Dear parents, carers and students,

As we continue our journey towards Christmas this week, I take the opportunity to reflect upon the significance of the season that we are in. The season of Advent is a time of preparation and reflection, where Catholics engage in prayer, penance, and acts of charity. A common symbol of Advent is the Advent Wreath which is comprised of a series of 4 candles, each with a specific meaning and relevance. Over the past two weeks, we have seen the lighting of the first candle, known as the Prophet’s Candle, which is a signal that Jesus is coming to us. The second candle, the Bethlehem candle, is lit to celebrate our faith and is a reminder of the journey that Mary and Joseph took towards Bethlehem. This weekend, we light the Shepherd’s Candle on what is known as Gaudete (or rejoice) Sunday where we celebrate Mary as the mother of Jesus. And the final candle, the Angels Candle, represents a simple message from the angels of “peace on earth and goodwill towards men”. 

Here at Magdalene, we gathered yesterday for our End of Year Mass, celebrated by Fr James Arblaster. In his homily, Fr James reflected on the significance of the Christmas season and encouraged us to look for ways where God is present in our lives, even in our times of challenge. I take the opportunity to thank both Fr James and Fr Michael Williams for their support this year and for their unwavering commitment to the faith life of our College and their genuine interest in the students, staff and families here at Magdalene. 

Earlier this week, we were thrilled to welcome a number of parents to the College for our annual sports awards ceremony where 193 students were acknowledged for their outstanding contribution to the sporting culture at Magdalene. As part of this ceremony, we welcomed Paris Olympian Josh Azzopardi to the stage to share his Olympic journey with us and we were treated to wonderful music and dance performances by our talented students. Our final major College event will take place next Monday when we host our Annual Celebration of Learning Assembly which will commence at 9:30am in the College Hall. Parents and carers are most certainly welcomed to join us for this occasion. 

As is the case at the end of any school year, I would also like to publicly acknowledge the staff members who will be leaving us at the end of the year, and thank them for their service to our community in the time that they have been here. I thank and congratulate Mrs Jodie Andruschko, Mrs Carolyn Said, Mr Michael Koch, Mrs Denise Phillips, Mrs Gai Hoban, Mrs Rosanne Taccone, Mrs Renee Pickles, Ms Sarah Bennett, Mr Kip Veness, Mr Alan Norris, Mr Kevin Wright and Mrs Clare Rooney. I also thank those staff members who have been with us this year in a temporary capacity and who leave us for new opportunities beyond Magdalene including Ms Haylie Abela, Mr Anthony Perini, Miss Diane Winarczyk, Mr Duke Dinh and Mr Yuhong Li. 

Finally, I thank the parents, carers and friends of the College for your ongoing support throughout the year. I particularly thank those who have taken the opportunity to join us at one of our many events throughout the year and once again warmly invite all members of our community to any of our celebrations that will take place in 2025. 

I wish you all peace-filled, happy and holy Christmas surrounded by family, friends and loved ones and I look forward to seeing you all once again in the new year here at Magdalene. 

Best wishes, 

David Cloran

Principal