As we commence Term 2 for 2023, Marist Schools Australia welcomes Mr John Finneran as he commences in the role of Director of School Improvement.

John is well known and highly regarded in our Australian Marist community. Due to his mission and ministry leadership, John was a vital member of the Australian Marist Mission Council that led and facilitated the union of the Melbourne and Sydney Provinces and the establishment of Marist Schools Australia. Most recently John was Principal of Newman College in Perth which was a P–12 dual campus College of approximately 2,000 students and is the biggest Catholic school in Western Australia.

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Last week at The Hermitage in Mittagong, Marist principals from across the country gathered together for the first time in this way since 2019. 60% of participants were either new to the role of Principal or were leading a different school in 2019. MSA Regional Director, Dr John Kyle-Robinson provided the key note and led conversations exploring the question:

How do teachers in Catholic secondary schools experience the New Evangelisation?

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As the first flush of the new school year recedes and the rhythm of the term and learning programmes is well established, inevitable among students will be misunderstandings, disagreements, and bruised relationships. With a learning agenda that is so acutely time bound, such “disruptions” can be extremely frustrating for teachers and school leaders. Whilst a constant reminder of the imperfect nature of our human condition, importantly for Marist educators, such disruptions provide profound teaching moments with the young people in our care. Emotions experienced by students are often raw, new, and perplexing, potently galloping ahead of reason. Physically, a young person’s growth is obvious, whilst their emotional development less so. The work of the teacher in bringing disputes to an end, and restoring relationships through listening, understanding, compromise, apology, and forgiveness is priceless.

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There has been much in the media in recent weeks critiquing the changes in NAPLAN testing format, timing, and reporting. Educators are well aware that these changes are a direct outcome from the 2020 Independent Review of NAPLAN, and were forecast by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) 12 months ago. Teachers, Principals, system leaders, and academics across the country were consulted in every jurisdiction and sector during this review. The Education Ministers of Australia and ACARA have been faithful in the implementation of key findings. After 12 years of NAPLAN and 10 years of the My School Website, a thorough evaluation of this large cohort testing regime was timely. The added disruptions to the test caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 added to the opportunity to consider a reset to the test in light of learnings over the past decade.

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The commencement of a new school year has a unique energy. After the relative calm of the preparatory staff days, schools start immediately in top gear with the arrival of the students. Like a long planned for party or wedding celebration, there is a sense of relief once the guests have arrived and everything is underway. As Marists, we are particularly attentive to those guests who may not know others quite so well, the students new to our schools.

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After the publication of the newsletter last week, some additional information was received and some important information inadvertently overlooked. Please see below some further testimonies to retiring Principals from the Queensland/Northern Territory region. Each of these fine people were recognised with warm appreciation at the Marist Schools Australia Mass and Dinner celebrations in Brisbane. (These people will also be included with those recognised in previous newsletters and at the three Marist Mass and Dinner ceremonies in the first edition of Lavalla magazine in 2023.)

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On last Saturday evening, Marcellin College Bulleen, hosted the final Marist Schools Australia Mass and Dinner for 2022. It concluded three most uplifting and inspirational gatherings for Marist educators and communities across Australia.

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As we are all aware, throughout this year much of the Eastern region of Australia has been ravaged by a series of extraordinary flood events following record rainfall in many parts of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Earlier this year, Marists across the country rallied around their friends and colleagues in Brisbane and the NSW northern rivers in tangible ways that reflected the spirit and solidarity we share. Just this week the small town of Forbes in the Central West of NSW has been a constant on the national news as the worst floods in 70 years and possibly on record have engulfed the Lachlan Valley over the past three weeks.

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The Marist Association, which is now in its eighth year, continues to grow in membership as a vital spiritual family within the Church. In each of our Marist schools, local groups of Association members gather for prayer, reflection and outreach activities in their own time. Last week the leadership Council for the Marist Association gathered for their scheduled October meeting, where a wealth of synthesised material generated over the three Assembly gatherings in 2022 was considered and discussed. The working party responsible for the organisation and facilitation of these three important gatherings included Nathan Ahearne, Jasmine Brown, Tony Clarke, Tracey Doublet, Brother David Hall, and Michael Evison (Chair). Their careful and creative work ensured the participation of over 200 Association members directly online and in person throughout 2022. The different mediums allowed for flexibility and involvement of Association members in a variety of different circumstances.

