Rector's Report
Greetings! What a week of contrasts at Mazenod during last week. Firstly, we were saddened by the tragic accident that involved our Year 11 student, Chris Antony. Unfortunately, even with great faith and many prayers, Chris was unable to recover from his traumatic injuries after being struck by a car on his way home from our athletics carnival on February 13. On Monday morning, February 23, our college community gathered in the Provence Centre to celebrate the 2025 graduating high achievers who scored 90+ in their exams. On Monday evening, our college and wider community members gathered in prayer to celebrate the Eucharist following the news that Chris had passed into eternal. Chris’s Requiem Mass will be celebrated on Friday 6th March 11.00am at Our Lady Help of Christians Church, Narre Warren South.
As Dr Paul stated: “As a community, we stand alongside his parents Agal and Antony and his sister Auxilia, and their extended family and friends, and hold them in our hearts and prayers as they navigate this unimaginable loss. We entrust Chris to the loving care of our merciful God and pray that he rests in eternal peace.” Our college has been overwhelmed with prayers, condolence messages and flowers as the wider community supports us during this time of sadness and loss. On Friday evening February 27 our Mazenod community assembled at St Patrick’s Cathedral for our annual Inaugural Mass of the Holy Spirit. What a week we experienced with nearly 5000 people attending for these college functions. This must be some sort of record.
Inaugural Mazenod College Eucharist
Friday February 27 our college community ventured by car, train or bus to St Patrick’s Cathedral for our 2026 Inaugural Mazenod College Eucharist. The prayerful gathering of students, staff, families, and friends is a testament to the love for our Oblate Charism and the college’s deep connection to our Catholic faith. A highlight this year was the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Papal approbation of our Oblate Constitution and Rules on February 17, 1826. This year we were pleased to celebrate in the presence of the Asia- Oceania Regional Council members representing China/Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Colombo, Jaffna, Pakistan, Korea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Japan, Thailand/Laos, Turkmenistan, and Vietnam due to their annual meeting of Provincials and Superiors of the region being hosted by our Australian Provincial, Fr Andrew Chen OMI and the Australian Oblate Province. Fr Andrew Chen OMI, Oblate Provincial, was the homilist for the occasion. We were also joined by our local Oblates.
We congratulate all our student leaders for 2026 who had their leadership badges blessed by Fr Harry Dyer OMI, Rector and presented by our College Principal, Dr Paul Shannon.
In our life of faith this celebration is the high point of the college year as it is a rare opportunity to gather as an entire college faith community in support of one another to ask God’s blessings on our students, teachers, staff, families, and friends for the year of 2026. This is also a wonderful opportunity to experience the grandeur of our cathedral, our mother church of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne which we don’t often get the opportunity to visit.
Finally, I extend a huge vote of thanks and gratitude to all who used their various gifts and talents to ensure that this celebration was a prayerful, and spirit filled liturgy to commence our academic year as Mazenod College in 2026.
Some Lenten Thoughts about Giving Up
COMPLAINING
Best for: Those who struggle to see the good in situations or people.
Spiritual benefits: Cultivates gratitude and a positive outlook, helping you focus on God’s blessings.
SCROLLING
Best for: Those who spend a little too much time on social media.
Spiritual benefits: Frees up time for prayer, Scripture reading, and meaningful connections.
OVETHINKING
Best for: Perfectionists or chronic worriers.
Spiritual benefits: Develops trust in God’s providence and promotes peace of mind.
PROCRASTINATION
Best for: Students, workers, or anyone prone to putting things off.
Spiritual benefits: Encourages diligence and reminds you to use your time wisely as a gift from God.
Let us pray
Loving God, Help me this day. Give me eyes to see how you are at work in every one of my circumstances. Give me perseverance to increase my understanding of you. Give me a hunger to read your Word and to seek to know you more each day. Just as the dawn comes with its exact precision, help me to trust that You will also move in my life, in your perfect timing and in your beautiful way.
St Eugene de Mazenod
Pray for us.
2026 Footy is Back!
For those who try to avoid it, sorry, or for those who enjoy it, depending on the prospects of your team of course, the AFL is back this week. I believe the start of the footy season is like our season of Lent. We all get the opportunity to start afresh, to grow and be better than this time last year. I hope your team has a good year but certainly not at the expense of the ‘Mighty Magpies’. Like all things in life, time will tell.
100 Years of Oblate Presence on the Mornington Peninsula
2026 marks a remarkable milestone for the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate – 100 years of our missionary presence on the Southern Peninsula of Melbourne. This is 132 years after the Oblates first arrived in Fremantle in 1894. It also celebrates 150 years of the Sorrento parish. From humble beginnings in the 1920s to the vibrant parish communities we know today, the Oblate story is one of faith, perseverance, and deep pastoral commitment. When the first Oblate Fathers arrived in the region, the Peninsula was a scattered coastal community with modest resources but a strong spirit. Over the decades, the Oblates have established and nurtured parishes such as St. Mary’s Star of the Sea, Sorrento, Holy Family in Rye, St. Thomas’ in Portsea and Our Lady of Fatima in Rosebud, and more recently Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Dromana.
As we celebrate this centenary, we give thanks for all who have shared in this journey: the many Oblates who have served these communities, the parishioners who have supported and sustained our mission. The story of the Oblates on the Southern Peninsula is not only a history to remember - it is a mission that continues to unfold.
Yours in Jesus Christ and Mary Immaculate
Fr Harry Dyer OMI