As we embark on Term 3, our school community has been graced with numerous enriching opportunities and events. One of the highlights was the chance for our staff to choose between two remarkable experiences: a St Mary of the Cross MacKillop pilgrimage to Penola, South Australia, or participation in two staff formation days. For those who remained on campus, a comprehensive program was crafted around the themes of the pilgrimage. This included inspiring keynote presentations from distinguished speakers such as Dr. Margaret Carswell, engaging workshops, and a visit to the Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre in East Melbourne.
Our VCE Vocational Major (VM) students have shown remarkable dedication and creativity in supporting the annual MacKillop Today Dinner, hosted on Friday 23 August. They’ve organised a series of fundraising events that have made a significant impact raising a total of $1687.93. On the Feast of the Sacred Heart, they hosted a casual clothes day, encouraging students and staff to add a splash of red to their attire in exchange for a gold coin donation. This was followed by a delicious Krispy Kreme donut stall that sold out within minutes. During Open Day, the students set up a Coffee Cart, offering much-needed caffeine boosts to our visitors. Additionally, they are playing an active role at the dinner, setting up the venue, making grazing platters and bonbonnieres.
This year’s Winter Sleepout was a tremendous success, thanks to our dedicated student and staff volunteers who braved the cold, slept on the gym floor with just cardboard, and shared in basic food. The students were exceptionally well-behaved and engaged throughout the event, and our staff, including our Principal, showed remarkable enthusiasm and commitment to the cause. Their combined efforts, along with the generous donations from our families, made this event possible. Together, we raised an outstanding $3,120 for the St Vincent de Paul Society, more than double last year’s total!
The evening was not only well-organised but also deeply meaningful, embodying the true spirit of student voice and agency. Our Year 12 Ministry and Social Justice Leader did an outstanding job and played a vital role in running the event. They opened the evening with a rich prayer and a powerful reflection on the theme of homelessness and the importance of making a difference, even in small ways.
We had the privilege of hearing from Rhonda Collins, Manager of Latitude: Directions for Young People, who is on the front lines of the homelessness crisis, particularly among youth in Hobsons Bay. Rhonda’s address highlighted the harsh realities of homelessness and the current housing crisis, making it clear how urgent and necessary our efforts are.
Once again, we were supported by the local St Vincent de Paul Society Conference, with Conference President Domenic Cichello and other key volunteers in attendance. Their encouragement and ongoing commitment to this cause were truly inspiring.
Beyond raising essential funds, our sleepout provided learning experiences about the challenges faced by those experiencing homelessness. We engaged in meaningful activities, including making fleece blankets for the Vinnies Winter Appeal and assembling over 50 care packages for women in need. The evening also featured interactive games, a moving outdoor night liturgy, and the screening of a thought-provoking film.
We also joined the VHN Houses at Parliament campaign by making origami houses. On 31 July, 6,000 of these houses covered the steps of Victoria's Parliament House, serving as a powerful visual statement highlighting the urgent need for 60,000 additional social homes in Victoria.
This year, we chose to hold our Winter Sleepout close to Homelessness Week to align with broader community efforts and draw attention to the ongoing crisis. In response to the Homelessness Week theme of "Action Now," our event not only brings our community together but also deepens our understanding of the complex issues surrounding this issue. As a Josephite school, we are committed to making a difference following St Mary of the Cross MacKillop’s mantra to “Never see a need without doing something about it.”
JJAMM Week
In our 60th year, this year's JJAMM Week, honouring Fr. Julian Tenison Woods, St. Joseph, and Australia's first and only saint, St. Mary of the Cross MacKillop, was a remarkable blend of feasting, fun, and fundraising for a deeply meaningful cause, MacKillop Family Services. This organisation continues St. Mary’s legacy of passion for social justice and concern for disadvantaged children.
In keeping with Fr. Julian Tenison Woods’ deep respect for the natural world, we kicked off JJAMM Week with our annual Energy Saver Day. To promote responsible energy use, we turned off all lights, heaters, projectors, and photocopiers, and refrained from using appliances. Staff and students were invited to further embrace the challenge by wearing extra layers of warm clothing for a gold coin donation. Participation was voluntary and we invited everyone to embrace the spirit of the cause in their own way. It was just one day, but every small effort counts! We were also grateful for the support of Hobsons Bay City Council, which generously donated a selection of Indigenous plants to enhance our efforts.
