From the Rector

Dear Mazenod Community

A sincere Mother’s Day blessing and greeting to all mums and mother figures within our College community. It was a very special responsibility to celebrate the Mother’s Day Mass, which had a beautiful presence of love. We prayed for everyone in the community, even if not everyone could attend.

National Boarding Week

This week is National Boarding Week, which provides us with a great opportunity to focus on the strengths, challenges and rewards of boarding. We are a local Catholic school for the entire state, and I have very much taken that to heart. Last week, alongside Mrs Annamaria Cream, I was able to visit Moora and Wongan Hills and this week includes visits to Old Plains, Wannamal and Wongan Hills again.

These visits provide a clear demonstration that boarding families do not always have to come into Mazenod, but that we make a real effort to get out to them. I have been incredibly blessed by wonderful WA hospitality, and I have now visited just over 290 towns across the state. It is a very big state that becomes ever so much smaller when we reach out and connect.

National Boarding Week rightfully focuses on the theme of ‘Echoes of Home’, and creating a Christ-centred, safe, loving and homely environment is the highest of priorities. I would also like to focus on the very many day families who open their hearts, friendships and homes to our boarders and their families. These links with day boys are crucial for the health and wellbeing of boarders, and are greatly appreciated.

There have been so many activities during the week and these have added great fun, laughter, reflection and community to our Cebula Boarding House.

The Oblate Provincial, Fr Andrew Chen OMI, has written a message of support to the College. Please take the opportunity to read it if you can.

Feast of St Eugene de Mazenod OMI and Mazenod Mission Day

On 21 May, the entire Church will celebrate the feast day of St Eugene. He is the patron saint of families in great distress, and they are especially in our thoughts and prayers. St Eugene followed Jesus in a very special and unique way, including by looking out for those who are left out.

On his feast day, we will celebrate Mazenod Mission Day, where we raise funds for the Oblate Missions throughout the world, particularly in Vietnam, Sri Lanka, India and the Philippines. Thank you very much to everyone who is able to contribute and support.

60th Anniversary Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral

Friday, 22 May at 7:00pm

I sincerely hope by now that the knowledge of this great opportunity to gather has reached your thinking. Attendance at the Mass is somewhere between compulsory and voluntary. We are hoping that every family makes a sincere effort to attend if they can.

Celebrating this anniversary is a wonderful opportunity to give thanks, be present and look forward to the future together. Many emails have been sent, and I do hope to see as many of you as possible there to join with travelling Oblates and guests who will be making their way over.

If you are unable to attend on Friday, 22 May, we will also be holding a local parish Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes at 9:30am on Sunday, 24 May at 207 Lesmurdie Road. Please feel free to come to both, but this does provide another opportunity to ensure that we celebrate with our community in as many ways as possible.

Take Care and God Bless

Fr Michael Twigg OMI

Rector