From the Principal

A very warm welcome to Term 3 and I hope everyone had the opportunity to spend some precious time with family and friends over the break.

During the first week of the holidays, I was privileged to join Principals and Rectors from Jesuit schools from across Australia in a retreat focused on re-imagining the Jesuit and Companion Schools of Australasia (JACSA) network. As many will be aware, the College is a Loreto Associate school and a Jesuit Companion school, reflective of both our Loreto and Jesuit heritages. As a Jesuit Companion school, the College is part of the JACSA network of schools across Australia and more recently New Zealand. 

Participants were spiritually led by Br Ian Cribb SJ throughout the retreat and Professor Br David Hall fms led sessions on Provocations and Opportunities. Together we explored our shared spirituality as schools across Australia and New Zealand, we discussed emerging themes and issues and re-established our network’s purpose into the future. We have another meeting in August when we will finalise a communication plan and I look forward to sharing more about the outcomes of the retreat then.

During this week, we commenced the Term with our annual Staff Conference and, given we celebrate 40 years as one College at our Mount Claremont campus this year, the conference theme ‘Our Common Home’ was particularly apt. Please see attached an interview conducted with College Principal of the time, Sr Denise Desmarchelier for your interest.

Broadening the theme, ‘Our Common Home’, on Tuesday night, the College was honoured to host the launch of Fr Frank Brennan’s latest book, Equality, Reconciliation and Social Cohesion: The Inspiration of Sir William Deane. One hundred guests heard from Kate Chaney MP, The Hon. Kim Beazley AC and Fr Frank Brennan SJ who reflected on the collection of key speeches delivered by Sir William Deane during his time as Governor-General of Australia (1996-2001). For background, Sir William Deane was Australia’s first Catholic Governor-General. The Mabo decision, in which Deane participated as a High Court judge, overhauled the principle of terra nullius and set the precedent for the Native Title Act of 1993. 

Finally, on Sunday, 19 July, we celebrated the first Loreto Heritage Day following the historic merger of the IBVM and CJ institutes. From Mary Ward and Teresa Ball to Mother Gonzaga Barry and her nine companions, many remarkable women have boldly stepped forward in faith, laying the foundations of a legacy that continues today through Loreto schools like our own.

Daniel Mahon

Principal