Welcome to Catholic Education week! It is a week where we are taking the opportunity as a community to celebrate our 140-year history of Mercy and Diocesan Catholic education here in Ballarat. Each morning this week, students and staff are gaining a broader insight into the foundations of Damascus as we know it today through the history of the founding colleges. Sacred Heart College, St Paul’s College and St Martin’s in the Pines were each schools that evolved to meet the needs of students and their families for their times. That is what we hope Damascus is today – a school responding to the needs of our students and their families. Our celebration of 140 years coincides with 200 years of Catholic education in Australia. On Monday, five students, Zoe Newman, Sophie Busuttil, Zac McCarthy, Charlie Cahir, and Jonah Skewes-Clinton, accompanied Cathy Prunty and I to Mass at the liturgical heart of our Diocese, St Patrick’s Cathedral. We joined with other schools from across the diocese to celebrate 200 years of Catholic education in Australia. It was a lovely celebration, and I congratulate our students on their ambassadorial roles.
Families may like to take a look at the histories celebrated this week, as it may reflect something of your own association with the College or provide you with the chance to grow your understanding of the College and its foundations. One video has been shared in TA each day.
Our 140-year history timeline https://youtu.be/dRQfMWL8gr4
Sacred Heart College https://youtu.be/7s57yfRlxhk
St Paul’s Technical College https://youtu.be/cyekb4pNxXs
St Martin’s in the Pines https://youtu.be/3CEDELwhiWs
Damascus name and campus consolidation https://youtu.be/5S625rQ5m8w
I thank and acknowledge Sarah Boswell, Korina Hegert, Jamison Thomas and Natasha Adam for the work that has gone into bringing these resources together. On Friday, students who sought a Damascus 140 year badge will be presented with them in TA, and we hope that they will wear them with pride as a symbol that together, we are Damascus!
On Friday, I shared with the staff team the exciting news that College Business Manager, Paul Jans has been appointed to the role of Assistant Director: Business Services for Catholic Education Ballarat. Paul has been an amazing servant of Damascus College for the past 13.5 years. Over that time, the College has secured its place as a leading provider of Catholic education within Ballarat, with excellent facilities and grounds. We acknowledge Paul, his wife Michelle and their family for their commitment and faith-filled contribution to this community. We will commence recruitment for Paul’s successor over the next week and celebrate Paul’s contribution appropriately as the term draws to a close.
It was great to have such positive engagement from families with our TA process last week. If, for any reason, you were unable to connect with your TA, please reach out to them this week to provide the best collaboration between school and home for the young people of this community.
A lot is going on this week with Year 8 Reflection Days, Year 7 and Year 10 Masses, students undertaking the “Try a Trade” program, gallery visits and Music and the Year 12 Drama ensemble performances on Wednesday to Friday evening. I thank everyone organising these rich learning activities.
Next Thursday is our “Bright Futures Breakfast” in the Damascus Event Centre. It will be a beautiful breakfast with an engaging speaker, Jocelyn Bignold (OAM), and the $30 cost supports vulnerable young people in receiving the gift of secondary education. More information is available here.
Families would be acutely aware of the recent cases of COVID-19 within the media. The announcements of the State government have seen the postponement of the Music workshops that were to take place this week, with over 50 students due to visit from Melbourne. My own conference scheduled to take place in Healesville this week has been switched to an online format. It is foreseeable that there may be greater changes and restrictions over the coming days, and we will keep the community posted if these impact the Damascus community. Can I please ask families for support to ensure that young people are equipped with facemasks to travel on buses to and from school and for school excursions.
Yesterday we celebrated McAuley day. Catherine McAuley was the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy and a great servant of Christ in her work to support the most vulnerable of our society. We pray this week that Catherine’s legacy and the work of the Sister’s of Mercy continues to inspire our community response as Gospel people. We make this prayer of our loving God – Amen.
Members of our community have been hard hit with bereavements this week, and we include in our prayers Alex Logan (Year 10) and his family on the death of his maternal grandmother. Caleb Smith (Year 8) and his family are also grieving the passing of his maternal grandfather. Alana Agnew (Year 11) and her family also grieve the death of her grandmother this week. We pray for all these families in this time of deep loss and pray that the gifts of their lives and the love of God bring them comfort as they grieve their deaths and celebrate their lives.
Until next week…
MATT