Principal News
The Holy Father said,
“In our days, there is a great need
to pray – Christians, Jews
and Muslims – for peace.”
Pope Francis, 7 June 2017
Dear Parents, Students and Friends,
Yesterday, the Marian staff and students answered the calls of Pope Francis and took a minute of their day to pray for peace. On Wednesday, Pope Francis urged people across the world to stop and pray for peace at 1 pm (Rome time). The power of the prayers of millions of people across the globe uniting and calling on God simultaneously through prayer should not be underestimated. It was a significant spiritual experience to be part of this global action. With recent terrorist attacks in London and Melbourne and the ongoing conflicts around the world in countries such as Syria and South Sudan, prayers for peace are needed. Lord, Hear our Prayers.
On Thursday 8 June, the Marian Catholic College community celebrated International School Support Staff Day. This commemoration was first introduced last year in Australia and New Zealand because of the need to recognize the vital role that support staff play at the school. At Marian, our support staff are the heart and soul of the school, working behind the scenes to make our school run smoothly and to ensure that every student gets the education they deserve in a safe and nurturing environment.
We celebrated and acknowledged our support staff at a student briefing where they were given a standing ovation by the College community. The roles of our school staff are so diverse and we used the occasion to celebrate our administration staff, teacher’s aides, TAS and Science assistants, library staff, canteen workers, careers advisor and maintenance staff. The hashtag #careersthatmatter is so appropriate for School Support Staff Day, as without the work of these dedicated individuals our school would simply not function. Every single College event, facility or activity bears the contribution of these fine men and women.
Today, while students had a pupil free day, our staff participated in a Spirituality Day. The theme for the day was Missionary Discipleship and was facilitated by Lana Turvey from Catholic Mission and Chris Cotter, the Assistant Director of Schools at the Catholic Schools Office. Staff engaged in learning to deepen their understanding of Missionary Discipleship and apply that to the Marian Catholic College context to further bring our Vision and Mission to life. Opportunities for spiritual nourishment are vital for our staff to strengthen our authenticity as a Christ-centred learning community and the day was enjoyed by all.
Over the last few weeks, Marian students have been busy learning. This learning has taken a variety of forms whether that be in the classroom, hiking on a Duke of Edinburgh excursion or learning on the sporting field. You will see the diverse range of opportunities offered throughout this newsletter issue.
Parents are encouraged to look for upcoming events via the School Calendar available on our website at http://mccww.catholic.edu.au/. This resource provides information including excursions, exam periods, parent evenings and assemblies. It can also be useful for forward planning for families in relation to term dates and holiday periods. Please keep referring to the calendar as it is regularly updated.
I would like to wish everyone a safe and happy long weekend. School returns on Tuesday 13 June.
Peace and Best Wishes
Christie Scoble
Acting Principal