PRINCIPAL'S PEN

Dear members of the Saints family,

The College community has recently taken part in some important events that are outstanding examples of what St Augustine’s is achieving as a Marist school. St Marcellin Champagnat wanted young people to have the chance to fulfil their potential and become "good Christians and good citizens". At Saints we offer our students numerous opportunities for holistic development which embraces spiritual, emotional, intellectual physical and mental growth. Within the last three weeks there have been several significant examples of such opportunities.

The first was last Thursday's Assumption Mass. If there were any doubts about the Marist charism being alive and well at our college, they would have been dispelled as staff, students and special guests celebrated the feast of Mary's Assumption, which holds a special place in the life of Marists. Our boys' enthusiastic participation in Mass was evident through their reverence and singing. One special guest commented that this was "the best singing I have ever heard at any school I have been in". Our choir, under the direction of Ms Mary Farrow, and the Year 12s led the singing magnificently. Year 12s even sing for prayer in homeroom, which is testament to how they have embraced the culture at St Augustine’s.

The second example of developing the whole person was the Year 11 retreat, offered by the College, and aimed at nurturing our students' spirituality. I had the good fortune to attend thisretreat on Thursday of week 3 with Mr Dorahy and Br Roger. Year 11 retreats are always a highlight of our boys' time at school and an excellent way to reflect on individual spirituality. After watching teamwork and leadership surface among the group during the Escape the Corral Challenge, later that night we celebrated Mass led by our Chaplain Fr Laurie. Such a spiritual occasion was brought to life with a stirring rendition of Great Man of God, a hymn in praise of St Marcellin. It was yet another example of how singing together connects people, builds a sense of belonging and increases engagement. 

A third example of developing the whole person was our Year 10 camp. On Friday of week 3 I met our Year 10 boys as they returned from a physically challenging camp, exhausted, but happy. In speaking with the staff and the students they commented on many things, but what I took away was that there was a sense of accomplishment, of having done something that they knew was difficult, and that relationships and the bond of the group had been strengthened. When you do something that is challenging, you build resilience and learn persistence. Resilience and positive relationships are two vital factors needed to create strong minds. 

Finally, I want to make special mention of the work that Mr Jay Killoran put in to the visit by  the Japanese students and staff from Tohrei Gakuen High School. His efforts to lift the profile of languages at St Augustine’s and to build connections with our Pacific neighbours are greatly appreciated.  Welcoming our Japanese visitors into our boarding family was another instance of typical Marist hospitality, and an attitude we try to nurture in our students. 

Saints has many other events and programs that develop qualities in our boys that lead to Marcellin’s vision that you will read about in the following pages.

Before closing, I invite you to click on the image below to see a fly-through video of the Lavalla Stage 2 building which is progressing as planned. Its contemporary design and state-of-the art facilities are impressive and evident in the video. Lavalla, after which the building is named, reminds us of our strong link to the cradle of the Marist Brothers. On 2 January 1817, in this little village in southern France, Marcellin brought together his followers. He wanted them to be a fresh face for the Church, provide educational opportunities and to do this all in the way of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Thank you for your support as we continue to strive to make the young people in our care "good Christians and good citizens".

Parent Forum

Monday 22 August 2022

Parents are welcome to join me at the upcoming Parent Forum. This is a great opportunity to meet you and provide you with information and updates in a wide range of areas. We have two time slots available. Both sessions will run for about an hour, and bookings are not required.