On Friday we gathered for Eucharist in gratitude for the many blessings bestowed on us at St Gregory’s College under the patronage of Pope Saint Gregory the Great. Pope Gregory the Great chose to live out God’s plan by committing himself to a life of serving others. He demonstrated great leadership and courage in ministering to all peoples. During the Mass then it was most fitting that we formally commissioned our new College Principal, Mr Matthew Brennan who was asked two questions by Dr Frank Malloy, Director, Marist School Australia:
Mr Brennan, you have been given the responsibility of ensuring that this College is a place of Christian values where the dignity of all persons is respected and a love of learning is nurtured. Do you commit yourself to this work?
You have been appointed by Marist Schools Australia to lead this College, ensuring that all students receive an education in the context of the Marist Christian faith. Do you commit yourself to this work?
Following his acceptance of this commitment, the blessing was prayed over Mr Brennan:
Lord God.
Send your Spirit upon Mr Brennan and fill him with your wisdom and blessings. Grant that during his time as leader at St Gregory’s may he devote himself to being a witness of your love, a follower of the faith and a seeker of wisdom and truth.
Grant this, we pray, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Following the commissioning, Mr Weekes presented the College Student Leaders for 2023.
Boarding Leader
- Angus Liddle
- Jack Kingwill
Boarding Leader and College Leader
- Patrick Bird
- Peter Reardon
- William Stimson
- Jake Wright (Boarding Captain)
College Leaders
- Thomas Andersen
- Ryan Carter
- Lachlan Dady
- Harry Elson
- Charlie Labbozetta
- Angus Limbrey (College Captain)
- Heath Mason
- Jack Noy
- Elliott Power
- Tim Saunders (Marist Solidarity Leader)
- Sam Smith
- Andrew Salian (College Vice-Captain)
Congratulations to these fine young men.
We concluded in celebration of all the Senior Class and their leadership for 2023 in our Traditio Ceremony as our Year 12 students passed on their role and responsibility symbolically in the Traditio Ceremony. The students name the symbols which recognise and express the traditions of the College and pass them on to the next group of Year 12s, entrusting to them the responsibility of upholding the values and traditions:
- The Crest – you reap what you sow
- Candle – the light of Christ
- Cross – the love of Christ
- Water – hope and reconciliation
- Lamb – promise of new and abundant life
We look forward to a special graduation day for Year 12 and Year 11 taking on the responsibility as leaders in Term 4.
During the assembly, Anuk De Silva (Year 10), wrote this poem to share at the RUOK Assembly! Congratulations Anuk on your writing and for being so brave to slam this poetry for the whole College as they gathered.
Only When Mental Illness is a Series of Battles
Only when your voice was a smoke alarm,
Thin as gauze or thick as pressure,
On a bullet wound, given was an arm,
Comfort the length of bullets, and the pain I did measure,
.
Only when burned from the outside in,
When, the fervent feeling despite complacent seeming
Eyes construed narrative pacing, by how flipped a coin,
Then did I see depth where you saw a chance for comic relief colour-in,
.
Only when you say half of everyone has mental health to influence them,
You present for laughter improper representation of mental illness, so I redeem,
You display your perspective, imperceptive of,
Feeling unhealthy amounts of apathy aplenty while
Feeling unhealthy amounts of lacklustre empathy
.
Only when a voice will be a smoke alarm
Lungs collapse and breathing contorts
As ribs and strings tied indelicately decisively to harm
Are raging flames and tongues of sorts
.
Only when heavy breaths are taken and the bullet wound’s healed,
Smoke alarm concerns tend to shield and asking
“R you Okay” is taking water to flames and having them lulled as can be
Only when a voice is a smoke alarm.
Mrs Cathie Clarke
Director of Mission