Alex Eastwood

The college community was deeply saddened to hear of the sad news of the loss of a cherished member of our community. Alex Eastwood from Year 11. The college community gathered on Wednesday 3rd July to remember Alex and to pray for him and his family.

Let us Pray
The Lord reminds us that ‘Our Father has many rooms in his house’
Let us pray that Alex’s soul rests with God and that his family and friends receive the grace and comfort that they need at this difficult time.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace.
Amen

On Wenesday 3rd July, the college community held a Remembrance Service for Alex Eastwood

Opening Hymn led by Peter Benson: Be Still for The Presence of The Lord.

Reflection read by: Pauline Ronan.

The Lord reminds us that ‘Our Father has many rooms in his house’, let us pray that Alex’s soul rests with God and that his family and friends receive the grace and comfort that they need at this difficult time.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.

“The Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18. This Psalm reminds us that God is near to us, he is there to comfort those who have lost loved ones and those who are trying to make sense of the world when tragic circumstances strike. Help us to support one another as an Archbishop Beck family in suffering for the loss of Alex, and any of those loved ones with whom you mourn privately in your own hearts.

St. Bonaventure and Archbishop Beck

All: Pray for us, protect us and bless us.

Reading: read by Emma Griffiths

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 calls God the Father of compassion and all comfort. He helps us in our toughest times. This verse tells us that when we face deep sorrow, we’re not alone. God stands with us, ready to give peace and healing.

Paul says that this comfort reaches us in any kind of pain. We can share it too. When we help others who are sad, we pass on God’s love and care from our own experiences. It’s like a chain reaction of kindness and support sparked by the comfort we’ve received ourselves.

Response: Thanks be to God

Gary Daly: Lord our God, we pray for the strength to support our students and staff at this tragic time and to care for ourselves during a time of loss and mourning for Alex and for our own loved ones that may have left this world.
Lord in your mercy

Response: Hear our Prayer.

Kate Verdin: We pray for the family and friends of Alex who are mourning at this time. We also pray for all of Alex’s teammates and opponents who will be saddened by such a tragic loss in their community.
Lord in your mercy

Response: Hear our Prayer.

Wayne Lynch: We pray for the gift of life; that one’s life may be lived to the full with joy and gratitude as God as their guide, as losing a member of our community highlights the true fragility of life.
Lord in your mercy

Response: Hear our Prayer.

Collette Stirling: We pray for the family that exists here at Archbishop Beck Catholic College amongst staff and students; may all those family members feel a sense of belonging and acceptance and that the hand of friendship and sincerity may be extended to all that come into our community.
Lord in your mercy

Response: Hear our Prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy Will be done,
on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Closing Hymn led by Peter Benson: Ten Thousand Reasons.

The Dragonfly

Once, in a little pond, in the muddy water under the lily pads, there lived a little water beetle in a community of water beetles. They lived a simple and comfortable life in the pond with few disturbances and interruptions.

Once in a while, sadness would come to the community when one of their fellow beetles would climb the stem of a lily pad and would never be seen again. They knew that when this happened, their friend was dead, gone forever.

Then, one day, one little water beetle felt an irresistible urge to climb that stem. However, he was determined that he would not leave forever. He would come back and tell his friends what he had found at the top.

When he reached the top and climbed out of the water onto the surface of the lily pad, he was so tired, and the sun felt so warm, that he decided he must take a nap. As he slept, his body changed and when he woke up, he had turned into a beautiful blue-tailed dragonfly with broad wings and a slender body designed for flying.

So fly he did! And as he soared, he saw the beauty of a whole new world and a far superior way of life to what he had ever known existed.

And he remembered his beetle friends and how they were thinking by now he was dead. He wanted to go back and tell them and explain to them that he was now more alive than he had ever been before. His life had been fulfilled rather than ended.

But, his new body would not go down into the water. He could not get back to tell his friends the good news. Then, he understood that their time would come, when they too would know what he now knew.

So, he raised his wings and flew off into his joyous new life!