From the Headmaster

Dear Members of the Marist College Ashgrove Family,

 

In her book “How to Get to AWESOME”, author Rhonda Sciortino examines 101 ways to find your best self. She writes that awesome people choose to be optimistic.

 

‘Awesome people know that they can choose to expect things to work out well or to go terribly wrong. This doesn’t mean that optimistic people don’t have problems, that they are naturally positive, or that they automatically see things through rose-coloured glasses. Rather, they know that they are more likely to do what’s necessary to co-operate and collaborate toward a good resolution (and to get others to do the same) if they approach the challenges of life with the expectations that everything will somehow, some way, work out’. (page 11).

 

The fourth step (or way) to get to awesome according to Rhonda is :

 

It is inevitable that you’ll face challenges in life.

 

She explains this by writing that everyone faces challenges. Certainly, we are all so very aware of this having the COVID-19 pandemic experience this year. But very poignantly, Rhonda writes, 

 

‘Awesome people know that although their lives can change dramatically because of things outside of their control, what is in their control is their response to the situation. They know that they have the ability to create a ‘new normal’. They know that their lives may never be the same as they once were, but that they can move beyond the challenge and be ok, and ultimately be better off than they were the challenge’.  (page 15).

 

St Marcellin experienced these challenges – no money, no belief that he had what it took to be a priest, his first Little Brothers of Mary were largely illiterate and poor and had no great support from the Catholic Church that was reeling in post-revolutionary France. Yet he persisted to create a ‘new normal’ in his time – he created a teaching order of Brothers whose purpose was to make Jesus known and loved. A religious order now present in eighty countries worldwide.

 

The following is written of Marcellin:

 

His spirituality was deeply influenced by his own personality. His first disciples remembered with affection the Marcellin they knew: open, frank, resolute, courageous, enthusiastic, constant and equable. His whole life gave witness of a person with a practical disposition, a man of action, and of humility. (Water From the Rock #6).

 

In a similar vein of optimism, the life of Frank Timmermans was recently bought to my attention. Frank graduated from the College in 1963. He was Dux of the College and won the award as Most Efficient Cadet Under Officer. Sadly Frank died of cancer in February 2003 aged 57 years. However, his ability to reach out to others and assist the marginalised was quite profound. His brother James (1963) wrote:

 

Dr Timmermans life was one of the most productive, profound, adventurous and compassionate jewels of mankind. He had sailed around the world and had stopped in Africa to work with people suffering from AIDS. He then went to India to work with people with leprosy and then to Canada where he went up to the Northern Villages to help the local indigenous with myriads of afflictions. He settled in Whitehorse, in the Yukon and became a popular hard-working surgeon.

 

A remarkable life! Full of service and optimism.

 

100% Viriliter Age.

 

Let’s all practice being optimistic in these challenging times.

 

Yours in Jesus, Mary and St Marcellin.

Peter McLoughlin

Headmaster