From the Assistant Principal: Faith & Identity

By Felicity Knobel

Gonzaga Barry Day

Mother Gonzaga Barry and her companions came to Australia in 1875. She said that if she didn’t come to Australia that she would not have been faithful to Grace. In our 150th year at Loreto we have looked at what this statement meant to Gonzaga Barry as she crossed the world to the unknown and what this ultimately means to us in 2025. For Mother Gonzaga Barry she was saying that she was capable of this task and by not doing it she was not being faithful to herself with her strengths, her capabilities and also her faith in God.  

How are we faithful to grace in 2025? Each Gonzaga Barry Day we ask our community to donate much needed money to Mary Ward International. Mary Ward International facilitates our Loreto sisters to continue their work of empowering all women to do much in our world. By all of us giving up a little something in our world whether it be the morning coffee, the treat when we are out and about or the phone recharge we are being faithful to Grace. We are giving that something of ourselves for other people. The bonus for us on Gonzaga Barry Day we enjoy a day of dressing up, chaos, fun and items of food that are definitely in the treat category. 

We began the day with Mass offered by Father Justin, and blessed our official 150th Year Celebration tree.

We thank all people in our community for their generosity.