From the Head of College

Mr Michael Newman

Choose Life

It's a matter of conscious choice.

Interestingly, I was talking to a friend recently who was very critical of the Catholic Church. They told me that the Church must change and keep up with modern society – “the Church needs to get with the times.” Further, they went on to say that the Church has been too influential in society.

I suggest, that in the busyness of our lives, the Church offers us a place of retreat and reflection. It provides us with a place to have time out and a deeper sense of the spiritual away from the consumerism and superficiality of our modern secular society. Yet, ironically, it is consumerism that has developed an industry to replace these offerings of the Church. The commercial industry now markets to us spiritual and personal connection in the form of wellness retreats, holistic health experiences, mindfulness therapies, and ‘getaways’ to reconnect us to ourselves and nature but the Church offers these same experiences. They have just been repackaged and marketed to us by modern society. It may be that the Catholic Church is not so outdated and in need of change, but rather, our modern culture needs to be open again and revisit all the gifts offered by the Church.

In religious education classes at Marist Ashgrove, we teach our students how to develop and inform their personal conscience. When our young men are faced with a moral decision to make, we hope that they will call on their informed conscience to make the right choice. To develop an informed conscience, one needs to not only reflect on society and its actions but consider the teachings of the Church. It is in no way an opportunity to indoctrinate or insist students think or believe a certain opinion, but rather it is an attempt to allow young people to make an insightful, authentic and free decision based on a good grounding of conscience. In essence, it is allowing our young people to choose Christ or not.

My hope is that the young men of Marist feel free to choose life. Christ as a way of life, a compass or a guide if they so decide. To choose to receive the gifts of the church, things time honoured, copied by modern society, of real conviction, and a source of strength…“Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love your God, listen to his voice and hold fast to him” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20).

God of the journey, may all the young men and all members of the Marist College Ashgrove family, choose life. Amen

CBSQ Basketball

The Marist College Ashgrove First V Basketball Team will be competing in the Champion Basketball School of Queensland (CBSQ) from Thursday 10 – Sunday 13 October. We wish all boys the best of luck in this tournament namely Tyson Baker, Harry Beasy, Mackenzie Bowen, Xavier Clarke-Bates, Charlie Cook, Leo Morris, Matt Pegg and Baxter Thompson. My thanks are extended to their coach Mike Lidstone and all supporters and parents. Enjoy and good luck gentleman.

Opening of the Refurbished Cyprian Pavilion

All parents are welcome to join the students for the official opening of the refurbished and expanded Cyprian Pavilion to be held on Wednesday 23 October, from 2:15-3:00pm. An official invitation will be issued in the coming days. We are very pleased to have Fr Alatini Kolofo’ou, our College Chaplain, lead us in prayer for the official blessing and opening. The event will include prayers, the blessing, a tour of the facility and a light afternoon tea. We hope you can join us for this important college event to be held at the John Eales Grandstand on McMahon Oval.

Marist College Ashgrove Awards Night

All families and boys are welcome to the 2024 Marist College Ashgrove Awards Night. The night will commence at 6.30pm and conclude by 8.40pm. It is a night celebrating and reviewing the year that was, enjoying the extraordinary talents of students, and recognising outstanding student achievements. Boys in attendance are to wear their formal winter uniforms. I hope you can join us at QPAC next Monday evening 14th October. To obtain your free ticket go to Marist College Ashgrove 2024 Awards Night - Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) Come and enjoy the evening together.

Grooming and Uniform

A thank you to all parents who ensure your son is well dressed and groomed each day. This is very important. It demonstrates the boys are positive and ready to learn each day. A reminder about boys being cleanly shaven every day, hair complying to school regulations (out of eyes, not on collar, not over ears, no bushy high tops, no less than a blade 2 throughout and no extremes), socks which are worn to the knees, formal hats to and from school and blazers for special occasions. In anticipation, thank you.

Announcing Assistant Head of College – Students

At the conclusion of 2024, we farewell Mr Peter Serone who will retire after a distinguished and wholehearted career as leader of Student Welfare at Marist College Ashgrove since 2019. As Peter moves into retirement, we wlll have the opportunity to thank him for his dedicated, caring and wise leadership, ensuring all students were always well cared for and growing positively.

