From the Headmaster

Dear Members of the Marist College Ashgrove Family,

Recently the National Catholic Education Commission released a Christmas Family Prayer. The Gospel reading used in the prayer is Luke 2:8-20.  It starts with the reference to ‘the shepherds watching over their flock by night.’ On Wednesday, May 13 2015, I was fortunate to be in Jerusalem undertaking a course entitled Palestine of Jesus. After lunch at Beit Sahour (The Tent Restaurant) in Bethlehem, we went to a place known as The Shepherd’s Field (image below).

We went into a cave where the very same gospel was read, we prayed and sang ‘Angels We Have Heard on High’.  It was an amazing, emotional and uplifting experience.  As you can see from the image, there’s no pristine grassy slope like I always imagined as a child!  Just a huge sense of connection with what can best be described as Holy Ground.

For Paula and I, Marist College Ashgrove is Holy Ground.  We had the most wonderful dinner with the Brothers retirement community this week.  We have so much to be grateful for.  Being the first lay Headmaster has been a real honour for me, and both Paula and I will cherish our time here at the College.  We are eternally grateful to the Marist Brothers for entrusting us with this responsibility.

We wish you all every grace and blessing for a very happy, safe and Holy Christmas and may 2021 and the years ahead be blessed for all members of the Marist College Ashgrove family.

Yours in Jesus, Mary and St Marcellin.

Peter McLoughlin

Headmaster

2009 - 2020