Symbol of peace, remembrance and hope
By Wendy Shaw
The commissioning of a peace initiative at a northern Catholic primary school coincided with Pope Leo underlining the importance of the Gospel message ‘Blessed are the peacemakers’.
Larmenier Catholic School at St Leonards has a peace pole in its revamped remembrance garden.
Principal Niccola Pearce explained that members of service club Rotary, guests from St Peter’s Church in the Kings Meadows Parish including parish administrator Fr Damien Sladen, Larmenier staff and the year 6 class attended a peace pole ceremony on 13 April.
Rotary Peace Poles in Australia are part of a global initiative to promote peace, featuring monuments inscribed with ‘May Peace Prevail on Earth’ in multiple languages.
The Larmenier pole has the message in English, Japanese, palawa kani and French.
“It’s a powerful reminder that peace begins with each of us,” Ms Pearce said.
“The words ‘May Peace Prevail on Earth’ are simple, but they hold a deep and important message.
“They remind us that peace is something we should all work toward: in our families, our school, our community and around the world.
“It’s a hope that no matter where we come from or what language we speak, we all want a world where everyone can live safely and happily.”
The peace pole program began in 1955 and there are now more than 300,000 around the world. They are designed to be a symbol of hope, unity and a shared commitment to peace.
The peace pole is a welcome addition to the school’s remembrance garden, which was revamped last year before Remembrance Day observations in November.
Ms Pearce described the garden as “a calm and beautiful place for reflection and prayer”.
“The garden also contains a seedling of the Lone Pine,” she said. “A living memorial descended from the original tree at Gallipoli.
“This tree symbolises bravery and sacrifice, connecting us to the history of those who fought for our freedom. Together, the Lone Pine and the peace pole remind us of the importance of peace, remembrance, and hope for a better future.”
The Pope led an evening prayer vigil for peace in St Peter’s Basilica on 11 April. Two days later, on the papal plane travelling to Algiers, Pope Leo told reporters that the Gospel message of ‘Blessed are the peacemakers’ is one that the world needs to hear today, according to a report from OSV News.
“I will continue to speak out loudly against war, looking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateral relationships among the states to look for just solutions to problems,” Pope Leo said.
“Too many people are suffering in the world today. Too many innocent people are being killed. And I think someone has to stand up and say there’s a better way.”