August is an important time and one of many transitions. It is the last month of Winter and certainly this week we have begun to see hints of Spring. At school it is a month where students and staff turn their minds to their hopes and aspirations for next year and sit in the space of the present and the future. As a faith community it is also a time when we focus on Mary. The Feast of the Assumption of Mary is Tuesday 15 August. Our values, and in fact those of the broader Mercy Community all over the world, are inspired by Mary. Our values of Courage, Compassion, Justice and Joy are evident in the way Mary lived her life as the mother of Jesus; a courageous woman who accepted all that serving God meant, including the joy and the challenge.
In Australia on Tuesday 8 August, we celebrate our first saint Mary McKillop, St Mary of the Cross. Mary MacKillop took her vows at the age of twenty-five, and the religious name, ‘Mary of the Cross’. In doing so, she founded the congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph. She was noted for her trust in the providence of God and miracles of healing have been attributed to her. She was another courageous woman of immense faith whose belief and trust in God moved her to work tirelessly for those in need, often in the face of great challenge or opposition.
It is both a privilege and humbling to be part of such a strong and broad Mercy Community that continues to educate young people. We hope our students can share in the inspiration of all of the stories and works of the courageous, compassionate, joyful Mercy people who have worked for justice in our world.
Term 3 always brings with it a hint of the next year as students begin choosing subjects for 2024, or in the case of Year 12, identifying their pathways post-secondary school. Many families have joined us over the last month learning about the choices available and how best to work with their child in helping them make decisions that are right for them. There are many staff here at OLMC who can support both parents and students during this period, along with excellent materials provided on SIMON or PAM, and I encourage you to access them to support the decision making of your child.
Last week Cody Miller and I had the great privilege of attending the Premier’s VCE Awards. Congratulations to Deborah Jernejcic, Class of 2022, who was the recipient of a Premier’s Award for Equine Studies. Deborah worked hard and showed real commitment to her studies and achieved outstanding VCE results. We wish Deborah all the very best.
Congratulations to all the students who were involved and were very successful in the Aerobics competition held last weekend. Many students now have the chance to compete in the National competition to be held in September. We also congratulate our Language students who have also received recognition for their skill and talent in a number of different programs.
We look forward to all that is still to come this term.