Director of Mission News

Firstly, a big warm welcome back to everyone in the Marian community to term 3. It is amazing how fast this year has gone and already there have been so many moments of students and staff living the vision of MCC through our mission. 

The Reconciliation Garden that was re-designed last term is looking fantastic and appreciated the rain over the last couple of weeks to kick it off. Students have also attended two of our local primary schools where they were asked to facilitate Indigenous games that they had created for our celebrations. It was a huge success and we would like to thank all of those students who took the time to do so. Check out some of the images from our students at St Mary’s NAIDOC day below.

Marist Schools Australia Biennial Conference 2019

The theme of the MSA Biennial Conference 2019 was ‘holy today’. In unpacking this theme the conference centred on three elements essential to all catholic educators; spirituality, leadership and pedagogy.

The three-day conference was tailored for Principals, Leadership team members and emerging educators with the aim to empower their spiritual journey as well as engage with the latest research and pedagogical practice.

The MSA Biennial Conference also allows delegates to gather, network, exchange ideas and enhance their sense of unity among all who value the Marist spirituality and educational approach.

It was nothing short of amazing and for the three days in Melbourne I was fortunate enough to witness mind blowing speakers such as keynote speaker Bishop Homeming. He spoke at great length around what it means to be holy today. The need for Catholic Educators to be ‘genuine’, teachers that ‘care’. Teachers that allow our communities to have their own relationship with their faith without rules, judgement and preconceived ideas. He spoke about the beauty of the mystery of each person in our communities and how “the kingdom of God is within all of us”. He explained that God suffices and therefore challenged us how we live our lives and in the presence of what do we live? Do we live for fame, wealth, success and status instead of God’s will of simply being good?

He challenged our thinking around Catholic Leadership and left us with much to ponder. Reminding us that the schools that we work in are not ‘ours’ and therefore we should be trusting in God to lead through us whilst we do God’s work and not our own. That is how he suggested we bring holiness into our school communities.

Over the conference we attended workshops presented by various teachers from around Australia. This was a masterclass in pedagogy and much was retained in order to share with everyone here at Marian. It was incredibly exciting and when I was asked what resonated with me my only answer was… everything!

I was blown away with the amount of skill, passion and talent we hold in the Marist education system. It was refreshing to see the drive every leader had to improve the standards of education, not only at their own schools but on a wider community scale. Everyone was treated as family and everyone in the family was taken care of.

We explored building cultures of Professional learning from an expert team at St Gregory’s College. I was educated in ensuring that students had a voice in our school by Roger Holdsworth.  Enlightened by teachers from a private Sydney school around ‘Mobilising the Middle’ and using proven teaching strategies to enhance education in our College.

I was given ideas, suggestions and encouragement to use all that I am both spiritually and academically to improve who I am and how I lead. Most importantly, to remember that Catholic Education is about ‘caring’ and it is all of this and more that I hope to do for the future in Marian in my role as Director of Mission. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity.

Check out the Marist Association page here.

This term is going to be another exciting one with our Community Action Team already working on the plans for our community service initiative. This will hopefully be discussed in further length next edition.  Best of luck goes to our Yr 12’s as the embark on their HSC trial period. They will be in our thoughts and prayers.

Have a great weekend and remember to be in touch if you have any questions, queries or suggestions around how we can continue to enhance your Marian through Mission.

Kind Regards

Heath Neville

Director of Mission