Principal

Dear Members of the Academy Community,

We are now midway through Term 1 having celebrated a number of key events in the College calendar and with more to come.  

We are looking forward to next week which will be a celebration of Women's Wellbeing Week.  There are a number of significant activities taking place during this week including the International Women's day breakfast which will be celebrated at 7.00am on Wednesday 6 March.  Our guest speaker for that occasion is Alumni, Clare Martin, class of 2014.  We extend a very warm invitation to this event.

The other particularly significant activity during this week is the March for Women which will also take place on Wednesday 6 March. This will be a walk with a difference as the girls will take it in turns to carry a bucket of water as a means of showing solidarity with those women who need to walk significant distances to collect water each day in order to survive and to provide for their families.  

Looking back - Two key events of the past week have been the Year 7 camp for our newest members and the Annual College Alumnae reunion for those who attended the College in the past.  The life of a school is ever changing embracing the old and the new. 

Our Year 7 students relished the challenges of the camp and participated in all the activities.  They returned home tired but with new friendships forged and a deeper understanding of their place in the Academy community.  Some photos here

Alumnae Reunion

At the other end of the spectrum, Alumnae from across the years reconnected with joy and the telling of stories.  Some of our Alumnae had not been onsite for 55 years and we were particularly proud of two women who made the effort to return to their Alma Mater – one who was from the class of 1943 and the other from the class of 1938. Below is a photo of our centenarian, Maureen Moxon (class of 1938) who is 100 years young.

What was particularly pleasing at the reunion was the oft repeated comment by our Alumnae about how the Mercy values had guided them throughout their lives.

This year is a different week in the calendar with the addition of 29 February.  At the Academy we have particularly focused on this day as an additional day in our lives.  For many it will be a day to rejoice in and celebrate as an additional day however for others who are struggling with various wellbeing issues, the additional day could be challenging.  As a College we have acknowledged this and our 29 February prayer is as follows:

Dear God,

As we add a Leap day to our calendar, help us to realign our lives to the rhythms of nature. 

Help us to use this day as an opportunity to look for those adjustments that we need to make personally to realign ourselves with you.

Help us to use this day as a stimulus to become aware of the adjustments that our society needs to make to establish justice for all.

Give us the courage to take the actions needed build your kingdom of mercy.

Help us keep in mind how even small deviations can add up over time to put us completely out of sync with your kingdom of justice.

On this Leap Day and Leap Year, help us leap forward by trusting on your mercy and love for daily guidance and help.

Amen.

Every blessing,

Sr Mary Moloney rsm 

Principal