From the Principal

Dear Parents, Students, Staff and Friends of Mazenod College,

“We must strive first of all to lead people to act like human beings, and then like Christians, and finally, we must help them to become saints” (St Eugene De Mazenod).

I have shared with our students and staff, and look forward to many future opportunities with our community to share our theme for 2025, Moments of Grace. Term Four is renowned for being chronologically short, but jam packed with events that on the outside seem rudimentary, but deep down are in fact, true Moments of Grace.

I shared in our last newsletter, the joy and pride in graduating our Year 12 students, the Class of 2024. Time didn’t stand still at that point for our College as we then pivoted to two major Community events namely, the Art Exhibition and the Sports Awards Night. It is wonderful to use such occasions to recognise the achievements of our students, which in their own right, are indeed, moments of grace for us all to enjoy.

As Ms Jazmin McKechnie, our Visual Arts coordinator, shared at the presentation of the art exhibition awards last week, our boys arrive at their classes and see but a “blank canvas” or an idea. Using their amazing gifts, talents and the expert guidance of staff, they transform that idea, that canvas, into creative works of pure art. Ms McKechnie, along with Mrs Cathy Giannopoulos and technician Miss Lauren Gissing, assisted our students amass 570 pieces that were displayed through the exhibition. Congratulations to our staff and to all students who exhibited this year and another fantastic exhibition.

Following the exhibition on Friday night, our gymnasium was transformed into a sea of sporting celebration of the athletic prowess and dedication of our students and teams. Special guest and Perth Wildcats legend, Greg Hire, on the back of an inspiring 3249km bike ride for charity from Kununurra to Perth, spoke of the power of sport and the importance of health and wellbeing. Our guest, and many other special guests from our College community, were on hand to present the awards. Thank you to Mr Tim Grabski, Mr Chris Mason and the HPE staff, along with our admin, grounds and numerous other staff, for working to create an atmosphere filled with community spirit.

Thank you to our parents and families and I reserve the highest of praise for the boys themselves, because it is their gifts and talents that we celebrate in earnest.

Last Friday we acknowledged World Teachers’ Day where Australia celebrates and thanks those in the teaching profession. Here at Mazenod College, we celebrate this day as World Staff Day, because it is through the devotion of care and compassion, challenge and empowerment, support and transformation of all staff in and beyond the classroom, that creates an environment for our young men, in fact all of us, to thrive. Many thanks to the parents, who through the generosity of the Parent Association, provided a special morning tea for our staff. Thanks also to Domino’s Kalamunda who provided a pizza lunch for our staff to share in recognition of the efforts of all.

The Year 12 ATAR examinations commenced this week with the Biology exam being first on Monday afternoon for our students. Our prayers are with all our students who will complete examinations in the coming weeks which includes students from Year 10 and 11 at varying times until the end of the year.

Today, we faithfully acknowledge All Saints’ Day, with All Souls’ Day tomorrow, remembering the Saints and those we have loved and lost from this earthly life. We are all touched by death and loss and the marking of these times with solemn occasions such as All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day brings some consolation and a reminder of our eternal life in heaven.

One very special occasion in our College community each year, is the Mazenod Old Boys’ Association Memorial Mass. This special Mass is tomorrow (Saturday) evening in our College Chapel, starting at 5.30pm. We keep those Old Boys and their families and friends in our hearts and minds, as we come together to remember, to celebrate and to share in the sadness of those dear to us who have passed.

“To be a saint is not a privilege of a few…all of us in baptism have the inheritance of being able to become saints. Sanctity is a vocation for everyone”. (Pope Francis)

God bless.

Simon Harvey

Principal