Mental Health
This month, Pope Leo XIV invites the Church to pray for those experiencing mental health challenges and for all who support them. He calls us to be an ‘open house’ where every person is welcomed with compassion, dignity and hope. The Pope also encourages us to acknowledge the stigma that can surround mental illness and to work together to create communities of understanding, care and inclusion.
Prayer
Loving God,
We pray for all who live with anxiety, depression, loneliness, grief, or other mental health challenges.
May they know they are deeply loved, never alone, and always welcome in our community.
Bless families, friends, teachers, health professionals and carers who walk alongside those in need.
Help us to be people of compassion, ready to listen, to support, and to bring hope.
Through the intercession of St Dymphna, patron saint of mental health, may your healing peace be with all who are struggling today.
Amen.
Image above from: https://novena.com/2016/05/11/saint-dymphna/
Class Masses
During Terms 3 and 4, our Year 7, 8 and 9 Religious Education classes have had the wonderful opportunity to celebrate the Eucharist together in the College Chapel. Gathering in this sacred space, where generations of Sisters of Mercy, students, and staff have encountered God's loving presence, has been a meaningful experience for our young people and a reminder of the central place of the Eucharist in our community's faith.
We extend our sincere gratitude to our College Chaplain, Fr Vinh Nguyen, Parish Priest of St John's Parish, Heidelberg, and to the Passionist priests who have so generously celebrated these Masses throughout the year: Fr Kevin Hennessy CP, Fr Tri Cao Van CP, Fr Erick Niyiragira CP, and Fr Joseph Dominic Tan CP. Their ministry, presence and willingness to share their faith have enriched the spiritual life of our College and helped our students deepen their understanding of the Eucharist and the Gospel.
We thank them for their generous service to our OLMC community.
Reconciliation Action Plan
As a Mercy community committed to justice, respect and reconciliation, OLMC is currently developing a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). This important work is being guided by local Elders, First Nations students and their families, and College staff as we seek to deepen our understanding, strengthen relationships, and create meaningful opportunities for reconciliation within our community.
We warmly invite members of the OLMC community who have a particular interest, experience or expertise in First Nations perspectives, cultures or reconciliation to become involved in this journey. If you would like to contribute, please contact Shane Taylor at staylor@olmc.vic.edu.au.
Together, we hope to continue building a community that listens, learns and walks respectfully with First Nations peoples.
Young Mercy Links: Mercy Beyond OLMC
Last Friday, our Year 12 students welcomed Angela Scarafilo from Young Mercy Links Victoria, who spoke about the many ways the Mercy charism continues to be lived in Australia and around the world. Through stories of partnership, service and advocacy, Angela highlighted how Mercy Works supports communities experiencing disadvantage and works alongside people to create opportunities through education, community development and social justice initiatives.
As our Year 12 students prepare to complete their time at OLMC, Angela's visit offered an important invitation: that graduation is not the end of their connection to the Mercy tradition, but the beginning of a new chapter in living it. Whether through volunteering, advocacy, community involvement, professional work or daily acts of compassion, students were encouraged to consider how they might continue Catherine McAuley's mission of responding to the needs of the world around them.
We thank Angela for sharing her experience and passion with our students and for reminding them that the call to live with mercy, justice and courage extends far beyond their years at school. As they prepare for life beyond OLMC, we hope they will continue to be women of Mercy who make a positive difference in their communities and in the lives of others.
