From the Head of College

Mr Michael Newman

Life to Birth

Exploring the many churches and spiritual monuments in Southern France, the area in which the founder of the Marist Brothers, St Marcellin Champagnat lived and taught, you gain some insight into the adulation and respect shown to Mary, the mother of Jesus. One of my favourite places was Le Puy, where an enormous statue of Mary (Notre-Dame de France) was built in the 19th Century, out of 213 cannons taken from the Russians during the Crimean War and offered to the city of Le Puy. This monument, created by Jean-Marie Bonnassieux, can be seen all around the countryside. No doubt, Champagnat as a little boy would have prayed there with his mother. Weighing 835 tons and a height of 22.7 metres, it is built on the highest volcanic plug in the city.

Catholic Churches throughout France went to no expense to praise Mary. With chandeliers hanging from church ceilings and expensive robes adorning Marial statues, the adulation was obvious. Similarly, here at Marist College Ashgrove, our beautiful chapel is named after Mary, all roads lead to the circular lawn statue to Mary the mother of God, statues and photos of Mary adorn the college, and our college was originally named St Mary’s College with the foundational Latin motto being Posurant me Custodum meaning - 'Mary has been appointed to guard over our school'. In the past, the brothers stopped each day to pray the rosary with the boys, each Midday the angelus bell was rung and an Angelus prayer was recited to Mary, and the boys and brothers would set up fresh flowers adorning the altars and statues to Mary around the school. Today, we sing a pray to Mary at numerous events - “We fly to thy patronage” (praying for Mary’s intercession) or in Latin - ‘The Sub Tumm, the boys’ proudly wear the college colours of Gold and Blue representing adoration to and association with Mary, our college crest has the ‘M’ for Mary in one quarter and our student blazers have the ‘M’ for Mary which is located over each boy’s heart.

In this same spirit of recognition and intercession, today as a Marist family we celebrated the Feast of the Assumption. This is the Church’s major feast-day to Mary and one which is shared by all Marist schools and Marist undertakings around the world. The feast of the Assumption recognises with admiration and as our role model, Mary the mother of God, and acknowledges Mary’s entry into heaven after her earthly life.

Gospel stories specifically about Mary are few, but on the feast of the Assumption, we read one of these narratives acknowledging Mary’s invitation from the angel to bear Jesus and her subsequent visit to her cousin Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-56). We can only imagine how her conversation would have gone after she made the long journey and, in her confusion, and shock, implored the support of her close cousin Elizabeth – “How could this be?” “But it’s just me Elizabeth – why me?” Yet, in meeting Elizabeth, it was a sign - the confirmation that Mary needed, as Elizabeth in her old age too, was to bear a child. In fact, Elizabeth, her dear cousin told her at her arrival, “the baby leapt for joy in my womb at seeing you.” Then Mary sang out her song of praise and joy to God – the famous “Magnificant.” In this song, Mary proclaims the Lord’s greatness with characteristic humility at her unworthy predicament and grace to bring Christ’s life to birth.

My soul magnifies the Lord

And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;

Because He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid;

For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed;

Because He who is mighty has done great things for me,

and holy is His name;

And His mercy is from generation to generation

on those who fear Him.

He has shown might with His arm,

He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.

He has put down the mighty from their thrones,

and has exalted the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich He has sent away empty.

He has given help to Israel, his servant, mindful of His mercy

Even as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity forever.

God of the journey, as all members of the Marist family throughout the world celebrate the Feast of the Assumption, may we, like Mary, bring Christ’s life to birth in all that we do and say with humility and grace. Amen.

Champagnat Awards and Long Service Awards

It was with great pleasure at the Assumption Mass today that together we congratulated our 2024 Marist College Ashgrove Champagnat Award recipients. These recipients exemplify the Marist spirit and ethos in a quiet and unassuming manner. Congratulations to:

Community Award - Christopher Shay

Staff Award - Rebecca Collyer

Student Award - Jake Edye

Following this, we acknowledged the 2024 Long Service awards to both Marist and Catholic Education. We share our congratulations and heartfelt thanks to:

