Greetings and welcome to 2024. The quietness of the college surroundings over the past weeks has thankfully given way to the cheerful hustle and bustle of students and staff as we all return from the summer break. I hope you all had the opportunity for an enjoyable and relaxing holiday period. As this is my first newsletter for 2024, I would like to warmly welcome our 2024 Year 7 cohort and their families, our new students and families in various year levels, staff members, and of course, all of you who are returning to our college for another year.

Thankfully, I was also able to enjoy some downtime during this period. I celebrated Christmas Eve Mass at Our Lady of Good Counsel, Yinnar, a tiny church in Gippsland Victoria with my family and their parish community. During this celebration, I was drawn to reflect on the common elements of this Christmas Eve and Jesus’ birth over two thousand years ago. Like the first Christmas, our celebration was in a tiny gathering space in a country town, we welcomed visitors from Italy, the Netherlands, Sudan, and various parts of Victoria who came to welcome the newborn child. During January I took the opportunity to celebrate Masses at Sorrento and then at my former parish of St Kieran’s Moe / St Mary’s Newborough where I met Zanthe (pictured). As I was waiting in the church foyer, she came up to me and said: “At last! I have been waiting to meet the priest who baptised me and here you are”. I hope she wasn’t disappointed! It was wonderful to experience a small child so enthusiastic about her baptism.

National Oblate Youth Encounter 2024

During January Mazenod College hosted the annual 2024 National Oblate Youth Encounter. I was thrilled that several students from Mazenod took the initiative and participated in this gathering. I am sure it was a great experience for our young men (pictured right with former Mazenod student Bishop Mark Edwards OMI, Bishop of Wagga Wagga Diocese) as they had the unique opportunity to meet other young people from across our Australian De Mazenod Family which includes parishes and colleges. It was also a time for them to explore and reflect on their faith journey with other like-minded young people.

There were workshops and prayer experiences: adoration, reconciliation, and the celebration of the Eucharist.

In addition, there were all the normal fun aspects of gatherings like skits, music, sports, getting to know new friends, and sharing our stories over a meal. I pray that next year parents will encourage their sons to make the most of opportunities such as this to broaden their experience of the young people of our De Mazenod Family and the shared faith journey.

Year 12 Student Reflection about the Encounter:

“My first encounter with NOYE was a very enjoyable one. It allowed me to reflect on my faith and made me understand things I could do differently in my prayer with God. Whether saying a prayer before bed or even saying a decade of the rosary every morning or night. Some enjoyable moments at NOYE were singing worship songs and getting to know others from Brisbane, WA, and Sydney. I had a great time at NOYE 24.”

Jubilee Year - 2025

Pope Francis has recently announced that the year 2025 will be a Jubilee Year. 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”.

Pope Francis writes: “Dear brothers and sisters, the coming months will lead us to the opening of the Holy Door, with which we will begin the jubilee. I ask you to intensify your prayer to prepare us to live this event of grace well and to experience the power of God’s hope. That is why we begin a Year of Prayer.” The Holy Doors are a central part of any jubilee. These doors, found at St. Peter’s Basilica (left) and Rome’s other major basilicas, are sealed from the inside, and only opened during a jubilee year.

The opening of the Holy Door symbolizes the offering of an “extraordinary path” toward salvation for Catholics during a jubilee. Pilgrims who walk through a Holy Door can receive a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions. Jubilees have biblical roots. The Book of Leviticus called for jubilee years to be held every 50 years for the freeing of slaves and forgiveness of debts as manifestations of God’s mercy. 2025 will be a Jubilee Year of Hope — the first ordinary jubilee since the Great Jubilee of 2000. The 2025 Jubilee Year begins on December 24 (Christmas Eve) 2024 and will conclude on January 6, 2026.

February 17 - Oblate Rule Approval

February 17 is known throughout the Oblate World as “Oblate Day.” It commemorates the day in 1826 when Pope Leo XII officially validated the work of Fr Eugene de Mazenod and his new Missionaries of Provence by officially approving their rule for life under the new title, The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. In 2026 the Oblates will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the approval of our rule. Thank you for all your prayers and support of the Oblates who have served and continue to serve in this College.

Ash Wednesday

A reminder that Ash Wednesday will be celebrated on February 14 at 8.10am in the college chapel. Ash Wednesday is important because it marks the start of the Lenten Season leading up to Easter, when Christians believe Jesus was resurrected. We receive the blessed ashes symbolizing our preparedness to undertake some form of renewal as we live Jesus’ message. The ashes also symbolize our human mortality, we have a limited time allotted to us on this earth.

Happy Birthday

During the holidays I celebrated a milestone birthday as I turned 70 on January 14. I know you can’t believe it either!!! I was blessed to celebrate on several occasions with family, friends, and Oblates. However, as you can see from the picture on the left, some so-called friends, offered a different gift that hopefully I won’t need to use for a little while yet!!

Getting back to college and work.

I was struggling to understand how lightning works and then it struck me.

Once upon a time, there was a King who was only 12 inches tall. He was a terrible King, but he made a great ruler.

Yours in Jesus Christ and Mary Immaculate

Fr Harry Dyer OMI

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