Deputy Principal

Habemas Papam! We have a Pope! 

This morning Australian time, the College of Cardinals elected to the Papacy, Cardinal Robert Prevost, a member of the Augustinian Order. In taking the name of Leo XIV, let us pray that he continues the legacies of Pope Leo XIII (the father of modern Catholic Social Teaching) and Pope Francis, in advancing the cause of justice and peace in our world.

Remembering Elizabeth Hayes

Tuesday 6 May was the 131 anniversary of the death of Elizabeth Hayes (1823-1894), the founder of the Missionary Franciscan Sisters. This day is important for us to honour as the Missionary Franciscan Sisters founded our College sixty-nine years ago. 

Elizabeth Hayes was a teacher, religious sister, missionary and journalist. She was also a woman of extraordinary faith, vision and courage that emerged from her embrace of the lives and teachings of Saint Francis and Saint Clare of Assisi. In our Year of Joy, it is timely that we consider how the Franciscan charism provided Elizabeth Hayes an understanding of the presence of God in all things and a profound sense of meaning and purpose, even in the most difficult of times. 

Following the death of her parents, Elizabeth Hayes travelled to England and began to work in a shelter for poor women, then as a teacher at the Wantage school for disadvantaged children. She later converted to Catholicism and commenced her religious life with the Franciscans in Glasgow, Scotland. 

While she sensed her purpose was to serve the church within poor communities overseas, she was disillusioned with her first appointment in Jamaica. Her desire to teach poor children was unrealised as she was given only the daughters of wealthy plantation owners. 

The outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870 resulted in Elizabeth abandoning her ministry to become a volunteer with the Red Cross in Germany. Here she nursed wounded soldiers and cared for French prisoners of war. 

In 1872, Elizabeth Hayes travelled to the USA and laid the foundations of the Missionary Franciscan Sisters and began a school in Belle Prairie, Minnesota. Elizabeth Hayes’s quest to build this community was to bring her many challenges and many joys. 

One challenge was the need for financial support to keep her new foundation going. Another was the fire that destroyed the convent and school. Another was the disunity within the Belle Prairie community that ultimately resulted in these sisters leaving the congregation. 

Yet, despite this, Elizabeth Hayes continued to grow her religious order and expand her work. In the Diocese of Savannah, Georgia, she established a vocational training school for the children of emancipated slaves. She published the first Franciscan journal in English: the Annals of Our Lady of the Angels. Finally, in 1880, Elizabeth Hayes established a Motherhouse for her Order at Villa Spada in Rome.

Elizabeth, like Francis and Clare, saw God in the world around her. She found God in the poor and the sick and found meaning in her role in renewing the Church. 

Elizabeth Hayes died at Villa Spada in 1894 but her pioneering spirit continued through the expansion of the Order throughout the world. This mission continues today including here in Australia and in Papua New Guinea. 

In honour of this legacy, let us pray: 

Gracious and loving God, 

through the example and intercession of Elizabeth, 

may we live daily in the presence of God, 

persevere in prayer, and do acts of loving kindness. 

By your Spirit, lead us along the true path of humility. 

May we never be overwhelmed by the unexpected, 

by challenges, or by disappointments.

May every experience in life lead us 

to a deeper sense of your abiding presence and bring us peace. 

We ask this through Christ Our Lord. 

Amen. 

Vinnies Drive

To mark Elizabeth Hayes Week, students are asked to contribute food and grocery items to the Kedron Vinnies Pantry. These items will be distributed to families in need in our local area. Donations can be placed in the baskets in the Carceri. Each basket is clearly labelled by House. All donations need to be received by Friday 16 May. 

Items required include: cereal, long life milk, tinned fruit, pasta, pasta sauce, rice, instant noodles, coffee, black teabags, tinned vegetables, laundry powder, dishwashing liquid, soap, baked beans and tinned spaghetti, chunky soup, tinned fish, toothpaste, toothbrushes, roll on deodorant. 

On behalf of the Saint Vincent de Paul Kedron Conference, thank you for your generous support of our local community. 

Colour Week

Colour Week is an annual advocacy and fundraising event for a special cause. This year, we have worn white in support of The Butterfly Foundation, an organisation that promotes body positivity and supports people experiencing eating disorders and body image issues. 

This week, our 2025 Liturgy and Outreach Captain, Chelsea Blake, has enthusiastically led a range of activities - from t-shirt decorating to an inspiration wall – to build a culture of kindness, acceptance and confidence, where no one is defined by unrealistic beauty standards. 

On assembly this week, Chelsea spoke beautifully about the importance of this day. She said: 

“This week, we celebrate Colour Week, not just through the colour we wear, but through the confidence and self-love we embrace. In 2025, Colour Week supports the Butterfly Foundation and the powerful message of positive body image, something that touches each and every one of us. 

In a world that often tells us who we should be, how we should look, and what we should change, I want to remind you of something important: you are enough, exactly as you are. The way you laugh, the way you think, the way you show kindness, none of these things should ever be dimmed by someone else's expectations. 

 

Our bodies are not meant to fit into a single mould. They are meant to carry us through life, to help us run, dance, create, and embrace the world around us. They are not defined by numbers, sizes, or comparisons. You are more than the reflection in the mirror. You are the warmth in your friendships, the passion in your dreams, and the strength in every step forward. 

