Religious Education Coordinator – Ian Anderson
The Religious Education Department here at OLM has been extremely busy over the past three weeks. During this time, we have been getting into the classroom, planning for the year ahead, and on Tuesday, 18 February, we celebrated our College’s Opening Mass with Fr. James McCarthy. Our young women displayed great reverence, and Fr. James engaged them throughout the Mass while delivering his homily, which centered on the story of Noah’s Ark and its relevance to our College specifically. A treasured part of attending Mass at St. Aloysius Parish was that Fr. James brought his new puppy, Kishi. Kishi seemed to love the girls and quickly became a favourite among them.
During the Mass, we inducted our 2025 Student Leadership Team. These leaders have already met to discuss ways to move the Mercy Action Group forward and create new initiatives to strengthen social justice here at the College.
I encourage all parents to discuss with their daughters how they can better engage with their faith — in the Church, at the College, in the wider community and through the Mercy Action Group (MAG). Later this term, we will celebrate Ash Wednesday, as well as hold the Year 8 Retreat and the Year 11 Retreat. Please keep an eye out for details about these events, along with the launch of the Social Justice program.
Finally, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all parents, teachers, and students at the College. As someone who is new to the teaching staff this year, I have never felt so welcomed in a new community. Your daughters have been receptive, polite, kind, and extremely supportive. The parents I have had the pleasure of meeting have been open and friendly, and the staff have already made me feel like part of the family. The community here at OLM is truly beautiful, and I hope that during my time here, I can continue to foster, nourish, and build upon it. I look forward to all that the rest of this year has to offer.
Blessings in Christ,
Mr Ian Anderson, Religious Education Coordinator
