AJASS

St Mary MacKillop College is a member of the 41 AJASS (Association of Josephite Affiliated Secondary Schools) network of schools across Australia. Since 2006 this association has worked hard to establish connections with secondary schools in Australia and New Zealand whose mission is driven by the charism of St. Mary of the Cross MacKillop and Fr Julian Tenison Woods; founders of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart.

Among the fundamental features of AJASS’ mission is to develop an integrated approach to education within its association schools, embrace the vision of the founders, and establish school codes of behaviour and relationships that embody characteristics of compassion and respect to each person’s dignity. Throughout a school day you will, no doubt, find explicit examples of this mission in your school.

Whilst the national AJASS organisation work with Josephite schools across Australia, there is derived from this group a smaller arm called the AJASS South-East cluster. This cluster is made up of 11 schools: Mount St Josephs Girls’ School, Altona (VIC); Penola Catholic College, Broadmeadows (VIC); Mary MacKillop Catholic Regional College, Leongatha (VIC); St Mary MacKillop College, Swan Hill (VIC); MacKillop Catholic Regional College, Werribee (VIC); Sacred Heart College, New Town (TAS); St James College, Cygnet (TAS); MacKillop Catholic College, Mornington (TAS); St Mary MacKillop College, Isabella Plains (ACT); Marian College, Christchurch (NZ); Cullinane College, Whanganui (NZ).

The AJASS South-East cluster has three teams that meet a few times a year (in-person and/or online): the Principals’ Team, the Faith and Mission Team and the Wellbeing Team. Within their own roles each of these teams work towards bringing the mission and charism of Mary MacKillop and Julian Tenison Woods to the classrooms and grounds of their schools. My role is to provide opportunities for formation for the network and develop mechanisms for the strategic and proper functioning of the teams.

To complement the work of this mission, the cluster have designed events for faith formation and the development of student leadership. Each year a pilgrimage takes place to a site that is synonymous with the MacKillop/Woods story. This four day pilgrimage endeavours to educate students about the Josephite work in the community and to connect their school’s story to the bigger picture. In 2025 a group of 46 students and staff from 9 schools of the cluster travelled the South Island of New Zealand, stopping off at various points of interest to the MacKillop story. In 2026 staff and students will spend 4 days travelling though the reaches of Tasmania to immerse themselves in the local MacKillop story; no doubt taking back to their school an acknowledgment of the work that Josephite nuns have done and still do today.

In Term 4 the cluster also organises a Student Leadership Conference that brings students from each of the 11 schools together to address leadership skills and discuss where the Josephite mission fits into the fabric of their school. From these conversations, students make some recommendations to the Principals for the continuing development of the culture and mission of the Josephite story in their school.

These two initiatives ensure that student voice is heard and their notions of the spirit and charism of the Josephite mission are applied in their school. Best wishes for Term Two!

Ernie Pisani

Executive Officer of the SE Cluster