OLMCBI 209
Judith Weir
Principal

On Monday 8 August we celebrate Australia’s first saint Mary MacKillop, St Mary of the Cross. Mary MacKillop took her vows at the age of twenty-five, and the religious name, “Mary of the Cross”. In doing so, she founded the congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart. Mary MacKillop was very conscious of the plight of the poor and needy. She worked with families that lived in isolated areas of Australia. She was noted for her trust in the providence of God and miracles of healing have been attributed to her. She was declared a Saint by Pope Benedict XVI on the 17 October 2010. In January 2013, St Mary of the Cross (MacKillop) was declared by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, to be the Second Patron Saint of Australia. This means that Australia now has two Patron Saints: Mary Help of Christians and St. Mary of the Cross (MacKillop).

Thank you to all families who participated in Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews this week. They are a particularly important aspect of our partnership with families. They are opportunities to celebrate the successes of each child and to develop strategies with teachers for any support that might be required.

Term 3 always brings with it a hint of the next year as students begin choosing their future subjects or, in the case of Year 12, identifying their pathways post-secondary school. Many families have joined us over the last month learning about the choices available and how best to work with their child in helping them make decisions that are right for them. There are many here at OLMC who can support both parents and students during this period, along with excellent materials provided through SIMON or PAM and I encourage you to access all that will assist in supporting the decision making of your child.

We have a number of student achievements to celebrate over the last few weeks. Congratulations to Olivia Voulgaris, Class of 2021, who was the recipient of a Premier’s Award for being a Top All-Round High Achiever. Olivia worked hard and showed real commitment to her studies and achieved outstanding VCE results, all whilst completing two years of remote learning. We wish Olivia all the very best.

Congratulations to the Year 7 to 9 students who participated in the Australian Geography Competition. A number of students were successful in achieving a High Distinction or Distinction. Congratulations also to our team of STEAM students who participated in the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools STEM MAD Student Showcase at the Catholic Leadership Centre in East Melbourne.

The AFL teams competed in a SCSA AFL Carnival Day in July. Congratulations to the Junior and Senior Teams who were Premiers and the Intermediate Team who were runners up. The teams truly showed themselves to be determined and courageous. Congratulations also, to the OLMC aerobics teams who competed at the AeroSchools State Championships winning the Aggregate School Champion (Secondary).

Today as a staff we gathered together in prayer and reflection as we explored our Catholic heritage and our Mercy story. We shared our experiences, including the joys and significant moments in our lives when our faith and our connections to the Mercy story has buoyed, inspired or guided us in our lives. I shared with the staff and now with you, that daily I feel blessed and take comfort that I am where I belong, in a charism and ethos that I value and connects me with a purpose and people, a place in the greater scheme of things, doing work that matters.