Rector's Report

Greetings, Welcome and a Happy New Year to you all.

I know the year of 2026 is well under way in many respects, but this is my first opportunity to greet you all. In a special way I would like to warmly welcome our new 2026 Year 7 cohort, our new students in various year levels and all their families to our college. I also welcome and acknowledge the new staff members who have commenced their time here at Mazenod College. It is also great to witness all the regular staff retuning bringing life back to the rather quiet surroundings of the college over the past number of weeks.

Christmas on the Banks of the Yarra and in Yinnar

During the break I joined the Rosies Christmas celebrations with our generous volunteers and our Friends on the Street on the banks of the Yarra.

On December 24 I travelled to Our Lady of Good Counsel, Yinnar, a tiny 100-year-old church in Gippsland Victoria where I celebrated Christmas Eve Mass with my   family and local parishioners.  On Christmas morning I celebrated the Christmas Day Eucharist at St John Vianney, Springvale North followed by Christmas lunch with my fellow Oblates at Camberwell visits to some friends. 

National Oblate Youth Encounter

The annual National Oblate Youth Encounter was held from January 4-7, 2026. The gathering took place at the new St Eugene’s Retreat and Conference Centre in Newborough, in the Latrobe Valley. 

This gathering brought together 70 young people from across our colleges and parishes of the Australian Oblate Province and local Diocesan parishes. The young people came together to share and grow in their Catholic faith through the spirit and Charism of St Eugene de Mazenod as well as enjoy plenty of fun, talks, workshops and community time. The Encounter commenced on Sunday January 4 with the celebration of the Eucharist at 11.10am. On Monday evening the Sacrament of Reconciliation was celebrated with nine Oblate priests and Bishop Mark Edwards OMI, Bishop of the Wagga Wagga Diocese also present.

Pictured are present and former students of Mazenod College who participated in the Oblate Encounter. Thank you to staff member Kanishka Perera who gave of his holiday time to be of support to our students who attended the NOYE.  

Recycling at Mazenod - 'With a Can, You Can'

At the end of last term in 2025 140 bottles, cans and juice box containers were deposited at the Mulgrave Return It Depot. This amount meant that the year's total for recycling cans and bottles reached 10.050! Apart from decreasing our contribution to landfill, this enabled the community to raise $1005.00 for the Oblate street outreach, Rosies. A huge thank you to all who used the purple bins. We especially thank the members of EAST, the College's sustainability team who assisted with the bottle collection throughout the year and St John Vianney Bingo players who saved their recyclable containers for us to assist Rosies. Let us accept the challenge in this year of 2026 to save our cans and bottles at home or gather them from our sporting if they are not doing this and double the amount recycled in 2026. 

Fr Kevin Davine OMI 

On January 9, 2026, Fr Kevin Davine OMI celebrated his 90th birthday. Fr Kevin enjoyed a long and distinguished ministry in education and is the only rector/principal to serve in all three Oblate Colleges: Mazenod College, Victoria: 1989-1995 / 1973- 1977. In 2017 Fr Kevin was present at the college as College Chaplain. In 2010 he was awarded the OAM in the Australia Day honours list, for Service to Education. Fr Kevin is now enjoying his well-earned retirement at our Oblate House in Camberwell. 

New Parishes - 'Oblate Peninsula'

On Wednesday December 10 during the 9:30 Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Rosebud, Fr Andrew Chen OMI, Provincial officially accepted the handover of pastoral responsibilities of St Mary's star of the Sea, Sorrento, Our Lady of Lourdes, Rosebud, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Dromana.  Fr Andrew said: “May this momentous occasion renew our missionary zeal as our Province continues to respond the needs of the Church and challenges of the world today”. Perhaps we should rename the Mornington Peninsula to “The Oblate Peninsula”.  Fr Angelo Wijewickrama OMI (pictured) with Fr Andrew will be the parish priest of this new faith community with Fr Bill Ousley OMI and Fr John McGinty OMI.

Oblate Foundation Day

On January 25, 2026, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate celebrated the 210th anniversary of the foundation of our congregation. On January 25, 1816, Saint Eugene and his first companions chose to live together in an abandoned Carmelite monastery in Aix-en-Provence. From the beginning, their mission was directed toward those most neglected: young people, prisoners, the working poor, and people in remote villages. Ten years later, with papal approval of their Constitutions and Rules, the Missionaries of Provence became the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. With recognition by Pope Leo XII, a local group became a pontifical congregation, ready to serve the Church. This approval authenticated our mission and allowed our new congregation to spread globally. Missionaries cannot remain distant from the needs of others. Saint Eugene encouraged us to spare no effort in extending the kingdom of Christ. This means going toward people, especially those who are poor, abandoned, or overlooked. 

Yours in Jesus Christ and Mary Immaculate

Fr Harry Dyer OMI