The week continued with more exciting activities, including our much-anticipated Jam Donut Eating Competition, where Mr. David Meliak once again claimed victory. This fun tradition, a play on words—JJAMM and JAM! —is always a hit. Our student leaders also brought back the popular Teacher Dunk fundraiser, which, as always, generated lots of laughs and donations.
On the Feast Day of Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop, we celebrated by planting a Mary MacKillop Rose Bush in the gardens just outside our Front Administration. This being the Year of Prayer, we sought to deepen our connection to Mary’s spirit by hosting a morning prayer service in our Chapel. Each staff member received a beautiful prayer book, hopefully a treasured resource for guiding prayer in the Josephite tradition.
The culmination of our week was our celebrations on Friday. The morning began with a delightful breakfast for staff and student leaders, followed by a beautiful Mass of Thanksgiving celebrated by Archpriest Michael Kalka and Fr Binh Le in honour of St. Mary of the Cross MacKillop. The Mass reminded us all of her enduring legacy and the profound inspiration she continues to provide. Our students displayed reverence throughout the Mass, respecting our time in prayer. The student volunteers were exceptional, whether they were proclaiming the Word, reading a prayer of the faithful, singing or a procession bearer, all performed with grace and respect. Fr. Michael delivered a homily that was both relevant and deeply meaningful, leaving a lasting impression. He eloquently connected the legacy of St. Mary MacKillop with that of the visionaries of the past and present. He reminded us that we are the "diamonds" in our diamond jubilee, urging us to use this legacy to shine brightly and do good in the world as St Mary did. Our principal's Feast Day address seamlessly continued this theme, perfectly complementing Fr. Michael's words.
And, to the part of the day the students couldn’t wait for, all seemed to come together perfectly, and blessed with the sun shining bright over us as though St Mary MacKillop was smiling down on us. The fundraising stalls were a great success complemented with rides and other fun amusement. This is what Feast Day is all about, bringing faith to life and living out St. Mary MacKillop’s values. It was so heartfelt seeing both staff and students getting into the spirit of the day, and it had a ripple effect. It showed that it’s not just about what we say, but what we do.
The day didn’t stop there, we concluded by welcoming Fr. Robert Galea, accompanied by Melbourne singer and podcaster Alyssa Agius. Fr. Robert's heartfelt testimony, uplifting messages of hope, and powerful music united our college community.
A huge thank you to all who played a pivotal role in the organisation of JJAMM Week and offered a hand up by donating to MacKillop Family Services. We look forward to tallying up all our donations, announcing an overall group winner, and revealing our total funds raised.
Religious Education Highlights
This term, all Year 7 students had the opportunity to attend a captivating play about Mary MacKillop, performed by two talented actors, Jarna and Glen, from Star Productions. This play was a perfect complement to their religious education program, where they had been exploring the life and legacy of Mary MacKillop and the Josephite charism, including an earlier visit to the Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre in East Melbourne.
The play skillfully captured the key moments of Mary MacKillop's life, highlighting the influential people around her, the challenges she faced, and how she either overcame or dealt with them. It was evident throughout the performance that Mary’s courage, deep faith, and love for God were central to her character. Her determination and resilience were inspiring, teaching us the value of striving to do more and be more.
What made the play even more engaging was the light humor woven into the narrative, which provided a few good laughs. The actors also involved the students by calling a few of them to participate, adding an interactive element to the experience. The performance concluded with a question-and-answer session, where the students had the chance to further explore what they had seen and heard, deepening their understanding of Mary MacKillop’s remarkable life.
We were incredibly blessed to have Reverend Dr. Elio Capra present to our Year 12 School-based Religious Education students on the fascinating topic of ‘Religion through the Arts.’ His presentation was both thought-provoking and eye-opening, taking students on a journey through thousands of years of history. Father Elio's engaging delivery and profound insights opened new perspectives for all in attendance, marking an inspiring start to Term 3.
In addition, our Year 8 RE classes had the unique opportunity to connect with Sam Clear, an Australian adventurer and speaker renowned for his remarkable journey around the world. Between 2006 and 2008, Sam covered over 15,000 kilometres across 25 countries, driven by a mission to promote unity and understanding among diverse cultures. His experiences resonated deeply with our Year 8 students, particularly aligning with their unit on Journeys: St. Paul and the theme of Social Justice: Can We Change the World? Sam's insights reinforced the connections between personal journeys and broader social impacts.
Anne Severi - Director of Catholic Identity
