Mission News

Prayers

We remember in prayer Br John Wells, Marist Brother and past Primary Head of College, who passed away this week after a long illness. We give thanks for Br John’s life of loving service and pray for his fellow Marist Brothers and all who mourn his loss. May Br John be forever at peace with God. We pray for all those grieving the death of loved ones at this time.

Community Masses

All are welcome to our Mass throughout the week, Mondays (11:45am), Wednesdays (8:00am) and Fridays (11:45am).

Scripture

Excerpt from Sunday’s reading from the prophet Jeremiah (17:5-8)

'A blessing on the man who puts his trust in the Lord,

with the Lord for his hope.

He is like a tree by the waterside

that thrusts its roots to the stream:

when the heat comes it feels no alarm,

its foliage stays green;

it has no worries in a year of drought,

and never ceases to bear fruit.'

Reflection

Both Sunday’s first reading and psalm presented the tree drawing water from the stream as a metaphor of the person who trusts in God. Trust is a vulnerability, a softening, a falling into, an acceptance, an orientation and an openness. Trust both frees us to flow and anchors us to safety. Trust is a movement that takes us nearer to God who is always near to us.

The Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu asked: 

“How can you follow the course of your life if you do not let it flow?”

And so we pray:

+ Creator God,

Each day we wake up to the incredible miracle of life

And the ability to experience its wonder and variety.

In humble thanks for all we have been given,

We pray our hearts will be open to trusting in you and in others. 

Be our strength, O God, a living stream,

So that we may grow in love and journey in hope.

May we wholeheartedly enter the flow of our own lives 

With you as our unending source.

With faith in your son Jesus and hope in your living Spirit, 

We ask this prayer in your holy name.

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. +

Birthing Kits

Marist College Ashgrove are once again marking International Women's Day by taking part in the assembly of Birthing Kits. This year the initiative will be led by Foley House under the direction of Mrs Maddie Henry, Acting Head of House. The college is partnering with Zonta & Birthing Kit Foundation Australia, with Year 12 students assembling the kits during a Period 6 ASH lesson later this term.

Birthing Kit Foundation Australia's Clean Birth Kits are an invaluable resource in emergency and humanitarian settings, especially for communities in developing countries where the risk of injury and even death to mothers and babies can be high due to infection. The environmentally kits help provide safer births and prevent infection for mothers and newborns. 

Would you like to help?

You are invited to fund a Birthing Kit at a cost of $6.41. If you would like to contribute, please click HERE.

If you are interested in learning more about Birthing Kit Foundation Australia, please see the link to their website below:

Home - Birthing Kit Foundation (bkfa.org.au)

Year 5 Welcome and Community Mass

Our chapel was full last Wednesday for our Year 5 Welcome Mass. It was wonderful to see so many of our Year 5s along with their family members, including parents and grandparents, gathered to celebrate Eucharist and reflect on our theme of ‘Pilgrim of Hope: Look Beyond’ for 2025.

Mothers’ Retreat and Old Boys’/Dads’ Retreat

Marist Mothers and Marist Old Boys’ and Dads are invited to take time on retreat with facilitators Br Neville Solomon fms and Clare Locke (Campus Minister).

Retreat for Old Boys/Dads: 23 March – for more details and to register, visit: https://events.humanitix.com/2025-marist-old-boys-retreat

Retreat for Mothers: 30th March – for more details and to register, visit: https://events.humanitix.com/2025-marist-college-ashgrove-mother-s-retreat

Primary Can Drive 

Our Primary students are making a huge difference to our upcoming Lenten Fundraiser through donating soft drink cans. Students, you can bring your box cans into your class anytime until Wednesday 26 February. All the proceeds from the sale of these cans at fundraisers throughout this year will go directly to Australian Marist Solidarity.

The primary class (in each grade) that has the most cans donated will be thrown a pizza party! We encourage you to get into the spirit of this fundraising initiative and thank you for your support. 

Last year, our Primary School families generously donated over 3500 cans! 

2025 Lenten Fundraising Day

Our amazing Year 12 Mission Leaders are busy working with their Heads of Houses and fellow students to organise fantastic food and drink stalls and fun events at our Lenten Fundraising Day on Friday 7 March during first break. Wear free dress on the day for a $2.00 donation via Monitor. Remember to top-up your ID cards to ensure you can buy delicious treats and get involved in the games. 

Our Lenten Fundraiser is our MAJOR annual fundraising event for Australian Marist Solidarity (AMS) with all proceeds this year going towards the building work at St Joseph’s School in the Solomon Islands.  

Stationery Aid Fundraiser – Saturday 22 March 

Time: 5:00pm – 7:30pm 

Venue: The Tower Block, Marist College Ashgrove 

Tickets: Stationery Aid Cocktail Art Show

Stationery Aid is holding a fundraising cocktail art event showcasing 4 years of student artwork and stories collected from donations whilst renewing visual art diaries and exercise books. The artwork and stories on exhibition have been saved from landfill and must be seen, not overlooked.

Tickets include canapes and beverages (beer, wine, sparkling and non-alcoholic drinks).

We will be showcasing the creativity, thoughts and most imaginative work from the hearts and minds of our Queensland kids who have not seen beauty in their own creativity.

Also, on display and for sale will be artwork, merchandise and sustainable stationery designed and handmade by a selection of our community partners and volunteers. Raffle tickets for amazing prizes will be available for sale on the evening.

Art, design thinking and creativity are at the core of Stationery Aid's vision for a brighter inclusive world in support of education equality, community well-being and a healthy environment for our future generations to come.

Helping Hands needed on Friday mornings!

Each Friday morning students are encouraged to come along at 7:30am to Room 801 to help out with Stationery Aid! This Term we are sorting through exercise books, removing pages with any writing on them, covering with labels and book covers. It’s great to get together, help out, have a chat and earn some MATES points.

Donating? Good quality unwanted stationery is most welcome and can be placed in the blue bin outside the Mission Office. 

To find out more and to check the list for what can be donated, please visit: https://stationeryaid.org/ 

All Abilities Cricket

Some of our wonderful senior students have been helping out on Fridays at All Abilities Cricket. The program is a great opportunity for young people to practise their cricket skills, and our boys are happy to help out and join in the fun. All Abilities Cricket runs from 4:00pm – 5:00pm Friday afternoons at the Valley District Cricket Club.

Vinnies and Environment Group

The Environment Group will meet this coming Thursday at 1st break in Room 801.