 

Self-love is not about perfection, it is about accepting yourself, respecting yourself, and giving yourself the kindness you so freely give to others. It is about knowing that flaws don’t make us weak; they make us real. And being real is the most beautiful thing of all. 

 

Many people have asked, why The Butterfly Foundation? Why body image? The truth is, this is an issue that is deeply personal to me. But I also know that I’m not alone. It can be difficult to talk about, but that’s exactly why we need to. We should never feel pressured to hide our insecurities, instead, we should embrace our differences and reject comparison. While I know firsthand that this is easier said than done, one thing that makes a difference is the people you surround yourself with. Surround yourself with those who uplift you, who celebrate you for who you are, and who remind you of your worth when self-doubt creeps in. Because at the end of the day, true confidence is built in spaces where you feel safe, seen, and supported. 

So today, and every day, I encourage you to choose love over doubt. To stand tall in who you are. To remind yourself that you are worthy, you are valued, and you are enough.”

Thank you Chelsea for your wonderful leadership of this event.

MTA Frock Swap

Mount Alvernia College will be holding a Frock Swap that will take place at Break 1 on Friday 23 May. We encourage all students to bring in to Reception unwanted clothing that would otherwise be thrown away or donated.

On the day of the Frock Swap, we will be setting up clothing stalls in La Foresta at Break 1, similar to a market or Op Shop.

Each student who brings in items of clothing will be allowed to swap them for another item of their choice. This is a more sustainable way to ensure a prolonged life for each unwanted piece of clothing that would otherwise find itself in landfill. 

As a result of fast-fashion consumption, millions of workers in the textile industry undergo severe mistreatment and exploitation in the form of abuse, low wages, and modern slavery. In addition, their methods of production and the waste of consumers, contribute to the destruction of ecosystems.

Adopting sustainable and ethical practices, such as reducing our purchase of fast fashion, not only improves the livelihood of women and children in garment factories, but positively influences our environmental impact by reducing the amount of textile waste shipped overseas or to landfill. 

Australia is the world’s largest exporter of textile waste. Clearly, we need to understand that shopping second hand is not about sacrificing beauty, but about being more deliberate with the clothing we buy. Ethical fashion allows us to reduce, reuse, and recycle and to uphold the rights of women and children to safe and just working conditions.

Kedron Youth Rally

This year the Parish of St Therese and St Anthony (Little Flower) Kedron will be holding one youth event per term. These events are opportunities for students to connect with other young people from the Franciscan schools of Kedron and beyond. 

Please see the poster for information about the second youth event of the year from 5.00 – 8.00pm on Sunday 8 June. The presenter is Sione Moehona. Students are to wear casual clothing. 

Parent Workshop: The Brain Calming Method

Last year, Mr Paul Jarvis facilitated a number of workshops with staff and students in Years 7 and 10 about what neuroscientists call “cognitive overload” - a state of feeling stressed and overwhelmed - and the evidence behind how best to address it. Drawing on his extensive career in education, Paul teaches a brain-calming method - without screens - that is effortless and a very effective way to promote mental rest. 

To build on the workshops held last term, Paul will facilitate two additional workshops on Tuesday 20 May and Tuesday 3 June. Each of these workshops will guide participants in the practice of the brain-calming method. 

Parents, students and siblings (including those attending other schools) are welcome to attend one or both of these additional workshops. 

Date: Tuesday 20 May and Tuesday 3 June

Time: 6.00 – 7.00pm

Venue: Assisi Room

Please enter via the main entrance on Cremorne Road and follow the signs to the foyer of the Anthony Building. If you arrive before 6.00pm, the lift will be staffed to take you to the third level. If you arrive after 6.00pm, please take the stairs to the third level.

Sony Foundation Camp 

Mount Alvernia College and Marist College Ashgrove will co-host the Sony Foundation Camp from Saturday 20 - Monday 22 September 2025. This three-day residential camp for children who are differently-abled, is provided at no cost to families. If you know any children aged 10-16 years who may benefit from the camp, please direct them to the following link to complete a Camper Application Form: 

https://www.marash.qld.edu.au/sony-foundation-camp-2025/ 

While we have received a number of applications from families of boys, we would welcome more applications from girls. 

In addition, we are looking for sponsors to assist us in making this year’s Sony Foundation Camp even bigger and better. If you own a business or would like to support us in any way, please email sony@marash.qld.edu.au to discuss further

ANZAC Day

Thank you to all our students who represented the College at the ANZAC Day services and march organised by the Kedron-Wavell RSL Sub-Branch. Our College Co-Captains, Amaeh Reed and Hannah Yiannakis, laid wreaths on behalf of the College at both the Dawn Service and the Main Service. 

Thank you also to Ms Jensen, Mrs Licina, Mrs Mansfield, Ms Richardson and Ms Uhr and for their supervision and support of the students.In addition, this year our RSL Student Liaisons, Caitlyn Nave and Miranda Spark participated in the Kedron-Wavell RSL Sub-Branch annual tour to Canberra. They visited a number of places of significance, attended the National Dawn Service and were wonderful ambassadors for the College. A huge vote of thanks in particular to Mrs Helen Stower who was the lead supervisor for this trip. You can read Caitlyn and Miranda’s report on the trip in this week’s newsletter.