Welcome to 2026!

My name is Loretta Shannon, and I am very excited to be the new ‘Director of Faith and Mission’ at St Mary’s College. It is my great honour to take up this role at the College and am extremely grateful for the extensive work of Mrs Rochelle Gough as previous Director and wish her all the best for her well-earned retirement. I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting and getting to know staff and students over the last few weeks and have been impressed with the very strong sense of community at the College.

My previous school was St Augustine’s College in Kyabram. I have also spent time at Notre Dame College and am a Shepparton person who has connections to St Brendan’s Parish in Shepparton. I have 3 children Miah, Ruby and Quinn who have all completed their university degrees and living in Melbourne and Brisbane. My husband is also a teacher in Shepparton. In my previous roles I have been Religious Education Leader and Music Coordinator. I am a singer and musician and am very excited to foster these elements in our liturgical celebrations to enhance liturgical participation at our college.

Mercy tradition has been an active and living part of my personal and school story. My aunt was a Mercy sister who resided in Shepparton for a time and this allowed for my family to connect deeply with Mercy sisters over many years.

Mercy Charism

The Mercy values of compassion, justice, respect, hospitality, service, and courage, as well as our school's PBL principles of respect, excellence, and integrity are central to the lived charism of our college.

St Mary’s Parish Primary School was founded in 1880 in the original Parish Hall, located where Area A grassed area stands today, establishing our primary roots 145 years ago. In 1900, five Mercy nuns arrived from Mansfield to establish Sacred Heart College. While awaiting the completion of the convent, the first secondary classes were held at the convent on the corner of Collas and High Street. Last year we celebrated 125 years of our Mercy connection in Seymour.

College Theme - "Guided by Faith, Driven by Purpose."

Our 2-year College theme which was launched in 2025 continues in 2026. It was developed by our 2025 Year 12 students - "Guided by Faith, Driven by Purpose." It reflects our journey at a Catholic school, where faith shapes relationships and deepens connection with Jesus Christ, while expressing commitment to excellence in education driving students to strive for their best. The theme embodies trust in God's plan and encourages students to live with intention, using their talents to serve others and contribute to God’s greater purpose. The artwork for this theme, created by Ms Kerrie Royals, features a tree symbolising unity and faith, reflecting the Jubilee Year and Pope Francis’ call to be ‘Pilgrims of Hope’, in 2025. We are inspired to be beacons of hope for one another, guided by faith and empowered to make positive impacts in our community and the world.

In 2026 Pope Leo's ‘Year of St. Francis’ focuses on celebrating the life and legacy of St. Francis of Assisi, emphasising his commitment to poverty, humility, and care for creation. The theme invites Catholics to reflect on St. Francis' example of living a simple, compassionate life, grounded in faith and service to others, particularly the poor and marginalised. It encourages believers to deepen their relationship with God through prayer, penance, and acts of service, while also fostering a greater appreciation for the natural world as a gift from God. This year calls us to follow St. Francis’ path of peace, love, and stewardship of creation, embodying his values in our daily lives. This will be explored in conjunction with our College theme.

College Prayers

We have commenced the year with many prayers occurring daily on SIMON. The liturgical calendar, our college theme and world themes will be explored in this space. So far we have explored the College theme “Guided by faith, Driven by purpose” our College PBL values of Respect, Integrity and Excellence and “Light of the world and Salt of the earth from Matthew 5:13-16, where we have reflected on being called to passion, respect, integrity and excellence and being a light for others through acts of service and justice.

The Season of Lent

Lent is a special season in the Christian calendar that invites people to pause, reflect, and grow. Lasting for forty days, Lent prepares Christians for Easter and focuses on prayer, generosity, forgiveness, and making positive changes in our lives. It is a time to think about how we treat others and how we can live with greater compassion, integrity, and purpose.

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday – 18th February, a day of reflection and commitment. In many Christian communities, people receive ashes on their forehead in the shape of a cross as a sign of humility and a reminder to turn their hearts toward God and toward others in love and service. It marks the beginning of the Lenten journey. Students will participate in an Ash Wednesday Liturgy on Wednesday morning.

The day before Ash Wednesday is Shrove Tuesday – 17th February, known as Pancake Day. Traditionally, it was a time to use up rich foods before the simpler Lenten season began. Today it also serves as a reminder to prepare ourselves, not just outwardly, but inwardly this supports us to enter Lent with honesty, gratitude, and a willingness to grow and think of others.

As a school community, Lent offers us an opportunity to focus on compassion, justice, service, and renewal in our daily actions. This aligns beautifully with our Mercy values. Students will receive a pancake on Tuesday morning.

A gold coin donation is required so that we can support our Term 1 Social Justice initiative – Caritas.

Caritas Australia is the Catholic Church’s international aid and development agency, working with vulnerable communities in Australia and around the world to reduce poverty, promote justice, and support long-term, sustainable change through partnership and service.

Year 12 Retreat

Our Year 12 Retreat took place on Monday 9th February. Students explored the theme of ‘Becoming who we want to be’ as we are ‘Guided by Faith and Driven by Purpose’. This was an excellent day where students created goals and made a commitment to being people of compassion and courage in the spirit of our patrons Catherine McAuley and St Anthony of Padua. It was a privilege to share this day with these outstanding young adults. I wish them all the best for 2026 and look forward to working alongside them as leaders of our college.

OPENING COLLEGE LITURGY

Our Opening College Liturgy will take place on : Thursday 5th March at 9:00am in the Multi Purpose Hall.

This will be followed by the presentation of our Student Leaders for 2026.

Families are warmly invited to attend this very special occasion on our College

Blessings!

Loretta Shannon

loretta.shannon@smseymour.catholic.edu.au

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