10 Years of Marist Education – Laurent Dubois, David Finch, Peter Gaiter, Sue Going, Dylan Gower, Jamie Kennedy and Pae Sonsamrong.
20 Years of Marist Education - Michael Connolly, Jane O’Shea, Ewa Ransome and Vincent Teodosio.
25 Years of Marist Education - Brett Gillett
30 Years of Marist Service – Daniel Sargent
5 Years of Catholic Education Service – Nathan Ayre, Kabel Dawes, Christopher Daykin, Dominique Hall, Denver Jensen, Amanda Locke, Beth Muller, Marcus Schrader and Melanie Stewart
10 Years of Catholic Education Service - Kylie Bowman, Ryan Cullen, Patrick Denkes, Anthony Graham and Christine Larsen
15 Years of Catholic Education Service - Alison Braidwood, Greg Egan, John Lambourne, Jim Noble and Elizabeth Walsh
20 Years of Catholic Education Service - Andrew Devoy, Prue MacLean and Roxanne Rosenberg
25 Years of Catholic Education Service - Brett Gillett, Wendy Macdonald and Doug Perrers
30 Years of Catholic Education Service - Damian Nelson
37 years of service to Catholic Education: David Meehan
39 years of service to Catholic Education: Tony Byrne
40 Years of Catholic Education Service: Peter Gaiter

I sincerely congratulate our wonderful staff recipients on behalf of the Marist College Ashgrove family for their generous gift to both Marist and Catholic Education. A particular thank you to Mr David Meehan and Mr Tony Byrne who have announced their retirement at the end of the year after this dedicated service where they have touched the lives of many students.

Well done to all our 2024 recipients.

We sincerely appreciate both your service and fine example.

Marist Dance

My thanks are extended to the mission staff and students led by Mrs Anna Nasr, Assistant Head of College – Mission, who has organised and will facilitate two dances tonight -Tuesday evening, 13th August. They will be joined by many generous staff to supervise this dance. The first dance will be for the Year 5 and 6 boys from 5:00pm-6:45pm and the second for the Year 7 and 8 boys from 7:30pm-9:30pm. Both dances will be held in the Champagnat Centre. We welcome girls from many of our neighbouring Catholic schools throughout the Brisbane metropolitan area. Expectations and behaviour have been explained to all in attendance, including mobile phones being left at the front entrance with staff.

All monies raised at these dances will be going to Australian Marist Solidarity (AMS) to provide much-needed funds and support to our friends in Timor Leste who the boys visited last holidays. This money will be used directly to build classrooms for a remote Catholic School in Timor Leste. A great cause and no doubt an enjoyable event for all involved.

City vs Country Game

This Tuesday afternoon, 13th August, after school, the much-anticipated country boys will take on the city boys in a game of Rugby league, prior to departing for the Ekka Break. This game is a chance for some great fun and collegiality between the day and boarding students as well as a chance for the boarding and day parents to get together socially at McMahon Oval. My thanks are extended to Mr Jim Nobel – Assistant Head of College Boarding and to all the boarding staff for their organisation of this event. Enjoy and may the best team win!

Queensland Catholic College’s Music Festival 2024

During the EKKA break, Thursday 15th – Sunday 18th August, Marist College Ashgrove will be entering into the various sections of the Queensland Catholic College’s Music Festival under the leadership of Dr Andrew Butt - Program Leader Co-curricular Arts and the instruction of their many expert and generous music teachers.

I wish the following boys and their teachers our best wishes:

Guitar Orchestra 1 – Mr Steven Williamson; Chamber Strings – Mrs Catherine Wasserman; Performance Choir – Ms Sam Blakeney, accompanied by Ms Melanie Stewart; Percussion Ensemble 1 – Mr Zac Moynihan; Chamber Choir – Ms Alison Braidwood, accompanied by Ms Melanie Stewart; Big Band 1 – Dr Andrew Butt; Percussion Ensemble 2 – Mr Zac Moynihan; Wind Orchestra 1 – Ms Megan Harmston, and Symphony Orchestra – Dr Andrew Butt. All performance times are in the newsletter.

Good luck to all our musicians.

FareShare Kitchen

FareShare Kitchen prepares, cooks, and supplies many meals to those people in need throughout Brisbane and surrounding Queensland regions. Our boys will be assisting those who prepare the meals next Tuesday 20 August from 5:15pm-9:30pm. My sincere thanks are extended to the boys and those staff who have organised and will accompany the boys, namely: Remy Versace, Lachy Manning, Gus Watson, Ethan Torrens, Jake Edye, Kalen Neville, Dominic Forbes and Nathan Lam. Ms Elizabeth Kenny and Ms Elizabeth Valler will be generously accompanying the boys. Well done boys on your generosity in assisting with the preparation and packaging of these meals.

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