From the Principal

Dear Parents, Guardians, Students, Staff and Friends of Mazenod College,

“Seek to spread everywhere the unity that you yourselves experience in your groups and communities… be ‘a leaven of unity, communion, and fraternity’ in our world.” (Pope Leo XIV).

Feast of the Assumption

Today our school community came together in prayer and celebration for the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, a holy day that honours our belief that Mary, the Mother of Jesus, was taken body and soul into Heaven. Through a beautiful Mass led by Fr Michael Twigg OMI and Fr Basti OMI, we reflected on Mary’s deep faith, her “yes” to God, and her example of humility and service. Our students participated reverently in readings, prayers, and music, reminding us all of the importance of trusting in God’s plan and living with hope. We concluded Mass with a traditional procession behind the picture of Our Lady, honouring her with reverence as a sign of our faith and affection.

DMFEN Conference

Each year staff from the four Colleges, St Eugene’s College and Iona College in Queensland, Mazenod College in Victoria and ourselves at Mazenod College WA, accompany Rectors and Principals to learn more about St Eugene and the history of the Oblates in Australia. The experience provides a wonderful opportunity to share programs and resources that have been developed in the respective communities that build formation and understanding of the Charism we all share.

We were privileged to be the host College this year with the conference being held here in WA last week. The setting was perfect to experience the Charism that was introduced in Australia in 1894 when the Oblates arrived in Fremantle. Spending two days in the St Patrick’s Basilica Parish Hall provided the perfect venue to appreciate the historical context of Oblate Ministry and see in action the ongoing outreach that exists there today. We heard of the amazing work of Br Hannick OMI and then seeing the work of the St Patrick’s Community Centre in action, brought to life the stories and presentations we heard from our keynote speakers.

Thank you to Fr Michael Twigg OMI, Fr Harry Dyer OMI and Fr Joe Antony OMI, for leading us throughout the conference with information, prayer and witness. Thank you also to Fr Basti OMI and Angela Emanuele from St Patrick’s Parish who generously provided us the space and facilities for our conference.

On the final day of the conference, we hosted the conference group here at Mazenod. Our students led tours of our College, Mass was celebrated in the College Chapel and an insight into boarding life was experienced with a tour and a very tasty lunch.

Many thanks to all involved, staff and students, for creating an organized atmosphere of welcome and hospitality.

Languages Week – Viva l’Italiano!

Languages Week was full of colour, culture, and connection, with our Italian program leading the way. Students took part in fun language challenges and enjoyed our Ferragosto celebration – a lively taste of Italy’s mid-August holiday. From delicious food, the car display, Samuel on the accordion, to cultural traditions, it was a wonderful reminder that learning another language opens doors to new experiences and friendships. Sincerest congratulations and thanks must go to Mrs Raschella for all her dedication, passion and hard work in bringing this Languages Week to life. Grazie a tutti for making it such a bellissima week!

Senior Drama Production

Congratulations to Ms Humberstone and Ms du Plessis, along with Jeremy E and supporting Arts staff, for providing the opportunity for our senior Year 11 and 12 Drama students to perform on the stage. This year, the group performed “Mnemonic Memories – a journey through memory, identity, relationships and the journeys that shape us”. Performance in front of an audience takes courage, dedication and expression of our God-given talents. I thank all of the staff and students involved in presenting this performance for our pleasure.

H2GP World Finals

In conclusion, I would like to extend our best wishes to Mr Rasano, Mr Cusworth and Team Mazzarati (Joseph C, Lincoln R, Stuart H, Hudson B and Zachariah M) as they head off to Chemnitz in Germany on Wednesday 20 August. The team is representing Australia and Mazenod College in the H2GP World Finals, competing against the best in the world in the hydrogen car racing. Congratulations and best wishes, you have already done us proud.

God bless.

“We glorify God in the masterpiece of His power and love… it is the Son whom we honour in the person of His Mother.” (St Eugene De Mazenod)

Simon Harvey

Principal