Principal's Update 

Farewell to the Class of 2023

Having unofficially farewelled our VCE-VM students at the end of Term 3, we will formally farewell our entire Class of 2023.

Tomorrow, our Year 12 students will commence their final day with a memorable breakfast with their parents and teachers, followed by a final whole College Assembly as students, thus marking the culmination of their school journey.  

The formal dismissal from Assembly symbolises the respect and admiration we hold for the Class of 2023. This Assembly provides an opportunity for our entire student and staff community to acknowledge and celebrate the dedication, resilience and accomplishments of our Year 12 cohort. 

In this time of cherished “lasts” and heartfelt farewells, students have their last class in each subject and participate in their House goodbyes. 

Next Tuesday evening is the pinnacle of the farewell, with the  Graduation Mass and Valete, a truly special event to be celebrated with family and friends.  As part of the occasion, Old Collegians Association President, Dr Jason Smythe (Class of 1979) will present students with their Old Collegians tie, welcoming them to the 19,000+ strong community of Old Collegians worldwide.

As we bid farewell Year 12, we are filled with immense pride in their achievements and optimism for their future. We wish them success, happiness, and fulfillment in all their endeavours. During this busy time over the coming weeks, we remind them that continued hard work and wholehearted commitment to achieving their best will bring due reward. 

They will forever remain a part of our Beda family. They can achieve so much!

Praying for Peace

Having recently returned from our Principals' visit to the Holy Land, with the people from these areas in my mind, I pray for peace to all - Jews, Christians, Muslims and all other people who are affected by the current and ongoing events in the world today.

Social Services Sunday

On 17 September 2023, we marked Social Services Sunday within the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. 

The day serves to thanks to the dedicated work of the thousands of staff and volunteers who serve the poor, disadvantaged and marginalised. We acknowledge with gratitude Catholic Social Service Victoria’s 40 member organisations, their 8,000 staff and 17,000 volunteers, who work together to serve and support over 211,000 people. Catholic Social Services make up just 0.3% of Victorian charities, however they provide direct support to over 3% of the Victorian population.

Catholic Social Services hold a unique position because they serve and are part of an established, connected community of people sharing in the social mission of the Church.   

We also thank our parishes for often being at the forefront of providing services to members of their community in need.  Fr Joe Caddy, Episcopal Vicar for Social Services, Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne, reflected on the work of Catholic social services: 

"Our Catholic social services sector is a living reminder of the practical and all-embracing response that we are called to in our living out of the Gospel values of truth and justice."

In this challenging time of a cost of living and housing crisis, the Gospel's message of love, care and welcome is needed more than ever. On this day, we are asked to consider how we all have a role to play. 

How might we be more involved in achieving justice in our own communities?  

How can we advocate for structural changes to build a more equitable society where no one is pushed to the margins, and all can prosper?

Having the Courage to Be Yourself

The 30th President of the United States, Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929), invited some friends from his small home town to dine with him at the White House. 

Being simple country folk, they were worried about their table manners and after asking many people how they should behave at the White House, decided that the best practice was to do everything the President did. 

The meal passed smoothly, until coffee was served and President Coolidge poured his into a saucer. The guests followed suit. 

He then added sugar and cream. The visitors did likewise.  

Then Coolidge leaned over and placed his saucer on the floor for the cat. 

The country visitors realised that their imitation strategy had led them into an embarrassing mistake.

It is true that when we are young, we learn a lot by imitating our parents and, later, our teachers. We imitate our friends, we dress and behave like those we see on TV and social media - it can be very persuasive. 

But one can’t go through life imitating others—otherwise, we might make some very embarrassing mistakes, like the visitors to the White House. 

We all have to establish our own personal direction that suits our individual talents.  

We also change as we pass through life.  

Albert Camus, a French philosopher of sometime ago said "To grow old is to change from passion to compassion."  

Camus also said, "At 30, a person should know himself like the palm of his hand, know the exact number of his defects and qualities, know how far he can go, foretell his failures—be what he is! And, above all, accept these things!" 

In the times of Camus, most people at age 30 were possibly more than half-way through their lives. So today, he might say age 50 instead of 30. 

The point is, that at some stage during life, we move past the need to imitate and fit someone else’s ideas of who we should be. We know our strengths and our weaknesses, and we have come to our own conclusion as to what is really important.

Young people tend to be energetic, eager and sometimes impulsive, whereas older people develop more sensitivity and stability. This is part of every life journey, where the attitudes, values and conscience we have developed are more important pilots than imitation.

It is not enough to merely imitate others, but we can learn by watching, reflecting and choosing what we value from the behaviour we see in others…this process never ends.  

But those who are young also teach the old. There is nothing like being with young people to feel some revitalisation and new hope. Ask any grandparent what they learn and gain from being around their grandchildren.

So, watching, listening, following others are all part of our growing - but the 'best you' comes from the selections that fit you - not the copying of others.  

As Judy Garland once remarked, “Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.”

Per vias rectas

Deb Frizza

Principal 

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land, the Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation, whose ancient wisdom nurtured these lands and waters for millennia.