Faith and Mission

From the Mission Team

Landing Day Mass – Remembering our Past 

The entire College Community gathered for our Semester Two Landing Day Mass, which took place on Thursday of week 1. This Mass holds a special significance for our community as it commemorates Landing Day, which marks the arrival of the pioneering Loreto Sisters from Ireland, led by Mother Gonzaga Barry, in 1875. Guided by Mother Gonzaga's visionary approach to women's education, Loreto schools flourished where the focus was on educating the 'whole child'. This cherished tradition of Landing Day is celebrated across all Loreto schools in Australia, and it filled us with joy to gather as a united school community, commemorating this significant event in our shared history. We were lucky to have Sr Rachel McLoughlin ibvm join us to celebrate our mass. Sr Rachel spoke beautifully to our community, reminding us of the importance of Landing Day to the sisters and the Loreto Community in Australia.  As part of our mass we also had the occasion of the blessing of our newly refurbished Mary Ward Building, we hope that this space becomes a place of learning and innovation for all our teachers and students, a place that we are sure that Mother Gonzaga Barry would be proud of.

Junior School's Induction and Prayer Leaders

During Week 2, our Junior School Monday liturgy saw the induction of Semester 2 SRC (Student Representative Council) leaders. These exceptional young girls were proudly presented with badges by the Principal Nicole Arachard pledging to serve with kindness and care, and to foster a safe and happy environment within the Junior School. The outgoing Semester 1 SRC Leaders gracefully led the liturgy for the final time, passing the torch to the new leaders who will now take on the responsibility with zeal and dedication.

Year 12 Retreat 

On Monday the 31st and Tuesday the 1nd of August our year 12 students accompanied by Mrs Rodi, Ms O’Connell, Ms Searle & Mrs Blandford headed to the hills to the peaceful Nunyara Centre in Belair on the annual Year 12 Retreat.  This will be the final retreat for the students on their journey with Loreto College. The theme for the retreat was “The Mary Ward Person I will Become”.  Through prayer, contemplative practices, journaling and discussion the students were given the opportunity to discern the person that they are, the person they are becoming and what place they might take in the world. During the retreat the cohort were privileged to listen to Old Scholar Emma Howison, who spoke about her passion for justice and seeing the dignity that exists in every person.  We wish all year 12 students the very best in their final term at Loreto and hope that they can bring with them some of the memories that that they created on their retreat on whatever pathway they find themselves in the future. 

Service Learning in the Community 

Inspired to give back to the local community our Social Justice Leaders have enthusiastically helped to organise a morning tea event for the local parish, showcasing their community spirit and generosity. The students' efforts fostered a warm and welcoming atmosphere, bringing joy to attendees while raising awareness among the student body.  The Social Justice Leaders dedication to running the morning tea event for the local parish exemplified the values of Mary Ward. Inspired by her vision of education and service, they displayed a deep commitment to compassion, justice, and inclusivity. Their actions reflected Mary Ward's belief in empowering young minds to become agents of positive change in their community.

Learning about the Legacy of the Loreto Sisters 

Last week our Year 1 class along with Ms Eliadis & Ms O’Connell delved into the captivating legacy of the Loreto sisters at Marryatville. They discovered the inspiring journey of these pioneering women who dedicated their lives to education and empowerment. They learned about the students that came before them and what life was like as a Loreto boarder in the past. Fascinated by the stories of courage and resilience, the badges, and the sports uniforms, our Junior School girls gained a deeper understanding of what it means to be part of Loreto Marryatville’s long history. The tales of the Loreto sisters and Loreto students of the past left an indelible mark on our young students.