This is our final newsletter for the year. I would like to thank and commend all our staff, students and families for all that has been achieved this year.
On Saturday 22 November, Joanna De Bono, Shane Taylor and myself had the privilege of being present for the momentous occasion of the Perpetual Profession of Sr Emma Llewellyn rsm. Emma made her final commitment to the Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea and to God. It was a deeply moving Mass and profession celebrated by Archbishop Comensoli and Sr Karon Donnellon rsm and witnessed by her family, the many Sisters of Mercy present in the Church and online from all over Australia and the world, and the people who have contributed to her journey along the way. We are blessed to have Sr Emma join our staff in 2026 as Leader of Student and Staff Formation. We look forward to welcoming her and working with her. Shane Taylor shares some of the blessings and a link to the Mass later in the newsletter.
Our theme for 2025 was ‘Don’t be afraid. Go and be...’(Mark 5:36b). We were challenged by our student leaders to take up every opportunity to try something that we might not otherwise consider. The students at all year levels rose to this challenge participating in great numbers in all our co-curricular, social justice and sporting opportunities. Performing Arts also experienced a strong growth in student participation. Even staff tried new things with the appearance of a Staff Band on Mercy Day.
I have always been acutely aware of a very special quality of OLMC students. They commit to supporting opportunities to improve the lives of others when given a chance. Their commitment and generosity, and that of their parents and guardians means that we are excellent supporters of McAuley for Women and Children and Mercy Works. Each ministry of Mercy provides much needed support for the vulnerable in our community.
The final assembly for the year will also be held next week. Students who have exhibited excellence in their learning or through their engagement in co-curricular or outreach programs will be formally acknowledged. It will be a moment to celebrate and give thanks for all that has been achieved throughout 2025. It will be an important moment of recognition for all the ways so many students demonstrated that they were not afraid to go and be.
Next week, the Orientation program for the Year 11 and 12 classes of 2025 will take place. The program is a very important introduction to the demands of VCE whilst at the same time setting students up for the year ahead. It is an extremely important part of the preparation for 2026 and we look forward to seeing all students eagerly participating.
Each year a large number of people contribute to the ongoing development of OLMC. The members of the College Advisory Council, the Finance Sub-Committee and the Parents’ Association spend time each term discerning policy, considering and planning for new possibilities, building community connections or raising funds for OLMC. Through the generosity of their time and expertise we are able to share so much with our students. I would like to thank them for their commitment and dedication to our students and community.
Staff Movement
This year a number of people are discontinuing their normal roles at OLMC. Each person has contributed to the fabric of our community helping to build and nurture young people of courage, compassion, justice and joy. There are many OLMC students who speak about their amazing experiences both in class and in the many co-curricular activities on offer because of the dedication of staff like them.
They have offered kindness, mentoring and leadership to all with whom they have worked. While we wish them well in the next part of their journey, we farewell them with some sadness but hope they will remember that they will always be a part of the OLMC Community:
- Fiona Koenig-Doig
- Hayley Gamble Curran
- Taylah Lambert
- Dina Fragapane
- Gabrielle Tabban
- Rowena Babuin-Lamberti
- Shirley Wu
- Phina Tran
- Marie Jenkins
- Anne Couch
- Lara Del Conte
Staff on extended Leave in 2026
- Katie Clarkson from Term 2
Staff Returning from Leave throughout 2026
- Jemma Banfield
- Elise Cooper
- Alex Seit
- Sarah Cook
Christmas
In the season of Advent, we prepare for the birth of Jesus. This is a season of great joy, hope and celebration. We spend time with family, and share celebrations with our friends and colleagues. It is a celebration of the gift of life. Christmas can therefore become an occasion to welcome, as a personal gift, the message of hope that emanates from the mystery of the birth of Christ.
My hope for all OLMC families, as it is each year, is that this is a time of great joy where the gift of life and the nourishment for your heart enables you to find a place of encounter with God and each other. May the blessings of Christmas be with you.