Faith and Mission

Leo McInerney 

Assistant to the Principal - Faith and Mission

Brigidine Celebration Day 

When talking to our Year 12 students as they come to the end of their time at Marian College so many of them say that they are sad to be going. I often ask them what they are going to miss and understandably, they say their friends but they also say the special days that they were involved in and they specifically mention Brigidine Celebration Day.

Writing this article, I wait in expectation to celebrate this wonderful day albeit remotely.  Bishop Mark Edwards, who is now the Bishop of Wagga Wagga has recorded a prayer and delivers a message of support and hope to the Marian community. He is joined by leaders in Catholic education and Kildare Ministries, all offering us a very happy Brigidine Celebration Day. Fr. Rob Galea, a renowned international singer is also part of our celebration. 

I include below the opening words that our Lamp Bearers say as they welcome our big day.  

“In 2003, an important and new event was added to the Marian College calendar. The occasion was Brigidine Celebration day and the date in that year was August 19.  The intention was that a day be set aside annually for the College to gather, to celebrate its history and heritage and to amplify and deepen the understanding of the Brigidine Core Values. That tradition continues today. The Core values were developed to encapsulate those values that were essential to an education that was Catholic and Brigidine.

The core values of Be Faithful, Welcome, Celebrate, Engender, Image and Practice offered the students a focal point for the program that we provide here at Marian College and continues to this day. 

Kildare Ministries was officially launched in Melbourne on 18 March 2014. It comprises the educational and community works formerly governed by the Brigidine and the Presentation sisters. In our time at Marian, students will experience an immersion in each of the core values, expressed in prayer, liturgy and lived out in the activities associated with a day such as Brigidine Celebration Day.

Celebration and the acknowledgment of special occasions are vital aspects of what it means to be human.  Celebrating allows us to suspend the routine, to gather with family and friends and share in the joy of life.  It transcends all cultural boundaries and often, it is through the art of celebration, that we deepen our connectedness with others.  Jesus celebrated with companions and rejoiced in their life experiences.  They learnt the true meaning of joy through Jesus.

We hope to share a valuable experience as a community, as we come together in our own special way, on this very special 2020 Brigidine Celebration Day. 

As we continue to celebrate our values and all the goodness of all that is Marian College our prayers and thoughts are with you all during these demanding times.