Principal's Message

I read this quote recently:

Being Marian is going to Heaven and hearing Jesus say: 

“My Mother has told me everything about you.”

The name of our school is Marian College and I wonder if you have ever thought about the meaning behind the word Marian in our faith tradition. The name “Marian” is related to the veneration of Mary, mother of Jesus and in the Catholic Church this involves various Marian devotions which include prayer, pious acts, visual arts, poetry, and music devoted to the Mary. This veneration is a natural consequence of the story and life of Jesus. Pope John Paul II in his encyclical Redemptoris mater wrote: 

"At the centre of this mystery, in the midst of this wonderment of faith, stands Mary. As the loving Mother of the Redeemer, she was the first to experience it: 'To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator'!"

Therefore, Mary is seen as contributing to a fuller understanding of the life of Jesus and the Christian story. This goes back to the early days of Christianity and numerous saints have since focused on it. Pope Benedict also wrote:

"It is necessary to go back to Mary if we want to return to that 'truth about Jesus Christ,' 'truth about the Church.’”

One of the most common titles used to describe St Brigid was “Mary of the Gael.” The use of the word Mary reflects the connection that the Irish people made with Mary, the Mother of Jesus” and Brigid, the most famous woman in early Irish history.

Over the year, and in the Church calendar, there are numerous opportunities to celebrate our connection to our Marian tradition. Marian feast days are specific holy days of the liturgical year recognized by Christians as significant Marian days for the celebration of events in the life of the Mary and her veneration. One of these days is the feast of the Assumption which was celebrated last Monday 15 August.

The connections of these significant people in our faith tradition are important to acknowledge and celebrate. Jesus, Mary and Brigid are all, in turn, connected to our own Marian story. We have a responsibility to keep this deep story alive with all our students, staff and families and we do so through our religious education and liturgical celebration programs. We invite you to participate on those occasions that are you are available.

Raymond Pisani

Principal