The Mazenod Gazette

From the Rector

Greetings & Welcome back! 

I am sure you all enjoyed your break from the normal school routine of getting your son to College and then the pickup etc. A special welcome to our new Year 7 cohort and families, new students in various year levels, teachers, and staff. Our Year 7 students certainly experienced a ‘baptism’ into the life of our college as they finished their first day in torrential rain. Thankfully all were safe and returned on Monday. However, some areas of the college were not spared with areas flooded and some ceilings collapsing with the result that classrooms and offices had to be relocated. The maintenance team have done a great job in ensuring that some of these areas were functioning by Tuesday. 

 

In this first newsletter for 2022, I would like to take the opportunity to catch up on some De Mazenod Family news since our last communication on December 2.

  •  I would like to start with a warm welcome to our new Principal Dr Paul Shannon.    Dr Shannon, I am sure, will introduce himself via his contribution to the newsletter. We all look forward to meeting and working with Paul in his role as Principal. One of Paul’s great qualities is that he is an avid magpie fan, so we are off to a great start!       
  • Since our last newsletter, several staff members have sadly lost loved ones, whilst others have been dealing with health and family issues, so let us keep them in our prayers. During this time the Oblates also experienced sadness with the death of Fr James Fitzpatrick OMI, one of the Oblates who assisted in establishing Mazenod College, Victoria. The Requiem Mass for Fr James will be on Wednesday, February 9 and 10.00 am at St John Vianney parish.
  • On a brighter note, during December 2021, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate were thrilled to have 3 Oblate students ordained to the Diaconate. Br Dominic Fung OMI, China Delegation (first pic), Br Anthony Nghieu Nguyen Van OMI, Vietnam Delegation (second pic), Br Joshua Nash OMI, Australian Province (third pic). Let us continue to pray that more young men from our Oblate Colleges and parishes will enter our Oblate seminaries so we can continue to have an Oblate presence within our various ministries which spread the Good News of Jesus and pastorally care for his people. 

                

Happy Lunar New Year 2022, Feb. 1, to all the Chinese families within our Mazenod Community. Animal sign: Tiger. 

2022 is the Chinese Year of the Tiger, known to be king of all beasts in China. People born in a year of the Tiger are predicted to be brave, competitive, unpredictable, and confident. Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, traditionally lasts for 16 days, starting from Chinese New Year's Eve to the Lantern Festival. In 2022, that is from January 31st to February 15th. 

 

On December 8, 2021, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, I attended the celebration of this Feast in the parishes of Moe/Newborough. This Feast of Mary was also the beginning of a new parish in the Sale Diocese as the two parishes of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Newborough and St Kieran, Moe became one. Bishop Gregory Bennet, Bishop of Sale, formalized this coming together at the celebration of the Eucharist. I was invited to attend as I commenced this process when I was Parish Priest between 2014 and 2020. Following the celebration of the Eucharist, a parish dinner was held at the Moe Racecourse.

 

Pictured at Left: 

Fr Harry Dyer OM, Rector Mazenod, 

Bishop Gregory Bennet, Bishop Sale Diocese, 

Fr Christian Fini OMI, Oblate Provincial, 

Fr Daniel Szewc OMI, Parish Priest of the new parish. 

 

 

How good was Ash Barty’s effort at the Australian Open! 

A great example to all of perseverance, tenacity, and the will to keep striving against the odds. Ash is also a great role model for our young people and for the whole of Australia, that despite our various heritages, we can all strive to reach our personal potential, live together in harmony and peace, and have a love for this great nation of Australia together as Australians. Dylan Alcott, Australian of the Year, has also been an inspirational Australian as a tennis player and especially his advocacy for recognition of the needs of fellow Australians with a disability.

 

In Australia we still enjoy our summer, however, the inconspicuous date of January 25 was the Foundation Day of our Congregation 206 years ago. January 25, 1816, marked the first day of community life for the new Oblate Missionaries, with the arrival of the first three members. What we refer to this day as the Mazenodian Family birth! What happened on this day is important as it still works for us in

 our communities today.  Fr Eugene bought a share of the Carmelite Convent (right), situated on the Cours Mirabeau, Aix-en-Provence, with an arrangement that the seller, Madame Gontier, could continue using 

the greater part of the building for her boarding school for girls. The small group of missionaries made their home in a room in a corridor 

(left & above) in the convent. The Congregation was given final approval by Pope Leo XII on February 17, 1826. As of January 2022, the congregation was composed of 3,625 priests and lay brothers usually living in the community. Oblate means a person dedicated to God or God's service.

 

2022 - New Oblate Provincial Council: Last year Fr Christian Fini OMI was reappointed as the Oblate Provincial for the Australian Province and China Delegation. On January 26, 2022, our Superior General in Council, Fr Louie Lougen OMI, appointed the new Oblate Provincial Councillors to work with Fr Christian on matters relating to our Province. The new Council consists of Fr Andrew Chen OMI, Fr Michael Twigg OMI, Fr Slawek Plonka OMI, Fr David Francis OMI. 

 

Gospel Reflection: The readings for the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time speak to us about being called by God and sent to do His work. The miraculous catch of fish is a symbol of the deep conversion experiences which God grants us from time to time and which set us on a new course in our lives. The text also means getting involved with people, not things, and by asking Peter to put it out into the deep, he was encouraging him to have trust. Trust in God is a virtue for all Christians. We need it more than ever today. The Lord wants us to care for people and help them to grow to their potential as a person and to grow closer to God and feel safe in his net. As St Eugene de Mazenod also reminds us: ‘Come’, he says, ‘and see who you are in the eyes of God.’

 

Renovations at the College are well underway. The following pictures will give you a small insight into the scale of work that is being undertaken for the enhancement of learning areas and facilities for staff and the wellbeing of our students. Presently it is a bit messy as we navigate our way through the renovations, but the result will be well worthwhile.

 

 

An employment opportunity has become available for a cook at the Oblate Residence Mazenod College. The work will involve three nights a week (Tuesday-Thursday). Enquiries regarding this position can be made by calling Aylene Robinson at Mazenod College: 8561 1103.

 

 

 

Could this become our new fashion accessory??

 

 

 

 

Yours in Jesus Christ and Mary Immaculate,

 

 

 

Fr Harry Dyer OMI

Rector