From the Principal

Last Sunday was Palm Sunday, when we celebrated the story of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. You may still have your palm that was part of your Parish liturgy. An artistic team in my Parish had these ready for our liturgy.

Today, Holy Thursday, we began with our Holy Week liturgy in Year Groups. By creative use of drama and music this opportunity allowed our students to experience the journey of Jesus with the cross to his death. In our Parishes tonight, families have the opportunity to celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper and Jesus’ life of service through the washing of the feet. Then begins the Easter Triduum, the three days of Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. These days are the culmination of the entire liturgical year and are the most significant days in our Christian tradition. The Easter Triduum reaches its high point in the Easter Vigil where through Jesus’ life, death and resurrection we are reminded again of his unconditional love for us. In your parishes you will light the new Pascal Candle and renew your baptismal promises.

This image, with its French words, I took at the Marist Fathers Retreat Centre near Lyon, in the small village of La Neyliere. It shows Mary at the ‘Foot of the Cross’.

It is part of a larger mural, painted in the Retreat Centre Chapel, showing significant moments in Mary’s life.

La Neyliere is an historical place of Marist history where Fr Colin, Founder of the Marist Fathers, is buried. Fr Colin is the patron of Colin House.

The words on the image, “Voici ta Mere” translate to “This is my Mother”. The image depicts the Good Friday scene of Mary at the ‘Foot of the Cross’. Here we see a suffering Mary, a mother who watches her son die. It is through her pain that we also see her strength and ability to trust in God. She shows us that through her son’s victory over death we can and are also called to trust in God, a God who never abandons us. If we take up this challenge, we will be opening our hearts to the Hope that Easter brings.

In our journey since Ash Wednesday through Lent we have been very conscious of those in our world who need our support through Project Compassion. Thank you to all the students and staff who supported our fundraising efforts. It is in these ways that we very actively live out the Marist values of service to others.

I encourage all of our students and families to join with their local parishes to celebrate the Holy Week liturgies.

I look forward to returning after our short Easter break celebrating the Hope of the resurrection of Jesus.

Dr Anne Ireland, Principal

This article on College life meets The Archbishop’s Charter for Catholic Schools – Charter #1, #2, #8