From the Head of College

We Pray for Peace

During the week, I listened to an address by our new Archbishop of Brisbane, Shane Mackinlay, who, among other topics, spoke about the Iran war and the importance of striving for peace and a coordinated approach to world dialogue. These tones very much reflect that of our Pope Leo XIV, who, in January, gave an address to the Holy See’s diplomatic corps, stating that “a zeal for war is spreading” and that “the principle established after the second world war, which prohibited nations from using force to violate the borders of others, has been completely undermined.” On March 1st Pope Leo has since stated that a “tragedy of enormous proportions” is now arising – “stability and peace are not achieved through mutual threats, nor through the use of weapons which sow destruction, suffering and death, but only through reasonable, sincere, and responsible dialogue.” All parties, he said, must “halt the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss”. Pope Leo has recently asked all to “pray for peace, work for peace” and called for less hatred in the world – “truly seek to promote dialogue” and “find solutions, without weapons, to resolve problems.” Pope Leo’s basic premise is to “Pray for peace, work for peace, less hatred. Hatred keeps growing in the world.” Pope Leo has made a heartfelt appeal to all parties involved to “assume the moral responsibility of halting the spiral of violence before it becomes an unbridgeable chasm - May diplomacy regain its proper role, and may the well-being of peoples, who yearn for peaceful existence founded on justice, be upheld. And let us continue to pray for peace.” 

God of the journey, with Mary our good mother, we pray for peace through diplomatic dialogue for our world. Amen.

Years 5, 7 & 9 NAPLAN 2026

My best wishes are extended to our boys in Years 5, 7 & 9 who will be undertaking their NAPLAN tests commencing this week. Our Year 5 boys will have all their tests in Writing and then Reading, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation, and followed by Numeracy from Wednesday 11th March until Friday 13th March. For our Years 7 & 9 students - the Writing test will commence on Wednesday 11th March, followed by Reading on Thursday 12th March and then Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation on Friday 13th March and concluding with Numeracy on Monday 16th March (Year 9) and Tuesday 17th March (Year 7). Please ensure your son has a nutritious breakfast following an early night of sleep and brings along his fully charged laptop, wired headphones / earphones, water bottle and a pen/ pencil. We wish all boys the best of luck with these important tests which will enable us to measure literacy and numeracy growth and needs, moving forward.

2026 AIC Swimming Championships

Today, at the Chandler Aquatic Centre, Marist College Ashgrove Swim Team participated in the AIC Swimming Championships. I am pleased to announce that our Senior team were runners up and our Junior team similarly runners up. The Year 5, under 13 and under 16 age groups were placed first. Swimming requires much dedication, commitment and continual training. For this, I commend all students and coaches. The AIC Swimming Championships are an extremely high-quality level of school competition in Australia and I congratulate all coaches and students on this excellent result. I extend my sincere thanks to our professional and high-quality coaching staff – Mr James Boyce (Head Coach), Joel Stopforth, Glen Housman, David Meehan, Noah Magoffin, James Leigh, Bailey Skinner, Catherine Barnett, Cath Geraghty (Assistant Coordinator) and Jade Ritchie (Coordinator).

Well done also to our Year 12 students who were full of cheer and support throughout the day. Congratulations Marist College Ashgrove Swim Squad on another excellent performance in these AIC Swimming Championships.

Premier Ensembles Concert 

The 2026 Premier Ensembles Concert will take place on Thursday 12th March 2026 from 6:30 – 8.00pm in the Draney Theatre. This special event will showcase the exceptional talent of our premier bands, choirs, and instrumental groups as they present a polished and inspiring evening of music. Families and guests can look forward to outstanding performances from our boys that reflect their hard work, discipline, and passion of our students and Music staff. The concert promises to be a wonderful celebration of the vibrant musical culture within our college community. This is always a highlight concert of the year. My thanks are extended to our music teachers and conductors - Catherine Wasserman, Alison Braidwood, Megan Harmston (Program Leader - Creative Arts & Activities), Andrew Butt, Zac Moynihan, Rory Dollard and Melanie Stewart. Good luck, gentlemen.

Feast of St Patrick and St Joseph

On the 17th of March, the College community will join Catholics around Australia and the world in celebrating the Feast of St Patrick, honouring the beloved patron saint of Ireland. St Patrick is remembered for his deep faith, humility, and missionary spirit - qualities that continue to inspire us in our daily lives. Following this, on the 19th March, the College will recognise the Feast of St Joseph, the husband of Mary. St Joseph is seen as a role model for all students at Marist and is recognised in various statues around the College. Happy St Patrick’s and St Joseph’s Day!

Second Last Round of Term 1 Sport

We wish all our sportsman the best of luck as they approach the final two weeks of the season proper. The final two games are versus Villanova and Padua College. The First XI Cricket team remains undefeated, and the 1st XVIII AFL and 1st VI Volleyball teams had strong wins last week. The following teams remain undefeated thus far: Cricket 1st XI, 3rd XI Blue, 3rd XI Gold, 9C, 8B Blue, 8C Gold, 7B, 7C Blue, 7C Gold, 6B, 6C Blue, 6D, 5B Blue, 5B Gold, 5C Blue, 5C Gold, 5D Blue, 5D Gold, 5D White and Volleyball 9C.  Best wishes as we move to the final two weeks of sport in cricket, volleyball and AFL. My sincere thanks are extended to all our coaching staff, Mr Derek Lennon (Head of Sport) and Sports Convenors (Cricket – Matthew Millward, Volleyball – Blair Whitlock and AFL – Camryn Mabey) and all coaches and mangers of teams.

