Champagnat Day
On Monday, 6 June we were able to gather together for our first whole College Eucharist to celebrate Champagnat Day. We are especially grateful that, after two years of being unable to celebrate this special occasion in person, we could gather together as a College Community. The Eucharist was celebrated by Fr. Jude Pirotta mssp, an old Marist boy who shared his experience of being educated in a Marist School. We also welcomed Mrs Julie Ryan, Regional Director for VIC, SA & WA for Marist Schools Australia, Brother Harry Prout, and Brother Dennis Cooper to our celebration.
The Feast Day of St. Marcellin Champagnat is a special day for Marists around the world. It is a time to celebrate how fortunate we are to have the example of St. Marcellin Champagnat to learn from. St. Marcellin answered the call to holiness through being attentive to the presence of God in his life and through hard work. Throughout his life, St. Marcellin faced trials including great challenges during his schooling, and yet he practiced a love of work and a faith in God’s love for him that saw him build from very little a movement that is now over 200 years old! His determination to reach out to those in need and make sure that all young people come to know and love God is the reason that we are privileged to be able to be at Marcellin College.
To access a recording of the Mass please click here.
Year 9 Reflection Day
This week, all Year 9 students participated in a Reflection Day facilitated by the Youth Ministry Team. Students were encouraged to recognise the difference they can make in the lives of others and in our world. In keeping with our 2022 Marist theme, Known and Loved, students focused on how they might develop a deeper respect for the dignity of every human person, regardless of looks, academic or sporting ability, social status, socio-economic background, ethnicity or religion.
In the final session, students identified Jesus as someone who championed the cause of the poor, the marginalised and the rejected and to appreciate that authentic Christianity and our Marist charism invites us to be committed to all people and to respond to the needs of others.
The Life of the Public Intellectual | A talk by Sr Joan Chittister
On Thursday, 16 June Marcellin College senior student leaders were invited to participate in a special leadership workshop, hosted by internationally respected author and speaker Sr Joan Chittister osb who is currently touring Australia. Prior to her success as an author, spiritual leader and commentator, Sr Joan was a successful History Teacher.
Over 200 student leaders from other Catholic schools in Melbourne and Geelong joined our us at Marcellin College for this event. This workshop invited students to use their voice in positive and proactive ways for a better world and to become modern day prophets. She urged our young people to see their future role as people who can build a new world rather than necessarily buying into the old world. As future Christian leaders and as public intellectuals, they can make the invisible, visible; provide the probability of social change and innovations, and do not confuse stability with stagnation. But she warned our student leaders that this might test the maturity of their faith and spiritual elasticity because there are risks in being a public intellectual – by asking questions which are not allowed to be asked, they risk being shunned and challenged. As Catholic schools, Sr Joan said, our role is to grow and nurture young people to become public intellectuals who see the world through the eyes of a prophet.
Geralyn McCarthy
Deputy Principal – Faith & Mission