Rector's Report

Greetings and welcome to 2025.

The quietness of the College surrounds over the past month or so have now given way to the cheerful hustle and bustle of students and staff as we all return to the college after the summer break. I hope you all had the opportunity to enjoy a relaxing holiday period with family and friends. As this is my first newsletter for 2025, I would like to warmly welcome, especially our new 2025 Year 7 cohort and their families, our new students and families in various year levels, new staff members, and of course, all who are returning to our college for another year.

There were enjoyable events towards the end of 2024: The final College celebration of the Eucharist with outgoing Oblate Provincial, Fr Christian Fini OMI, being our main celebrant and preacher. The presentation of senior and junior student awards. The college staff held their Kris kindle with Santa and his elves making a surprise visit. I attended my great niece’s grade 6 graduation Mass and presentations at Lumen Christi, Churchill. There were outstanding results by our Year 12 students as well as our volleyball teams in the Australian Championships in Queensland. I celebrated Christmas Eve Mass with my family and local parishioners at Our Lady of Good Counsel, Yinnar which is a tiny 100-year-old church in Gippsland Victoria and then Christmas morning at St John Vianney, Springvale North followed by Christmas lunch with my fellow Oblates at Camberwell. I joined the Rosies Christmas celebrations with our generous volunteers and our Friends on the Street. Our college supported the National Oblate Youth Encounter in January. Thankfully, I was also able to enjoy some down time during this period with family and Oblates.

I know it is a little belated but a Happy Lunar New Year 2025, to all our families within our Mazenod Community who celebrate this occasion.2025 is the Chinese Year of the Snake, most associated with intelligence, resilience and love. Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, traditionally lasts for 16 days, starting from Chinese New Year's Eve to the Lantern Festival.

Oblate Appointments

During the final Provincial Council meeting of 2024 and with the approval from our Superior General in Rome and the local Bishops the following Oblate appointments were made:

Fr Casmir Arul OMI – Administrator – Parishes of St Mary’s / St Kieran’s, Newborough/Moe (Sale Diocese) - February 1, 2025.
Fr Daniel Szewc OMI – Rector - St Mary’s Scholasticate, Camberwell - February 1, 2025.
Fr Dominic Rozario OMI - Chaplain, Mazenod College, Victoria - January 25, 2025.
Fr William Ousley OMI – Assistant Priest – Our Lady Star of the Sea, Sorrento - December 10, 2024.
Fr Andrew Chen OMI – Provincial – February 3, 2025.
Fr Christian Fini OMI – Sabbatical leave during 2025 followed by new appointment.

On January 15, 2025, four new Australian Provincial Council Members were appointed by our Superior General in Rome to assist Fr Andrew Chen OMI, Provincial, in the administration and pastoral care of the Australian Oblate Province and China Delegation. The installation of our new Provincial and Councillors was held on February 3, 2025, at Camberwell.

Councillors: Fr Daniel Szewc OMI – Fr Meno Basti Devalagama OMI – Fr Mathew Raj OMI – Fr Michael Twigg OMI.

We pray God’s blessings on all these Oblates as they commence their new ministries.

Welcome Fr Dominic Rozario OMI

Fr Dominic Rozario OMI was born in 1982 in Bangladesh, the youngest of ten children. Dominic joined the Oblates and went to Sri Lanka to undertake his Novitiate in 2006 after which he returned to Bangladesh and completed his B.Ph. He was then sent to Rome to study theology after which he returned to Bangladesh being ordained a priest on 18 January 2013.

Since his ordination to the priesthood, he ministered mostly with diverse indigenous communities in Bangladesh which he found an enriching and profound experience as he saw first-hand their struggles and suffering. In 2017 he came to the Australian Province to assist the Province whilst studying for his Masters of Philosophy.

In 2020 Fr Dominic returned to Bangladesh and commenced as a seminary formator, a lecturer in Philosophy in the Major seminary of the University of Notre Dame and served as the principal of a primary school for a couple of years.

Fr Dominic returned to Melbourne six months ago to undertake his doctorate in Phenomenology at the University of Divinity, at Catholic Theological College, Melbourne and as chaplain here at Mazenod College. On a final note, Fr Dominic comes from tiger land, known for the Royal Bengal Tigers, hence he is sadly a tiger’s supporter. I am sure you will make Fr Dominic feel welcomed amongst us.

We thank Fr Casmir Arul OMI for his presence as chaplain here at Mazenod College over the past 12 months. Fr Casmir has been assigned as administrator to the Catholic parish of St Kieran’s, Moe/ Immaculate Heart of Mary, Newbrough in the Sale Diocese.

Vinnies Christmas Appeal

On behalf of the College community, and especially our Social Justice Group, I want to thank all the families who generously contributed to last year’s Vinnies Christmas Appeal. A total of $2042.80 was raised, along with many generous donations of Christmas items etc, which were forwarded to the Glen Waverley Conference of the St Vincent de Paul Society. The donations and items enabled needy families in our area to enjoy some of the joy of the Christmas season and that is thanks to you all.

National Oblate Youth Encounter 2025

During January 2025 Mazenod College once again hosted the annual National Oblate Youth Encounter. It was great to witness over 85 young people from our various Oblate communities in all states of Australia taking the initiative to come together to celebrate their faith, life and the Oblate Charism. I was pleased that 8 Mazenod students participated in this gathering and from my observation they certainly enjoyed this unique opportunity to meet other like – minded young people to explore and reflect on their faith journey.

The three days consisted of workshops and prayer experiences: adoration, reconciliation, and concluding with the celebration of the Eucharist which was celebrated by 9 Oblates. In addition, there was all the normal fun aspects of gatherings like skits, music, sport, getting to know new friends and sharing our stories over a meal. I pray that next year more parents will encourage their sons to make the most of opportunities such as this to broaden their experience of the young people of our De Mazenod Family in a shared faith journey.

Jubilee Year 2025

Pope Francis announced that 2025 will be a Jubilee Year dedicated to rediscovering the great value and absolute need for prayer in one’s personal life, in the life of the Church, and in the world. The 2025 Jubilee Year began on December 24 (Christmas Eve) 2024 and will conclude on January 6, 2026.

Pope Francis writes:

“Dear brothers and sisters, we will open the Holy Door, which we will begin the jubilee. I ask you to intensify your prayer to prepare us to live this event of grace well and to experience the power of God’s hope. That is why we begin a Year of Prayer.”

The Holy Doors are a central part of any jubilee. These doors, found at St. Peter’s Basilica and Rome’s other major basilicas, are sealed from the inside, and only opened during a jubilee year. The opening of the Holy Door symbolises the offering of an “extraordinary path” toward salvation for Catholics during a jubilee. Pilgrims who walk through a Holy Door can receive a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions.

Jubilee Prayer

Father in heaven, may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom.

May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally.

May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven.

May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth.

To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever.

St Eugene de Mazenod

Pray for us