Mission News

Community Prayers

We pray for all in our community who are unwell and are suffering at this time. 

We pray for the repose of the souls of

• Marist Brother Br Cyrinus (Patrick Fisk)
• Jose Calalo, grandfather to staff member Liam Beatty
• Amalia Manganaro, mother in law to staff member Gerard Monsour

May our loving God, with Mary and Champagnat, walk with all members of the Marist family. Amen

Chaplain’s Corner

Reflection for Wednesday 7th week of Easter: May 19, 2021: A word and a theme that occur in both of today’s readings flow from the word “guard.” Paul instructs the Ephesians to be on guard against “savage wolves” who would distort the content of the faith they have received. In His Last Supper prayer, the Lord asks the Father to guard His disciples from the Evil One.

We always need to care for the life of faith, for the truth of our faith by guarding the gift of faith that we have been given. The best way we guard that faith is not, of course, by metaphorically placing it away in a safety deposit box effectively insulating it from the world.

We guard our faith by living it, by uniting our faith with the life of the Church and by praying it. Faith is not like a precious jewel that we keep. It is something we share, live and pray.

Faith is a spiritual good, which means that the more we share it, the more it truly becomes our own. A refusal to share our faith with others indicates that our possession of it is tenuous if not fragile. To keep our faith private is to put it at risk of being reduced to personal feeling rather than guiding our public action. It loses its power to witness to Christ.

There are always distortions of faith that can occur. That is why our life within the Church is important. As we make the teaching of the Church our own in all the different ways it comes to us, we are grafting our faith onto the great tree of Christ’ truth. By doing that we are allowing it to be nourished by Scripture and Tradition rather than jargon and slogans.

Lastly, we need to pray our faith. Faith is not simply an intellectual construct or a set of ideas that is nice to know. It is a relationship with Jesus that is fed and enlivened through a life of prayer. Faith should connect us with the person of Jesus so that He becomes our constant companion and Master. Without prayer, faith can lose its purpose and its power.

Faith is a great gift we have been given. To call it a gift is to recognise that it is not ours by right. Faith is something we can guard or lose. We guard the gift of faith we have been given not with a lock or a gun but by sharing it with others, living it within the Church and praying it each day.

Mary, our Good Mother, pray for us.

St. Marcellin Champagnat, pray for us.

St. Mary of the Cross, pray for us.

And may we always remember to pray for one another.

Year 12 Retreats

Wednesday 14 July – Friday 16 July (Week 1 of Term 3)

Information has been sent to parents via the Parent Lounge. Please contact Liz Spry in the Mission Office if you have any questions 07 3858 4582.

Marist Youth Ministry Year 11 Forum 

On Friday 14 May, the Marist Youth Ministry team hosted the boys from Ashgrove students from Trinity College, Carmel College, Mt Maria Petrie and Mt Maria Mitchelton at a Year 11 Purpose and Meaning Forum. The day set out to challenge teenagers about some of the big questions in life, with the focus of the forum being Meaning and Purpose. After everyone got familiar with one another, and a quick game, meaningful discussion was brought to the floor by many individuals. It was a pleasure to hear the insights of our fellow Marist students, and the day was a wonderful opportunity to practice public speaking, developing interactions and furthering our understanding of not only the Marist tradition, but of ourselves as young Marists. I am looking forward to seeing even more young Marists come along and partake in Marist Youth Ministry events. (Jack - Year 11 Marist College Ashgrove Student) 

Prayer Reflection

The Ascension is that part of the story of Christ Jesus that allows us to say that where two or more are gathered in his name, there he is. 

The Ascension is that part of the gospel that allows us to say Jesus is holy in heaven and on earth.

The Ascension preserves - and indeed helps to create – the Trinity - God three and one.

The Ascension tells us our Jesus - our Saviour - did not simply fade away like some breath on the wind after the resurrection. 

The Ascension is a marvellous tale when you believe. It assures us of the integrity of the story - and of our own future within it.

Because Jesus is glorified and lifted up to God Because he is ascended into heaven, he is able to be with us now,

Because he has been sanctified, he can sanctify us.

His prayer for us is heard.

We need not look up and wonder where he is,

for by his going, he is able to come.

What we are to do is to open ourselves to the Spirit,

listen to the word that God has given us,

and go out into the world, and do what we are to do,

knowing that God will protect us - and bring us safe to his side

when our work and witness is done.

The Ascension allows us to believe that the mission Christ spelled out is just as relevant today.

MATES Free Dress Day Thanks 

Our thanks to all who participated so generously on the free dress day.

MATES Awards 

Marist College Ashgrove has a proud history of service to others.

The MATES Ministry program exists for students, staff and our community to be in solidarity with various national and international agencies and programs and it stands for Marists are taking everyone seriously. 

As Marists, we see and accept the dignity of people wherever we find them and whatever the circumstances of their lives. 

MATES has as its standard: Faith to believe; Courage to do

MATES captures for us the Marist ideals of:

Presence; Family spirit; Simplicity; Love of work and we do this all in the way of Mary. 

We have no doubt that St Marcellin would understand the meaning of mateship, and that we as a Marist community do. 

In the tradition of honouring service and dedication to others, we have taken time to acknowledge our 65 Mates award winners, students who have given so generously of their time and talent to others under circumstances made difficult by the restrictions of COVID-19.

MATES Awards presented at College Assembly on Tuesday 11 May