Acting Assistant Principal – Religious Identity & Mission

Welcome to 2025

To all Parents and Friends of the College, we welcome you back! 

This term Mrs Kim Mooney has stepped into the role of Acting Deputy Principal, so I have been provided the opportunity to step into the Acting Identity and Mission role. 

My name is Thymon Venter. I have been a staff member at St Virgil’s College since 2023. I have experience in the Head of House and Director of Student Wellbeing role. I am passionate about bringing our faith in action to the forefront of our mental health and wellbeing. 

Jubilee Year – Pilgrims of Hope 

In 2025, the College will proudly be celebrating the Jubilee Year, focusing on the theme of Pilgrims of Hope. In our modern context, it is important to uplift and provide hope to those in our communities. This theme is well prominent in our School events throughout the year. 

To celebrate the Jubilee Year, please enjoy the 2025 Official Prayer. 

Father in heaven,

may the faith you have given us

in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,

and the flame of charity enkindled

in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,

reawaken in us the blessed hope

for the coming of your Kingdom.

May your grace transform us

into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.

May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos

in the sure expectation

of a new heaven and a new earth,

when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,

your glory will shine eternally.

May the grace of the Jubilee

reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,

a yearning for the treasures of heaven.

May that same grace spread

the joy and peace of our Redeemer

throughout the earth.

To you our God, eternally blessed,

be glory and praise forever.

Amen

Blessing of the Bags/Blazers 

On Tuesday 11 February, we had the opportunity to welcome all students at St Virgil’s College back to the campus. As part of our tradition, we invite Fr Suresh to bless the bags of our incoming Middle Years students to the College. This blessing was for safe and productive journeys through SVC. 

With the split of our Middle and Senior Years welcome, we introduced a new tradition at the College: Blessing of the Blazers for our Senior students. The purpose of this blessing is to move away from the ‘Middle Year Mindset’ and instead embrace the ‘Senior Mindset’. With this, we believed that Blessing of the Blazers would be symbolic of our Senior students entering a new phase in their time at the College. 

A big thank you to Miss Annalé Van Heerden, Head of Middle Years, Mr Daniel Robinson, Acting Head of Senior School and Fr Suresh for their organisation and running of the tradition at SVC. 

International Women’s Day #AccelerateAction 

International Women’s Day, observed globally on 8 March, is dedicated to celebrating and advancing the achievements of women in social, economic, cultural, and political spheres. It also serves as a powerful call to action for accelerating gender equality.

This day offers an important opportunity to engage with communities, reflect on progress made, and commit to ongoing positive change. By participating in International Women’s Day, we ensure that the pursuit of equality stays at the forefront of the global agenda, driving meaningful action forward.

With a rich history rooted in collective activism, International Women’s Day has evolved through the contributions of countless groups, countries, and organisations. 

At St Virgil’s College, the influence of women in the lives of our community members is immeasurable. It is essential that we acknowledge, honour, and uplift the women who continue to inspire, nurture, and guide our young men, deepening their understanding and encouraging their growth.

Prayer for International Women’s Day

Lord, make me an instrument of peace:

Bless all women who daily strive to bring peace to their communities, their homes and their hearts. Give them strength to continue to turn swords into ploughshares.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love:

We pray for all women who face prejudice, inequality and gender disparities. Help us to see and to face the discrimination against women in all the many forms it may take.

Where there is injury, pardon:

Comfort all women who suffer from the pain of war, violence, and abuse. Help them to become instruments of their own reconciliation and peace.

Where there is division, unity:

Forgive all women and men who let differences breed hate and discrimination. Let your example of valuing all of creation help us to see that we are equal partners in the stewardship of your world.

Where there is darkness, light; where there is untruth, truth:

Comfort all women who struggle in the darkness of abuse, poverty, and loneliness. May we stand with them in light to acknowledge their suffering and strive to remove the burdens of shame or embarrassment.

Amen