Upon this ancient land of the Taungurung people, we pray together.......

A Prayer for Mary and the Month of May

Dear God,

As we enter the Month of May,

we turn to Mary, our Mother,

who shows us how to love, trust, and follow You.

In this season of new life and growth,

help us to grow in faith,

just as Mary said “yes” to Your will

with courage and humility.

May we, like Mary,

ponder Your Word in our hearts

and carry Your love into the world.

Teach us to be gentle in our words,

kind in our actions,

and faithful in our daily lives.

Bless our St Mary’s College community,

that we may reflect Mary’s care and compassion to others.

During this month dedicated to her,

help us to draw closer to You through prayer,

and to follow Jesus more faithfully each day.

Holy Mary, guide us, protect us,

and lead us always to Your Son.

Amen

Good Shepherd Sunday – Fourth Sunday of Easter - 26 April 2026

Good Shepherd Sunday is a special Sunday in the Catholic Church celebrated on the Fourth Sunday of Easter each year.

It focuses on Jesus as the Good Shepherd, drawing from Gospel passages - especially from John 10 where Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd… I know my sheep and my sheep know me.”

• It reminds us that Jesus cares for, guides, and protects people like a shepherd cares for sheep.

• It emphasises a relationship of trust, listening, and belonging we are known

personally by God.

• It highlights the call to follow Christ’s voice rather than distractions or competing

influences.

• It is also the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, when the Church prays for people to

respond to God’s call, whether as priests, religious, or in service to others in everyday

life.

• It invites all people, not just clergy, to reflect on how they are called to care for others,

just as the Good Shepherd does.

Good Shepherd Sunday is ultimately about being known, being guided, and being called to listen to Christ, to trust Him, and to live lives of care, leadership, and service toward others.

Term 2 Staff Liturgy – “Stay With Us, Lord”

At the beginning of Term 2, on our Professional Learning Day, staff at St Mary’s College gathered in prayer, grounded in the Easter season and inspired by the Gospel story of The Road to Emmaus. This reflective liturgy invited staff to recognise Christ’s presence in both the ordinary and challenging moments of their work and vocation.

Framed by the Mercy tradition of compassion, hospitality and service, the liturgy reminded staff that they are not simply colleagues, but a faith community journeying together. The Emmaus story offered a powerful connection to the reality of school life, acknowledging the fatigue, uncertainty and responsibility that can accompany the start of a new term, while affirming that “Jesus is already walking with us… in our confusion, in our sadness, in our ordinary conversation”.

Through prayer, scripture and reflection, staff were encouraged to slow down, listen deeply, and intentionally create spaces where Christ is welcomed within classrooms, conversations and relationships. The simple yet profound prayer, “Stay with us, Lord,” became a guiding focus for the term ahead.

A meaningful symbolic action invited staff to reflect personally on their hopes, challenges, and commitment to walk with others in mercy. By placing written intentions forward on footprints, staff expressed their desire to accompany students, families and one another with compassion, dignity and care.

The liturgy concluded with a renewed sense of purpose, affirming that Catholic educators are part of a mission to bring hope into everyday moments and to be the presence of Christ for young people. As a community, staff were reminded that even the smallest acts of kindness and patience can be sacred, shaping a culture of mercy and belonging across the college.

As we journey through Term 2, may we continue to recognise Christ walking beside us, guiding our work and strengthening our shared mission. We also keep our staff in our prayers as they continue in their vocation through ‘faith in action’.

Easter Liturgy

Our St Mary’s College community recently gathered to celebrate a deeply moving Easter Liturgy, centered on the theme “The Journey to New Life.” This liturgy invited students and staff to walk together through the story of Holy Week, rom the hope of Palm Sunday to the joy of Easter Sunday, reflecting on how this journey mirrors our own lives.

Beginning with Palm Sunday, we were reminded of the importance of welcoming Jesus with humility and recognising Him in others. As we moved into Holy Thursday, students powerfully illustrated the call to service through the washing of the feet, highlighting that true leadership is grounded in love and compassion. Good Friday offered a solemn moment of reflection, as we considered the courage to stand for justice and the strength to forgive, even in times of suffering.

Holy Saturday invited us into stillness and hope, reminding us that even in uncertainty, God is present. This sense of anticipation gave way to the joy of Easter Sunday, where the message of resurrection came alive: that light overcomes darkness and new life is always possible. A particularly powerful moment saw stones, representing the burdens of our world, transformed into flowers, symbolising hope, renewal and the impact of our actions in bringing life to others.

Throughout the liturgy, students demonstrated reverence, creativity and leadership, bringing the Gospel story to life through scripture, drama, music and symbolic action. Grounded in our Mercy tradition, the celebration reminded us of our call to live with compassion, service, justice and hope.

As we continue through the Easter season, which continues for 50 days until Pentecost, may we carry this message into our daily lives, being people who bring light, kindness and new life to our community.

ANZAC Day Liturgy

Remembering, Serving and Hoping in Christ

Our St Mary’s College community gathered in a spirit of reverence and reflection to commemorate ANZAC Day through a deeply meaningful liturgy centered on the theme “Remembering, Serving and Hoping in Christ.”

This sacred time invited students and staff to honour the courage and sacrifice of those who served in war, while also recognising the ongoing impact of conflict in our world today. Grounded in the hope of Easter, the liturgy reminded us that even in suffering and loss, God’s love brings the promise of new life.

Through scripture, prayer, and reflection, students explored the call of the Gospel to move beyond remembrance into responsibility. The message was clear: to truly honour the ANZAC spirit is not to glorify war, but to commit ourselves to peace, reconciliation, and compassion. As expressed in the Gospel, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,” challenging us to live lives of service and love.

A particularly powerful moment in the liturgy was the recitation of The Ode, followed by the playing of the Last Post, a minute of silence, and the Reveille. These moments created a profound sense of stillness and gratitude, allowing our community to remember those who have died, pray for those who mourn, and reflect on our responsibility to build a more peaceful world. We are very grateful to Mr. Matthew Dudfield for offering his musical talent to our community, by playing the Last Post and Reveille live. This was a truly special moment.

The laying of wreaths by each class further symbolised our collective remembrance and respect, while the Prayers of the Faithful extended our focus to those currently experiencing war and suffering, particularly in regions such as the Middle East.

Throughout the liturgy, students demonstrated great leadership, respect and maturity, bringing the experience to life with dignity and sincerity. As a Mercy community, we were reminded of our call to be instruments of Christ’s peace, living with courage, compassion and faith in our daily lives.

As we continue beyond this day of remembrance, may we carry forward the message of ANZAC Day: to seek peace, act justly, and serve others with love.

Sacramental Program

The Sacramental Program commenced with the Reconciliation Information Night on the 29th April. If you are interested in your child completing their Sacraments see the schedule for 2026. Each Year level will receive notifications via PAM as the events come closer.

Any questions email Mrs. Loretta Shannon at the College loretta.shannon@smseymour.catholic.edu.au

Faith Education

There is lots of excellent work occurring in classes across the College which reflect our College Faith and Mission – see examples below.

Caritas Fundraiser

We have raised more than $3500 so far for Caritas – for us to finalise and send our funds to Caritas, can I ask that any money boxes that families have at home be returned to the College Office by Monday 4 May.

Blessings!

Mrs Loretta Shannon

loretta.shannon@smseymour.catholic.edu.au

The Marian

Guided by faith * Driven by purpose

Newsletter No. 5 - 1st May 2026 · 01 May 2026

In this issue