I am now pleased to announce that Mr Phillip Holding will be the new Assistant Head of College – Students from 2025. Phillip’s degrees are as follows: Master of Educational Leadership, Master of Applied Science, Bachelor of Applied Science and a Graduate Certificate in Theology. Phillip is a very experienced leader having undertaken the following previous roles:

2022-2023 Pastoral Leader - Senior School, Marist College Ashgrove
Term 4 2022 Assistant Principal Religious Education, St Mary’s College Ipswich
Term 2 and Term 3 2022 Acting Deputy Principal, St Mary’s College Ipswich
2020-2022 Assistant Principal, Administration (Pastoral and Wellbeing), St Mary’s College, Ipswich
2015-2019 Pastoral Leader Marist College Ashgrove
2011-2014 Head of Sport Marist College Ashgrove
2010 Boarding Recreational Officer Marist College Ashgrove
Other teaching colleges – St Neots College, Cambridge, Mt St Michael’s College and Craigslea State High School

We offer Phillip our best wishes and full support in this period of handover and preparation for his new and exciting College Leadership role.

AIC Track and Field Primary and Secondary Champions

Congratulations to the Marist College Ashgrove Track and Field Team who won their 10th premiership in a row last Thursday and Friday at QEII Stadium. Marist won 9 of the possible 10 trophies at these championships winning the Year 5, Year 6, Under 13, Under 14, Under 15, Under 16, Open, Primary Aggregate and Secondary Aggregate Trophies. An outstanding achievement! But most importantly, I was very impressed by the manner in which the boys won with dignity and in praise of their coaches and supporters. Well done gentleman. Can I recommend the following video to you which is a small documentary and insight into the Marist Athletics Program.

Theatre Ash 2024

All families are welcome to attend the 2024 Theatre Ash production to be held in the Draney Theatre this Thursday 10 October at 6:30pm. The students will be performing ‘12 Incompetent Jurors’ – a story of a man accused of stealing cats and a panel of jurors who are unnecessarily slow in deciding a verdict. My best wishes are extended to students Corben Bramich, Vincent Butten, Olivier Canning, Joel Dargusch, Jack Donohue, Luke Dwyer, Tommy Guerrero Hayllar, Matthew Henselien, Mitchell Hind, Archie Hrstich, Tristan Huth, Baxter Jordan, Cooper Matthews, Willem Starrenburg, Jimmy Starrenburg, Andy Surtees, and Luca Zanre who will be performing this play. My thanks are extended to their teachers led by Mrs Rebecca Taylor, with the assistance of Mr Carmelo Bucolo, Mrs Bonita Gerry, Miss Stacey Finch and Mrs Christine Larsen. Good luck gentleman.

Boarding News

The Term 4 Boarding Network meeting will be held this Wednesday from 5:00pm. I thank our parent chair, Susan Shay for organising and facilitating this meeting, along with the Assistant Head of College – Boarding, Mr Jim Noble. I also wish to acknowledge and congratulate the many boarding students who generously continue to undertake weekly social justice activities like – ‘Boarding Blitz’ and aged care visitations. Well done gentleman.

Year 12 Masterclasses and Study

My best wishes are extended to our Year 12 students who are presently undertaking their masterclasses, revision for exams, competing school-based apprenticeships and finalising the competencies of their respective certificates courses. This is an important time for the boys and their teachers and we offer all boys our best wishes and prayers as they finish off their schooling positively and proactively. The ATAR Examinations for the Year 12 students will be held from Monday 21 October – Tuesday 12 November. Good luck gentlemen.

Lord Mayor's Young Environmental Leadership Network

James Dee, Luke Garvey, Joel Dargusch and Riley Hughes are our representatives at the Lord Mayor's Young Environmental Leadership Network day for 2024.

They have decided to focus on the important issue of eWaste – which is electronic waste that needs to be properly recycled. There will now be permanent eWaste and battery recycling bins in the Science foyer for students to use throughout the year. The College is also hosting a community eWaste drive this Saturday 12 October from 9:00am-11:00am, at the McMahon Oval carpark. You are welcome to stop by with any larger items of eWaste you’ve been meaning to dispose of ethically for some time. Congratulations on this great initiative gentlemen.

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