Mission News

Prayers

We pray for Old Boy Alan Taylor, who died recently. Alan was the 2018 recipient of the Arthur Apelt Memorial Service Award, awarded to an Old Boy for their valuable lifetime contributions to Marist College Ashgrove and The Old Boys’ Association. We pray for Alan’s family and friends who are grieving his passing. We also remember in our prayers Noela O’Dempsey, grandmother of staff member Kathryn Badini. Noela herself was a teacher for over 60 years. We pray that Alan, Noela and all those who have died recently will be welcomed into the peace of eternal rest with God and that their loved ones will be comforted by the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Mass Times

Wednesday Morning - 8:00am

ALL WELCOME!

Easter Liturgy

On Holy Thursday, our last day of term, we mark the beginning of the holiest days of the Church year with an Easter liturgy. We will gather to reflect on the events that unfold in Jesus’ final days in Jerusalem, from the Last Supper and washing of the feet, to his betrayal, arrest and crucifixion. Our liturgy will invite us to consider the meaning of the story for our own time and place. How are we people solidarity and service? Ultimately, as Easter people, while we witness to suffering, we remain with the hope of the Resurrection: that Jesus who died is the living Christ who remains with us always. As so we wish all Marist families a holy and peace-filled Easter. May this season be a time of renewal and hope in your own lives.

Gospel and Prayer

And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments on it;

and he sat upon it.

And many spread their garments on the road,

and others spread leafy branches

which they had cut from the fields.

And those who went before and those who followed cried out,

'Hosanna!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming!

Hosanna in the highest!'

+ Dear Lord,

On Palm Sunday, we came before you with humble hearts and grateful spirits. We gathered together as a community of believers to remember and celebrate the triumphal entry of your Son, Jesus Christ, into Jerusalem.

Lord, we thank you for the gift of your Son, who willingly laid down His life for us. As He rode into Jerusalem on a humble donkey, the crowds praised Him and laid palm branches at His feet. Today, we join in that chorus of praise and adoration.

We pray that you help us to truly understand the significance of this day. May we reflect on the love and sacrifice that Jesus demonstrated for us as He embarked on His journey to the cross. Let this day be a reminder of your unwavering love for humanity.

May these palm branches serve as a symbol of our commitment to follow Jesus and to live according to His teachings. Help us to lay down our own desires and surrender our lives to your will, just as Jesus did.

Lord, we also pray for those who are suffering and in need. May your healing touch be upon them, bringing comfort, strength, and hope. As we remember Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, we ask that you bring peace to the troubled hearts and minds of all who are burdened.

Finally, we pray for guidance and wisdom in our own lives. May we have the courage to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, even when the path is difficult. Give us the strength to persevere and the faith to trust in your plan for our lives.

Amen.

Mary our good mother                         pray for us

St Marcellin Champagnat                    pray for us

St Mary of the Cross MacKillop          pray for us

And may we always remember           to pray for one another

Amen. +

Mission Term 1 Wrap Up

It has been a very eventful Term 1 in the Mission Department. Starting with our Inaugural Mass held offsite with great success, the continuation of the MATES program and our Lenten Fundraising Day which supported Australian Marist Solidarity. Although, these are just a few of the highlights from the term, more of what’s been happening can be seen below:

• All Abilities Cricket
• Shrove Tuesday
• Ash Wednesday
• St Vincent de Paul Group
• Game Changers Meetings and Retreats
• Stationery Aid
• Wednesday morning Masses 
• International Women’s Day 
• Harmony Day 
• Ozanam Leadership Program

We would like to thank our Mission Leaders and Captains for all their assistance and hard work this term. We also extend sincere thanks to the members of the Marist Community for their continued generosity and support of all things mission at Marist.

We are eagerly anticipating what Term 2 has in store for us!

Old Boys’/Dads’ and Mother’s Retreat 

It takes a village to raise a child, that is true of our Marist Ashgrove village. As a Catholic school the faith formation of our students is our priority. It is important that this is done in conjunction with our parent body, our Marist families who are the first faith formators of their children.

On the 17th of March, we held our first old boys and dads retreat at the Marist Schools Australia site. Six old boys joined Br Neville in a faith formation experience. The following weekend eighteen Marist mums came together to also “Breathe the Spirit of Life”. Participants were encouraged to understand the Holy Spirit as God’s presence in the world, recognising its wisdom, healing and beauty. They also had an opportunity to discover the way the spirit is revealed through relationships, through encounter, a gift to be shared with others.

As Catholics we retreat as a temporary withdrawal from everyday life, allowing us to focus on spiritual growth and reflection. This provides an opportunity to step back from ordinary occupations and dedicate time to introspection, prayer, and meditation.

We thank our Marist mums, dads and Old Boys for joining us in this new and exciting initiative and are so very grateful to our dear Br Neville for sharing his Marist knowledge and way of being with our families. 

Environment Group – House Hive Project

One of the final steps of our Hive Project happened this morning. Houses were given the opportunity to leave a legacy by decorating their hives with their fingerprint in house colours.

The wet weather didn’t dampen our spirits and the boys all got involved. Stay tuned for images of our “housified” hives next term.

Anzac Liturgy

Our Marist College Ashgrove Anzac Liturgy will be celebrated in the Champagnat Centre at 1:00pm on Friday 24 April. We take this opportunity to solemnly remember those who have served our country and the many brave men and women who have lost their lives in war.

Final call out to our Cadets

We would like to invite our cadet students from the Navy, Army and Air Force to be involved in our Anzac Liturgy. Cadets, please complete the form below if this applies to you and you would like to take part.

https://forms.office.com/r/902C2dwvju

Birthing Kits

We have had a wonderful response to our International Women’s Day initiative with many families purchasing Birthing Kits to help women and babies experience safer, more hygienic births. If you haven’t already done so, you can still contribute by purchasing a $5 kit via this link.

The kits will be assembled here at the College during Period 6 ASH lesson on Thursday 2nd May 2024. From here, they will be sent out across the world to make a difference in many women’s lives.

To learn more about Birthing Kit Foundation Australia, please visit their website at www.bkfa.org.au.

St Vincent de Paul and the Environment Group

Vinnies and the Environment Group meetings will continue this Thursday during Break 1B in Room 801. All students are welcome. There is NO Vinnies BBQ this Thursday but starting next Term, Week 1 we are trialling Bacon and Egg Burgers instead of our usual sausage sizzle! If this proves to be popular, we will switch to this for the term.