From the Head of College

Mr Michael Newman

Marists Celebrate the Feast of the Assumption

The feast day of the Assumption is one of only a handful of Holy Days of obligation in the Catholic Church. The importance of the Assumption is displayed by the fact that this feast day is a public holiday for many countries around the world, including: France, Italy, Poland, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Croatia, parts of Germany, Guatemala, Greece, Portugal, Slovenia, Switzerland and Spain. On the Assumption, we remember Mary being assumed (taken up) into heaven. This is a teaching of the Church by Pope Pius XII in 1950 in his apostolic constitutionMunificentissimus Deus. It states as follows:

 

“We proclaim and define it to be a dogma revealed by God that the immaculate Mother of God, Mary ever virgin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into the glory of heaven.”

 

This is the central feast day of the Marist Brothers, the founders of our College. The term Marist is a French word meaning the “Society of Mary” or the “Little brothers of Mary.” St Marcellin Champagnat, the founder of the Marist Brothers spoke of how their work was Mary’s work, that she was in charge, and that without Mary’s assistance, their work had little meaning, “Mary always has her adorable son within her arms and in her heart.” 

 

On the feast-day of the Assumption, on August 15th 2019, Pope Francis proclaimed:

 

“The feast of the Assumption of Mary is a call to each of us, especially those who are afflicted by doubt and sadness, and live with their gaze turned down, unable to raise their glance. Let us look up. Heaven is open. It is no longer distant because on the threshold of Heaven, a mother, our mother, is awaiting us. She loves us, she is smiling at us, and she thoughtfully assists us. Like every woman she wants the best for her children and she says to us: “You are precious in God’s eyes; you were not made for the small satisfactions of the world, but rather for the great joy of heaven. Let us allow Our Lady to take us by the hand.”

 

On the Assumption, Monday 15th August 2022, Marist College Ashgrove will continue this tradition of celebrating this significant feast day with a College Mass from 8:45am. This Mass will be celebrated online by Fr Alatini, our College Chaplain. All boys and staff will be joining together in the celebration of the Eucharist to reflect upon Mary and her message.

 

Let us continue to ask Mary to lead us to her son, so that we, as Marists, continue to interpret and live the Gospels through her heart and eyes. Mary our good mother, pray for us. Amen.

 

New Vice Captain Position – 2023 +

As a College, it is always important to listen to our student voices. A recent proposal from the boys has been to introduce a new leadership position, namely – a Vice Captain - Wellbeing. This position has been examined, discussed and agreed upon by the College Leadership Team for the future. The Vice-Captain - Wellbeing joins the four other Vice-Captain positions of Mission, Academic, Culture and Sport. The Vice-Captain – Wellbeing, will oversee the important role of making sure all boys at the College are known, formed as good Marist men and that their wellbeing is cared for. All Year 11 students are leaders of the College next year, with forty elected leadership positions decided in the coming weeks. Nominations will then be called for from these positions for College Captain and the five Vice Captains of Marist College Ashgrove for 2023.The new Vice-Captain - Wellbeing role will work in collaboration with the student leaders of each House and will undertake educational, interpersonal and challenging roles. Best wishes to all Year 11 boys as they continue to prepare for the important leadership of the College in 2023.

National Science Week

The 2022 National Science Week will be held from 15-19th August. The theme of the week is Glass: more than meets the eye. It is based on the UN International Year of Glass. It will celebrate the many roles that glass plays in our lives from phone screens to optical fibre to glassware in labs, plus investigating glass as a part of our sustainable future. The uses for and intrinsic nature of glass in Science make it a suitable topic for investigation across all strands of Science education.

 

During this week, the College has planned the following events – Mr STEM competition, egg drop competition, rocket building competition, brain dissections, oobleck (slime making) activities and scientific demonstrations.

 

I thank our professional Science staff who are in collaboration to highlight this important week of learning for the boys, namely - Andrew Fogarty (Curriculum Leader – Science), Nimmi Jose, Elizabeth Valer, Laurie Boustead, Elizabeth Kenny, Brenda Knowles, Catie Kidd, Megan Cook, Michael McLaughlin, Paul Knight, Rowan Dekkers, Maddie Spann, Carl Palmer, Stan Kosiek, Lena Crowley and Jen Smeed. Enjoy gentleman.

‘Gyranda’ Visit

Jim Noble (Head of Boarding), Pierce Hardy (Senior Boarding Supervisor) and students - Paddy Manning, Tom Doyle and Reggie McMillian will be venturing to the property of the Mahony family just outside Theodore this weekend. The Mahony family currently have Patrick (Year 12) and Dominic (Year 11) at the College and Chris who graduated in 2020. Their property ‘Gyranda’ is hosting an open day which our staff and boys will be assisting at by serving coffee to visitors and entertaining the crowd with some country music.

If you are attending the open day, or know of a Marist associate who will be present, please ask them to make themselves known to our staff and students. The boys and staff look forward to meeting some friendly and familiar faces.