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Late last term it was announced Mr Wayne Marshall, currently the Principal at John Therry Catholic College, Rosemeadow has been appointed as the new Principal of St John the Evangelist Catholic High School, Nowra, commencing in 2023. We extend our sincere congratulations to Wayne on this appointment. Wayne commenced his teaching career in the Archdiocese of Sydney at the renowned Benedict Senior College Auburn, which was established by the Marist Brothers in 1942. He soon assumed senior leadership roles, including Assistant Principalship in three Sydney schools from 1997. For a number of years Wayne also provided vital leadership at a system level in Sydney, in the development and efficacy of Pastoral Coordinators across 10 secondary schools in the Inner Western Region of the Archdiocese. In 2012, Wayne was appointed Principal at Mount Carmel Catholic College, Varroville, and in 2018 assumed the Principalship of John Therry Catholic College, Rosemeadow. Wayne’s leadership of these Marist schools over the last decade has been outstanding. Born of his own rich personal faith, Wayne’s leadership is characterised by a deep connection to each community, practical common sense and commitment to improved learning outcomes for all students. Not only has Wayne contributed to Marist life through his distinguished leadership of two Marist schools, but through his close relationships with Marists across the country and overseas, his insightful encouragement of the growth of the Marist Association, and his generous support of Marist ministries. Wayne’s genuine commitment to the enlivening of Marist life and spirituality is evident to all, most especially through his own example and commitment to the good of others. We wish Wayne every success in his new role, happiness in the next stage of his life and the assurance of the prayers, connection and support of our Marist family into the future.

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This week for the first time in six years, the National Catholic Education Commission gathered teachers, school and system leaders, as well as members of school governing bodies from across Australia for their national conference. The first morning of the conference featured a keynote address by Father Anthony Gittins CSSP and Ms Madeline Forde, both well known to Australian Marists. Father Anthony is renowned internationally as a theologian, anthropologist, and missionary. He has worked closely with Marists at different times over the past decade, sharing his spiritual insights and wisdom gained by many years of scholarship and living in service with peoples on the extreme peripheries of society in a variety of circumstances. Educated at Sacred Heart College Adelaide, Maddie is currently a Councillor for the Marist Association of Saint Marcellin Champagnat, a delegate to the International Youth Advisory body established by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, and was a member of the recent Australian Plenary Council. In the words of Archbishop Pat O’Regan, “She is energetic, has a preferential option to stand with the marginalised and is a strong young woman of faith.”

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This weekend the Marist Association of Saint Marcellin Champagnat is holding its third National Assembly at Mary MacKillop Place North Sydney. Previous Assemblies were held at The Hermitage Mittagong in 2015 and at Sacred Heart College Adelaide in 2018. Each Assembly is an opportunity for Marists to carefully discern where we are called to be and what we are called to do in our discipleship of Jesus. The first Assembly had approximately 60 delegates during which the Association was really brought to life under the leadership of Provincial Brother Jeff Crowe FMS and Mr Joe McCarthy who were to be appointed the first Leader and Deputy Leader of the Association respectively. The second Assembly had almost 200 delegates and was a gathering characterised by realisation and maturation under the leadership of Brother Peter Carroll FMS and Mr Joe McCarthy once again. As we look to the third Assembly, it is worth recalling the statement of the Association, which prefaces the two key documents We Marists (2015) and As Marists (2019).

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Last week 200 Marist educators from across the country gathered for the Biennial Conference at the Brisbane Powerhouse.

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At the end of last term and the beginning of this one, it has been a privilege to meet with several whole staff groups for different reasons. Whilst many people regard the first semester of 2022 as the most challenging for schools in the past 50 years, among the staff whom I had the pleasure to meet recently were expressions and attitudes of accomplishment, resilience, courage, faith, hope, and humour. Despite the constant demands since January flowing from the pandemic, manifested in repeated changes and adaptations due to staff and student illnesses, the pervasive sense of purposeful service to the students’ education was marked in every setting.

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In the week when our schools throughout the country celebrated The Feast of Saint Marcellin, a series of book launches were concluded during which Sub Tuum Praesidium was formally released. It is a comprehensive history of the Marist Brothers in Australia from 1872 - 2022. In a recent communication, Provincial Brother Peter Carroll wrote the following in regard to this important historical record, highlighting the dedicated and skilled work of the four authors.

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