Tena koutou katoa. Nga mihi nui atawhai.

She was sitting on the steps from the main lodge and, while everyone else was very animated and excited, she sat with her chin in her hands, looking away from the other girls. One girl had her arm around this girl’s shoulder and her head bent, talking quietly to her.

I was up visiting the Year 8 students on their camp at The Farm and it was heart-warming to see these two quietly get up and one lead the other into the lodge to find an adult to talk to. This is care for others, especially the vulnerable. The student sitting on the steps was homesick and struggling to be engaged in all the fabulous outdoor experiences in unfamiliar surroundings. And another student saw this and was there to care for her. Mercy in action.

The following day, back at Carmel, the Year 7 students were having their annual retreat that began with a Mass, together with many parents and grandparents in attendance. During the rest of the day, the students proudly showed me their painted canvases, depicting one of the Mercy values in their house colours. These will all be displayed in the Year 7 corridor shortly.

The next highlight of the day was the shared lunch on the lawn by the labyrinth, with the student house leaders and their house deans. The students were excited to let me know that they were really enjoying their first weeks at Carmel and had made lots of new friends.

We wish them all the best as they continue their learning journey here at Carmel for the next seven years.

Photo above courtesy of Emma Spence