We continue this week with sharing a great reflection from our College Captains as they break open this years Notre Dame College theme which is: Pursuing Peace with Grace.
College Vice Captain - Cody Montgomery
When we talk about Pursuing Peace with Grace, peace can sound like avoiding conflict or keeping things calm. But real peace needs grace to exist, especially when life and people aren’t perfect. Grace is giving someone the benefit of the doubt. It’s not assuming the worst when someone is short, late, or having an off day. Instead, grace pauses and considers that there may be more going on than we can see.
Grace also means remembering that everyone has struggles, even if we don’t notice them. People carry stress, pressure, and challenges we know nothing about. When we remember this, we become more patient, less judgmental, and more understanding of each other. Grace shows up in how we deal with mistakes. It’s being willing to accept apologies, and just as importantly, being willing to say “I’m sorry” ourselves. That takes humility and courage, but it’s what allows relationships to move forward instead of staying broken.
Grace is a choice we make every day. It doesn’t mean ignoring problems, but choosing kindness and understanding in how we respond. When we lead with grace, we create the space where real, lasting peace can grow.
College Vice Captain - Elena Radevski
To sum up, ‘pursuing peace with grace’ is not something that we just hear, read on the wall and then forget about. It is how we should strive to live our daily lives. As Kiera has shown us, ‘pursuing peace with grace’ can apply to so many situations that we all deal with at some point in our lives, but the key is to pursue peace in grace, showing kindness and compassion for one another.
Gabe taught us what peace actually looks like. It’s not about ignoring conflict and hoping it just goes away on its own. It is about reaching out, apologising and choosing to be the bigger person. According to Cody, grace reminds us that everyone is human, everyone makes mistakes, and people may be dealing with something we might not see.
As we move through this year together and we deal with our challenges, let’s challenge ourselves to choose peace over pride, and grace over judgment. Let’s create a community where people feel respected, supported, and valued. Ultimately, pursuing peace with grace is about choosing respect, understanding, and kindness in the way we treat one another every day.
Have a great week ahead,
Brendan Lindsay, Deputy Principal - Catholic Identity