Year 6 Parent Function

The annual Marist Year 6 Parent Function will be held on Friday 13th March at 6:30pm in the Cyprian Pavillion. This informal gathering offers families a wonderful opportunity to connect with one another, meet members of the parent support body and staff, and build community as the Year 6 boys settle into the new school year. Tickets can be purchased from the following link 2026 Year 6 Parent Function   My thanks are extended to our P&F Committee and volunteers who will be assisting with the evening. We look forward to welcoming our Year 6 parents for an enjoyable evening of conversation and connection on Friday night.

Parents and Friends and Old Boys Committee

My best wishes are extended to our newly appointed Parents and Friends Association Committee who have commenced their generous work for the College community. We thank our outgoing committee and for their generous donation of $90k toward the changerooms and toilets being installed at Cameron Oval after Easter. We welcome Adam Bennett (President), Jacob Swan (Vice-President), Richelle Power (Treasurer), Carlie Marks (Secretary).

We also recognise the new members of the Old Boys Committee who undertake important work for their Old Boy associates and who support the College in numerous and generous ways, including donations to the capital works of the College and bursaries. Thank you to newly elected committee members: Michael O’Connor (President), Tim Slack (Vice-President), Michael Kreis (Treasurer) and David Fowler (Secretary).

Harmony Week 

Marist College Ashgrove, led by Slattery House, will join schools across Australia in celebrating Harmony Week throughout the week of 16th March 2026. Harmony Week is a national celebration of cultural diversity, promoting the message that everyone belongs. Across the week, students will engage in activities that highlight inclusion, respect, and the many cultures that enrich our community. These experiences will encourage our young men to reflect on the importance of belonging, unity, and understanding, and to appreciate the diverse backgrounds that shape our college. Harmony Week is a wonderful opportunity for the entire school to come together, celebrate what makes us unique, and strengthen the sense of community that defines Marist College Ashgrove. Happy Harmony Week and thank you to the Slattery Pastoral Leader – Mr Chris Daykin and students who will be leading these activities. 

May our loving God with Mary our good mother and St Marcellin Champagnat walk with all members of the Marist College Ashgrove family.

Upcoming Events

Tuesday 10 March

• NAPLAN Device Check Year 5 and Year 9
• AIC Swimming Championships
• Tutoring: Specialist Maths, Maths Methods, Chemistry, Physics Middle Years Maths/Science - 7:45am-8:30am
• Study Hall - Senior Library
• Primary Morning Study
• House Meetings
• Year 10 Outdoor Recreation - Mountain Biking
• Year 10 HPE - Lawn Bowls

Wednesday 11 March

• NAPLAN Online Test Window - starts
• Tutoring - English/Literature Extension, Economics, French, Chemistry, Study of Religion
• Community Mass - College Chapel (all welcome)
• Primary Morning Study
• Year 10 Outdoor Recreation - Mountain Biking
• College Assembly
• Mission Captains Meeting - Mission Office
• Tutoring - Specialist Maths, Math Methods, Physics, Middle Years Maths

Thursday 12 March

• Study Hall - Senior Lib
• Primary Morning Study
• Primary Morning Assembly
• Year 10 HPE - Lawn Bowls
• Music Ensemble Photos – Draney Theatre
• Break 1B Vinnies Meeting – Room 801
• Tutoring - English, Economics, Chemistry, Study of Religion, Middle Years Maths/Science/English - 3:30pm – 4:30pm
• Senior French Dinner
• Premier Ensembles Concert

Friday 13 March

• Primary Morning Study
• Year 10 Art Excursion - New Farm Park and William Robinson Exhibition - QUT Gardens
• AIC Round 6 v Villanova College - AFL 1st XVIII / 2nd XVIII
• Year 6 Parent Function

Saturday 14 March

• AIC Round 6 v Villanova College

Sunday 15 March

• Boarders’ Mass (Chapel)

Monday 16 March

• NAPLAN Online Test Window - continues
• Harmony Week - starts
• Primary Morning Study
• Primary Morning Assembly
• Rosies Outreach

Tuesday 17 March

• Feast of St Patrick
• Tutoring: Specialist Maths, Maths Methods, Chemistry, Physics Middle Years Maths/Science - 7:45am-8:30am
• Study Hall - Senior Library
• Primary Morning Study
• House Meetings
• Year 10 Outdoor Recreation - Mountain Biking

Wednesday 18 March

• Tutoring - English/Literature Extension, Economics, French, Chemistry, Study of Religion
• Community Mass - College Chapel (all welcome)
• Primary Morning Study
• Year 10 Outdoor Recreation - Mountain Biking
• College Assembly
• Mission Captains Meeting - Mission Office
• Tutoring - Specialist Maths, Math Methods, Physics, Middle Years Maths

Thursday 19 March

• Feast of St Joseph
• Year 11 Sport and Recreation - Surfing Excursion
• Study Hall - Senior Lib
• Primary Morning Study
• Primary Morning Assembly
• Environment Group Meeting – Break 1B - Room 801
• Tutoring - English, Economics, Chemistry, Study of Religion, Middle Years Maths/Science/English - 3:30pm – 4:30pm
• Marist Debating Team – Year 8

Friday 20 March

• West District Swimming Trials
• Year 11 and 12 Exam Block - starts
• Primary Morning Study
• Year 10 PE - Lawn Bowls
• AIC Round 7 v Padua College - AFL 1st XVIII / 2nd XVIII

Saturday 21 March

• AIC Round 7 v Padua College

Sunday 22 March

• Boarders’ Mass (Chapel)