 

Tournament of the Minds – Finals

Tournament of the Minds (ToM) is a program for all primary and secondary students providing the opportunity to solve authentic, open-ended challenges that foster creative, divergent thinking, whilst developing collaborative enterprise, excellence and teamwork. Challenges are set in the following disciplines: The Arts, Language Literature, Social Sciences and STEM.

 

ToM is being held this Saturday, 13th August at St Laurence’s College, South Brisbane. 

We have thirty-five Year 7-10 students and nineteen Year 5 and 6 students involved on Saturday. There are also six Year 11 and 12 students who are assisting the teams with their preparation. These students are Zac Apelt 12, Sam Allpass 12, James Gurr 12, Tomas Ruiz 12, Matthew O’Keeffe 11 and Michael Garske 11.

 

I thank the following staff for facilitating and co-ordinating the ToM teams - Robyn Brown, Rhonda Carson Bonita Gerry, Anntoinette Restell, Lucy Naughton, Andrew Devoy, William Burkett and Majella Stevens. 

 

Good luck, gentlemen.

EVATT Trophy 

EVATT Queensland is the state's round of the EVATT Trophy – Australia's largest, oldest, and most prestigious debating and diplomacy competition, with over 2000 students competing from every state and territory in Australia. 

 

Participation in this competition places Queensland students from Years 9-12 in the shoes of UN Security Council Representatives. This is an opportunity for students to garner a deeper understanding of global issues and train themselves in the skills they need for active citizenship. 

 

Round 1 heats were held on Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st August. Student participants were: Jaspar Driml 12, Patrick Gilbert 12, Dylan Soll 12, Will Lane 11, Joseph Lewis 11, Isaac Lynn 11, Harrison Dyer 10 and Remy Versace 10.

 

State Semi-Finals are being held this coming weekend on Sunday, 14th August for our boys with State Finals on Saturday, 27th August.

 

Thank you to Majella Stevens (Co-ordinator Gifted Education Program), their dedicated coach and co-ordinator. 

Queensland Catholic Colleges Music Festival

The 2022 Catholic Colleges Music Festival returns on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th August at Villanova College. This music festival brings together secondary colleges and musicians from all around Queensland. The Marist College Ashgrove ensembles and bands performing are the Chamber Choir, Chamber Strings, Symphony Orchestra and Wind Orchestra 1. 

 

My thanks are extended to their expert and dedicated music teachers – Dr Andrew Butt (Head Music), Megan Harmston, Catherine Wasserman, Alison Braidwood and Melanie Stewart.

 

Best wishes, gentlemen.

Essentially Ellington Jazz Competition  

Jazz Music Institute (JMI) and Jazz at Lincoln Centre are partnering to present the Essentially Ellington Down Under Regional Festival, a performance festival for high school jazz bands.  In 2022, festivals will be held in Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. The festivals offer high school jazz bands a performance and learning opportunity like no other. Jazz at Lincoln Centre clinicians travel from the US to adjudicate and workshop Australian high school bands, providing an experience that is priceless for both students and teachers.

 

On Thursday 11th August, Marist College Ashgrove is proud to host the Brisbane heat of the festival. Performances will be in the Draney Theatre from 1:30pm - 3:30pm and workshops will be held in the Experimental Theatre from 2:00pm. Parents, families and community members are welcome to enjoy the performances from the College’s Big Bands 1 and 2, along with the ensembles from other schools. Attendance at the performances and workshops for this year’s event will be open to members of the College community and is un-ticketed (no booking required). You are most welcome to attend.

Thank you to teachers, Dr Andrew Butt (Head of Music) and Megan Harmston for the organisation of this event for our boys and wider community.

Vintage Blue and Gold Lunch 2022

The annual Vintage Blue and Gold Mass and Luncheon will be held this Friday, 12th August in the College Chapel followed by the Cyprian Pavilion. This is always a wonderful gathering of Old Boys and acquaintances from year groups whose anniversaries/graduations exceed 40 years.

 

At the Mass, we remember the following Old Boys and Marist Brothers who are known to have passed into eternal reward: John Mines, Mark Biltoft, Bill Ludwig, Francis Do Rozario, Peter Naylor, Leo Hartley, Paul Mitchell, Andrew Cole, Michael O'Kelly, Mark Peaty, Br Norman Hart, Br Cas Nowak, Neville Goddard, Paul Florian, Jack O'Neill, Don McDonagh and Paul O'Gorman.

 

My thanks are extended to the generous organisers of this event: Dom Melrose, Steve McAuliffe, Anthony Collins, Tim Slack, Bret Ambrose, John O’Hare, Jim Griffith, Bethany Halpin, Sonia Hobbs, Matthew Tarlinton and Nathan Ayre. 

 

We welcome back to Marist College Ashgrove our Old Boys.

