From the Principal

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

“Lent offers an opportunity to look at what clutters our life and gets in the way of what's most important—to evaluate those disordered attachments. It offers an opportunity to identify our personal false gods and ways we fall victim to what society tells us is most important”.

I read this comment on an Ignatian Spirituality website recently as part of their Lenten Reflection and it resonated with me, another reminder that this special period of Lent is one to remind us of the importance of reflection, to declutter and to ‘take a breath’ as we navigate the coming days, weeks and months but especially in preparation for Easter.

I was fortunate to share in two very special Masses this week that seemed different in focus but very similar in intent. The first was our Wednesday morning Mass, dedicated especially to all Year 11 students and I was delighted with the presence of so many of the Year 11 cohort. It was also particularly special because the Mass was celebrated by Fr Michael Twigg OMI who spent the past four days with us before heading on sabbatical leave in Europe. Fr Michael will be returning for the start of Term 3 as many would know, to commence his next ministry as the Rector here at Mazenod College.

Fr Michael in his homily, reminded us of the importance of using the Lenten period to take time to slow down, to take a breath and to reflect backward to go forward. He used an incredible analogy of the “Monster Trucks” who, at the end of a long and speedy straight and into a corner, must slow down for fear of tipping over. Our own lives are often a hasty run to the ‘corner’ and if we don’t take time to slow down, we too may ‘tip over’. We are very much looking forward to Fr Michael’s presence with us and his endearing ability to make sense of what can sometimes seem complicated.

The second special occasion was the Mass shared with the 12A Form class, celebrated by Fr Michael McMahon OMI and concelebrated by Fr Michael Twigg OMI. As part of this Mass, one of our Year 12 students, Andrew Lloyd, presented a symbol that he hoped would become a metaphor of hope for his peers. Andrew used the analogy of the weightlifter and the dumbbells, with the dumbbells being the challenges we face and the strength we gain when we overcome them. A lovely way to explain that in life, both as a student at school and later in life, we will face challenges (the burden can be like lifting weights) but when we overcome these challenges, we are stronger and better people for the experience. It was a great pleasure to hear such a wise and engaging young man speak to his peers.

As we have progressed through the Lenten season in preparation for the joy of the resurrection of Christ, we continue to remind ourselves of the joys and benefits of Lent and not just the abstinences. Lent is a time for focus, reflection and reconciliation, but Pope Francis reminds us that we should, as Catholics, be fully and joyfully human and to focus on the ways that we can "feast" during the Lenten period. Feasting on the joy of helping those less fortunate than ourselves, on the joy of renewing our relationship with God through prayer and on the joy that comes with sharing what we have with others. As a College, we celebrate the Easter triduum with our Holy Week Mass on Wednesday 27th March.

As Pope Francis reflects on the Christian heart of joy, our recent Harmony Week activities were terrific expressions of the Christian heart, to acknowledge, recognize and celebrate our origins. I sincerely thank our Year 12 student leaders with the assistance of Mrs Bulich and staff, who have worked tirelessly in bringing these simple, yet effective, symbols of our differences yet connectedness, our individualities and our communities and the strength of harmony and unity to life in our College.

I will finish with another tweet from our beloved Pope Francis;

"The road from love to hate is easy. The one from hate to love is more difficult but brings peace" 

At Easter, we celebrate Jesus' dying on the cross and the joy of his resurrection. Jesus is the bringer of peace and we are called to bring peace to the world in which we live. Easter is the pinnacle of our liturgical calendar and as Catholics, we are called to revitalize our relationship with God and to continue to model His kingdom on earth.

I hope and pray for all in our Mazenod College community, for a joyful, loving and holy Easter and that we use these opportunities to bring peace to those we hold dear. I also thank our staff and students for their contributions this term and wish them all a well-deserved restful and relaxing holiday break.

God bless.

Simon Harvey

Principal