The Mazenod Gazette

Rector's Report

Greetings to you all! This month of August is a busy one for the various celebrations within our catholic story and tradition. I will highlight some of these celebrations throughout this newsletter. Moreover, I am presently writing to you from Iona College in Brisbane where I am attending the De Mazenod Family Education Network Conference. I am here with some fellow members of staff from Mazenod Vic. and our three other Oblate Colleges   who come together   once a year   to deepen our awareness  of the charism of St Eugene de Mazenod and the way we educate our young men within this charism.

 

This year’s Feast of the Assumption, August 15th, which we will celebrate with a whole college Eucharist in the Provence Centre will have added significance when 8 of our students receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Bishop Anthony Ireland, Auxiliary Bishop in the Southern Region Melbourne, has granted me delegation to celebrate this sacrament. This delegation is an exception due to the various circumstances of these young men with the ideal celebration taking place in their local parish community.  

Pastoral Visits

During this term our students from Year 9 are taking on pastoral visits to the Monash Gardens Aged Care Facility which is next door to Mazenod College. Our students spend a couple of hours interacting with the residents through organizing their weekly footy tipping competition, playing carpet bowls, scrabble or just listening to and sharing each others stories. This is a great experience for our students, especially for those who don’t have grandparents or whose grandparents don’t live close by. On Tuesday 30th July, I accompanied our students as some of the residents had requested the sacrament of the anointing of the sick which I was more than pleased to accommodate. 

St Eugene de Mazenod

The 1st of August was the birthday of St Eugene de Mazenod, Founder of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. St Eugene was born on this day in 1782 in Aix-en-Provence. This year will be the 242nd anniversary of his birth. After a life dedicated to spreading the Good News, Eugene died on May 21st 1861, at the age of  79. His feast day is May 21st. Eugene was canonized a Saint on December 3rd in 1995 in St Peter's Basilica, Rome by Pope John Paul II. Fr Eugene began his priestly ministry by reaching out to the poor, the workers, the youth, the sick, the country villagers, the servants, and the prisoners of Aix.  St Eugene’s influence is not limited to the age in which he lived but continues its effect in our time, especially here at Mazenod College as we strive to live these quotes from St. Eugene de Mazenod:

  • Co-operate in building up the kingdom of Jesus Christ. ...
  • Be someone who acts promptly and willingly. ...
  • Be more docile to the internal voice of God. ...
  • Let us not limit our zeal. ...
  • It is a matter of serving God. ...

As part of the De Mazenod Family, let us pray that St Eugene will continue to inspire us in our care for each other here at Mazenod and beyond as we answer his call to practice Charity, Charity, Charity towards all people.

St Mary of the Cross Mackillop

On August 8th we celebrate the Solemnity of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Australia’s first Saint, born of Scottish descent in Melbourne (15 January 1842 – 8 August 1909). In 1866, Mary Helen MacKillop and her two sisters said ‘Yes’ to Fr. Julian Tenison-Woods invitation to come to Penola, South Australia to open a Catholic school. Together with Julian Tenison-Woods, she founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart (the Josephites), a congregation of religious sisters that established schools and welfare institutions throughout Australia and New Zealand, with an emphasis on education for the rural poor. Sr Mary Mackillop was declared a Saint by the Catholic Church in St Peter’s Rome on October 17th, 2010. Our Learning Diversity Centre here at Mazenod is named the Penola Centre in remembrance of Sr Mary MacKillop’s mission of educating poor catholic children.  

Feast of the Assumption

On August 15th, the college community will gather in the Provence Centre for the celebration of the Eucharist for the Feast of the Assumption. The Assumption of Mary is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. We proclaim and define it to be a dogma revealed by God that the Immaculate Mother of God, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into the glory of heaven. I extend a warm invitation to all, especially our mums, special female carers, and grandmothers, to this liturgy which will commence at 9.00am

 

My sisters and brothers, let us remember that in times of trouble, we can always turn to Mary our Mother, just like St. Eugene did, and see in her an example of faith and trust.

 

MEMORARE PRAYER

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,

that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection,

implored your help or sought your intercession, was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence,

We fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins my Mother;

to you do we come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful;

O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions,

but in your mercy hear and answer them.

 

St Eugene de Mazenod

Pray for us.

2024 - Year of Prayer Preparation

In preparation for the Jubilee Year, Pope Francis has asked that this year of 2024 be “a year dedicated to rediscovering the great value and absolute need for prayer in one’s personal life, in the life of the Church, and in the world”.

 

We continue our sixth prayer tradition and the most important one to focus on for our faith journey is, the celebration of the Eucharist. 

 

Word of God:  Listen carefully to the Word of God: maintain a receptive, meditative attitude that enlightens the heart and mind of every Christian because the Word is “living”. By listening and through personal recollection, it is possible to translate the Word into everyday life, receiving help and consolation. Therefore, especially when standing up at the time of the proclamation of the Gospel, we are called to recognize the presence of the Lord who, through the minister, still speaks to us today in the Eucharistic celebration. 

 

The Lord’s Prayer:  Meditate on this prayer that Jesus taught us by reflecting on the meaning of the words that are said. Even in personal prayer, one should not rush when reciting the words, rather, dwell carefully and reverently on every expression used to converse with the Father. 

 

Jesus in the Eucharistic Jesus:  The broken bread becomes nourishment for the life and presence of God that strengthens and sustains us. It is necessary to experience this important moment with greater awareness in the certainty that the Lord enters each person’s life and desires to be received into a generous and attentive heart. As you approach Holy Communion, some silent prayers can be recited in your heart that will prepare you to receive the Lord with greater awareness and gratitude.

 

“The Mass is ended, go in peace, glorifying God by your life”:  Having been nourished at the table of bread and wine, with the final greeting, we are invited to become credible witnesses of Christ and bearers of peace in the world.

 

TECHNOLOGY CORNER 3!!!

 

 

 

 

Yours in Jesus Christ and Mary Immaculate

Fr Harry Dyer OMI