Peter Marsh Walk for Innocents

My thanks are extended to Ignatius House who on Friday afternoon held its annual Walk for Innocence on McMahon Oval. This fundraiser proudly supports Innocents Relief, a charitable organisation run by volunteers that directly helps disadvantaged children and their communities. In previous years, through the College, we have raised approximately $17,000.00 for the community in Palin, Cambodia. With this money, the Marist Brothers are able to feed the children, and provide schooling and medical care. You are invited to contribute a tax-deductible donation via the Monitor (tuckshop) System in the fundraising section (follow the link or scan the QR code): http://bit.ly/MCA-FR

My thanks are extended to Terry Quain (Head of House – Ignatius), Hannah Scott, Pierce Hardy, Sharon Davidson, Katelin Earle, Lucy Naughton, Lucia Del Vecchio, Rowan Dekkers, Charlie Taylor, Ryan Cullen and Ignatius Seniors, particularly Jack Mestric, Spencer Sharman, Dylan Nona, Douglas Cowlishaw and Tomas Ruiz for organising and facilitating this fundraiser. So far in 2022, the boys have raised approximately $2000.00 for this important fundraiser. Thank you for your generosity and we look forward to your continued support!

Queensland Schools Constitutional Convention

On the 26th of July a group of Marist students from Years 7-11 participated in the 27th Queensland Schools Constitutional Convention. The purpose of the convention was to select a team of 23 student delegates to attend the National Schools Constitutional Convention in Canberra. After giving a presentation addressing the question of whether or not Australia needs a Bill of Rights, Joseph Lewis (Year 11) was nominated to represent the College. Congratulations to Joseph, who has been officially elected as one of Queensland’s delegates to attend the National Schools Constitutional Convention to be held in March 2023. We thank Majella Stevens (Co-ordinator Gifted Education Program) who organised this opportunity for the boys. 

Joseph Lewis and Head of College, Mr Michael Newman
Joseph Lewis and Head of College, Mr Michael Newman

 

May our loving God with Mary our good mother and St Marcellin Champagnat walk with all members of the Marist College Ashgrove Family.

Upcoming Events

Tuesday 9 August

  • Study Hall – Senior Library
  • Reconciliation – Chapel (Fr Alatini Kolofo’ou)
  • House Meetings Years 5-12
  • College Assembly
  • Vinnies Meeting
  • Years 9 and 10 Game Changers Meeting
  • Boarders City vs Country Rugby League Match – McMahon Oval - 4:00pm kick-off

Wednesday 10 August

  • EKKA Public Holiday
  • Gyranda Boarding Visit - starts

Thursday 11 August

  • QLD Catholic Colleges Music Festival - starts
  • Essentially Ellington Down Under Festival

Friday 12 August

  • Vintage Blue and Gold Lunch
  • MCA Hockey v Kelvin Grove - Burringbar Park

Saturday 13 August

  • Boarder Free Weekend
  • Tournament of Minds Regional Final (SLC)

Sunday 14 August

  • Boarder Free Weekend
  • Gyranda Boarding Visit - ends
  • QLD Catholic Colleges Music Festival - ends
  • EVATT Trophy State Semi-Finals (UQ)

Monday 15 August

  • National Science Week - starts
  • Year 7-11 Exam Timetable Released
  • Mass for the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Live Streamed to Pastoral and Primary Classes
  • P&F General Meeting (Online)

Tuesday 16 August

  • Co-Curricular Photos – Academic
  • Reconciliation – Chapel (Fr Alatini Kolofo’ou)
  • Study Hall – Senior Library
  • Primary Awards Assembly
  • House Meetings Years 5-12
  • Years 9 and 10 Game Changers Meeting
  • Vinnies Meeting
  • AgQuip Field Days Gunnedah – starts
  • Foley 7s – Year 9/12 Grand Final

Wednesday 17 August

  • Year 8 Geography Field Trip
  • Mass in Chapel – special invitation to Slattery House
  • Foley 7’s Year 7-8
  • College Assembly – Live Streamed to Pastoral and Primary Classes
  • Year 11 Outdoor Rec Excursion
  • Guitar Workshop with Dr Anthony Garcia – Draney Theatre
  • Guitar Summit – Draney Theatre
  • Year 12 Night Study Session

Thursday 18 August

  • AgQuip Field Days Gunnedah – ends
Sunday Night Boarding Mass
Sunday Night Boarding Mass
Sunday Night Boarding Mass
College Assembly
College Assembly
College Assembly
Environment Free Dress Day and Bee Talk
Environment Free Dress Day and Bee Talk
Environment Free Dress Day and Bee Talk
Environment Free Dress Day and Bee Talk
Boarding Visit - ICPA Conference Perth
Boarding Visit - ICPA Conference Perth
Boarding Visit - ICPA Conference Perth
Sunday Night Boarding Mass
Sunday Night Boarding Mass
Sunday Night Boarding Mass
College Assembly
College Assembly
College Assembly
Environment Free Dress Day and Bee Talk
Environment Free Dress Day and Bee Talk
Environment Free Dress Day and Bee Talk
Environment Free Dress Day and Bee Talk
Boarding Visit - ICPA Conference Perth
Boarding Visit - ICPA Conference Perth
Boarding Visit - ICPA Conference Perth