growing Bilingual program in Years 1, 2 and 3 to promote students’ linguistic abilities

Labyrinth & Rainforest Crosses

We gaze upon this sacred space of contemplation. A labyrinth is a place of journey. It is a sacred space where we gather to honour ‘that which is within’. We can walk it. We can pray on it. We can come to know the God within with greater understanding of who we are. It is a metaphor for life's journey. It is a symbol that invites us to step in silence and invites the presence and guidance of God.

The peace and serenity of the rainforest crosses on Padua campus give students a place to pray and reflect.