Principal's Report
WELCOME BACK TO TERM 3
We trust all students had an enjoyable and safe break. We look forward to an exciting and active term ahead.
UPCOMING PUPIL FREE DAY:
Please note our College Spirituality Day is on Friday 9 August. Apart from Year 12 Trial HSC Examinations occurring on this day, this is a pupil free day and the Office will be closed.
MAGDALENE FEAST DAY:
While the College celebrated the Feast of Mary Magdalene today, the actual Feast Day, in terms of the Church’s Calendar, occurred on Monday this week (22nd July). Pope Francis was instrumental back in 2016 in helping decree that this date should become a Feast Day. Previously it had been regarded as a ‘Solemnity’, so such an elevation highlighted the Vatican’s increased recognition of who Mary Magdalene was and her pivotal role during Jesus’ Ministry and then, of course, his Resurrection and the days that followed.
When this change was declared back in 2016, Archbishop Roche from the Vatican outlined Mary Magdalene’s key roles as: “…an eyewitness to the Risen Christ… [and]… the first to testify before the apostles.” As Roche wrote, Mary Magdalene: “fulfilled the mandate the Risen Christ gave her … and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’... In this way she becomes, as is already known, an evangelist, or rather a messenger who announces the good news of the resurrection of the Lord.”
It’s not surprising then that St. Thomas Aquinas once called Mary Magdalene 'apostolorum apostola' (the apostle of the apostles) as she announced to the disciples, what they in turn, would announce to all the world.
Thus, as our mind turns to Mary Magdalene on her Feast Day we continue to recognise the exceptionally important role that she played in evangelising and giving strength to the apostles and we look to her as a source of strength in reminding us about the importance of “Discipleship and Service” – one of our College’s Core Values.
Today’s Feast Day Mass was a beautiful one and celebrated by Bishop Brian Mascord. Photographs of the Mass and today’s Feast Day events will be included in the next Newsletter.
CEO SCHOOL REVIEW AND SURVEY
As is CEO Wollongong practice, a review is undertaken of each Diocesan school every five years.
Magdalene’s review will take part in mid-August this year. This review will consider educational, spiritual, financial and various management issues of the College. Students, Parents, our Parish and staff will all be consulted to aid the CEO team in determining the current state of the College, areas worthy of praise and areas for future focus.
A survey was sent out in recent weeks with a series of questions which the Diocese would like answered. We would appreciate the completion of this survey.
REPEAT: PARENT/CARER UNIFORM COMMITTEE: CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST:
A small working party of parents/carers (approximately 6-8) will be established to consult with and assist with our movement towards a new uniform.
If you have had previous professional experience in such areas as fashion, running a uniform store, and/or even designing uniforms and you would like to be considered to be a part of this committee please email an Expression of Interest of no more than two paragraphs to info@mccdow.catholic.edu.au. Please outline in this email why you would like to be involved and what your experience includes.
Final applications to be submitted by 2 August.