Principal News

Dear Marian Catholic College Parents, Carers and Community,

Below is a copy of the Principal’s Opening Address for the McAuley Tas and Marian Administration Centre's held at MCC on Friday 26th May- for your information.

Good morning-Bishop Mark Edwards, Senator O'Brien,  Deputy Mayor, Mr Glen Andreazza, Dr Andrew Watson, Mr Mark Glendinning, Mr Steve Wilcox, Mr Paul Boyd and architectural and building partners, representative from CSNSW, Mr Kevin Morrison,  to our parish priests Frs Grace and Cyprian, our past principals, including Mr Alan Le Brocque and Mrs Kate Le Brocque, Sr Frances and Angela, Griffith Catholic primary principals, Representatives of our Mercy and Marist founders and community leaders, Aunty Mary Atkinson, Catholic Education-Wagga Wagga Senior Leaders, College council members, staff and students-to all of our honoured and special guests who have taken time to be with us today.

Welcome all of you to Marian Catholic College and to this magnificent new centre-The McAuley Technical and Applied Studies Centre. Thank you also Lora, Elizabeth and Lachlan for welcoming all gathered here formally on our behalf.

Before I begin I would also like to take this time to acknowledge that we are on Wiradjuri land and pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging. We commence this ceremony on the National Day of Healing-Sorry Day-May 26th and acknowledge also the special significance of this day for all Australians and the significance also  of opening these beautiful spaces located on  Wiradjuri land and in Wiradjuri Country.

It is my absolute privilege and pleasure to be here today and invited to speak to you, and I must confess I feel that I have a little bit of imposter syndrome. And the reason I feel this way is because as a new Principal to the College, I’m talking about buildings and spaces that others have dreamed and imagined and prayed for, that others have worked on and with and through, that others have battled for, and planned. It’s not my work, although the final product is one that we will all benefit from including myself. 

I would like to acknowledge here the support of the Australian Government and the capital grants funds and Catholic Schools NSW,  the efforts of Principal Alan Le Brocque and Business Manager Joanne Smith, the support of CEDWW Director, senior leaders and our Architects, project managers and the project builders Momentum Built, AK Project Solutions and of course, the Marian Catholic College staff. You have together created something truly to be proud of.

A major project like this begins as something that is grounded in hope-an aspiration for the future and it ends as a reality, a tangible promise for our students and community. Our gospel talks about hope as being something provided by God’s benevolence. As Catholic school educators, we believe that God will provide a way forward and in our belief, faith and hope, a dream becomes possible and new pathways are opening up for our students and the community they belong to. These wonderful buildings allow us to achieve these dreams by focusing on what a celebrated educator Dr Lyn Sharratt has called “The third teacher”. The third teacher for students, Lyn speaks of are the resources and spaces used by students and teachers to create real world experiences, meaningful learning  and lifelong opportunities.

We know this is important for our students-we know that a key part of education today is focused firmly on vocational offerings, with  increasing pathways for students and opening our minds to perspectives that embrace all types of learning for young people today. 

If we look at some of the big data and numbers- we can draw on facts and figures taken from a report completed in 2021 that outlines just how significant Vocational training pathways are for Australian students:

These figures include numbers such as:

• 251, 200 VET in school students in Australian schools
• 56.6% of students using at least one form of VET accreditation training
• 91.8% of trainees and Apprentices who completed training were employed afterwards
• 89.3% very happy with the skills learned
• 88.5% found VET training relevant to their current work.

We know also that VET provides pathways to diverse careers and employment opportunities, allows students to gain significant skills in areas they may not have considered they had an aptitude for, takes students out of their comfort zone and often into exploring new territories, assisting them to become confident learners- young adults ready to contribute to their communities.

We understand that excellence in education embraces habits of mind and heart and hands, broadening horizons and building bridges to skills that link strong learning outcomes with trades, creative use of design, technology and services to others. 

In opening the McAuley Centre, we also connect back to Marian’s early beginnings, its heritage and founding orders- to Venerable Catherine McAuley and the Mercy Sisters-and the connection to St Marcellin Champagnat and the Marist Schools (both associations being dual founding orders for Marian). It is perhaps also fitting that this opening is held on what is traditionally our Founders Day-May 26th. 

The McAuley Centre physically connects to the Marcellin Hall and both together signal to the values of Excellence, Welcome, Inclusion, Service, Stewardship and Community. While we conduct this ceremony in the McAuley Centre, we also acknowledge and celebrate the opening likewise of our Marian Administration Centre, a Centre you entered this morning, a place that welcomes all who come to Marian Catholic College, offering belonging, hospitality, spaces to meet, share, plan and support -places for community and places for learning to flourish.

So in achieving this grand vision, we need to acknowledge and celebrate all of the people and groups who have contributed to this and who have played a part. And that is you-all of you in front of me now. You together -in time and space and vision, with faith, hope and love have created this. From the earliest beginnings of this College, to the promises now given to our students through these facilities, you have truly given something wonderful and blessed. 

Now it is our work to use it to continue to grow opportunities, pathways and futures for our students, growth for the College and engagement with our communities. We will also undertake this work with faith, with love, with hope and with persistence as you have. 

So on behalf of Marian Catholic College as it is today,  our thanks to you all.

Dr Penny Ludicke

Principal