From the Principal

Come Learn Who You Are in the Eyes of God

Footsteps of St Eugene Pilgrimage

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have been able to participate in the ‘Footsteps of St Eugene’ Charism Pilgrimage at the end of last term. As Principal in my first year at Mazenod College, the experience provided a rich connection to the Charism and Mission of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, while also bringing me closer to the human person of St Eugene. Pilgrimage reminded me that we are travellers on Earth, journeying toward eternal life, inviting prayer, deeper discernment and personal transformation.

Of the many significant religious sites we visited, the two most humble settings had the greatest impact on me - The Oblate Foundation House in Aix-en-Provence and the Oblate General House in Rome. We entered both through unassuming doors, marked only by modest signage.

This simplicity, housing such profound significance for the Oblates, was powerfully moving. Praying in the same spaces as the first Oblates strengthened my commitment to continuing the Mission of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate here at Mazenod in Western Australia. The Foundation House, in particular, grounded me and connected me to the holy place where it all began.

Celebrations

In commencing Semester Two, we continue to celebrate the talents of the boys in many different arenas.  The Catholic Performing Arts Festival was officially opened on 23 July.  I’m proud to report that 75 boys from Years 7-12  will represent the College across 47 entries in Ensembles, Bands and Solo Performances. 

This week, Mazenod College proudly celebrated NAIDOC Week ‘50 Years of Deadly’, marking five decades of the national NAIDOC movement, celebrating community leadership, honouring cultural resilience and the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Through prayer, learning activities and community engagement, students and staff reflected on the importance of reconciliation, respect and walking together towards a more just and unified Australia.  Mr Simon Hayward and Ms Amelia Nunnerly who lead the College’s Marmun Yirra Boodja Program – ‘Men on High Country’ for First Nations students designed a week of celebrations that were relevant, varied and highly engaging, and involved boys across the College to share in the richness of our strong College community. 

Winning the Second Half

We’re now in the second half of the year and started Term 3 with Parent | Teacher | Student Interviews which provided an opportunity to reflect on what is going well and what work is still to be done.  The opportunity to meet with Parents in-person or online is such an important connection in our working relationship with you, in the support of your sons, and in the strengthening of our community.  I hope the Semester One reports provided the chance to congratulate your sons on all the things they have put effort into and achieved, as well as providing some conversation about continued goals and improvement.

The boys are half-way there – and still have half-way to go. In the rich world of sport and sporting analogies at Mazenod, there’s always much advice about how to go out and win the second half.  My advice as Coach for the second half  – Go out and do what you need to do.  Get it done. Win the second half.  You owe it to yourself. You’ll make yourself proud!

‘Leave Nothing Undared for the Kingdom of God’

God Bless. Our community remains always in my prayers.

Sabrina Hughes

Principal