By Mr Patrick Donnely, Assistant Principal Mission and Identity 

Light the Lantern

For 2025, we have the theme of “Light the Lantern”, and the College has embraced this well. To keep us focused and reminded of what it means to “Light the Lantern”, each Pastoral Care class and staff team have been given the challenge to make their lanterns and each term they will add to the lantern, expressing their journey. By the end of the year, each lantern will be completed with the 2025 journey, demonstrating how they all took on the challenge of lighting the lantern.

When discerning this theme, two questions come to mind. How do I light the lantern? Who lights the lantern? Throughout 2025 the answers will become clear as students and staff will see themselves as the ones lighting the path as we journey together or as the ones following the light in those times requiring support. Understanding this will take time and experience to be able to witness the true message of “Light the Lantern”.

Jubilee Year – Pilgrims of Hope

A Jubilee Year, or Holy Year, is proclaimed every 25 years as a time for grace, forgiveness, and spiritual renewal. It is a chance for the faithful to go on pilgrimages, seek repentance, forgive others, and deepen their relationship with God. This tradition has roots in the Hebrew practice of celebrating Jubilees every 50 years, which involved freeing slaves and forgiving debts, as described in Leviticus. The first Christian Jubilee was declared by Pope Boniface VIII in 1300, and since then, each Jubilee has been an opportunity for believers to experience God's mercy and receive a plenary indulgence.

The 2025 Jubilee, themed “Pilgrims of Hope,” kicked off on 24 December 2024 with the Opening of the Holy Door of Saint Peter’s Basilica and finishes on 6 January 2026, the feast of the Epiphany. Catholic Religious Australia (CRA) has created a song and film that shows Australia how we are on the journey of faith, linking to the theme of being pilgrims of hope.

Masses, Liturgies and Retreats

This term we have many opportunities for our community to come together and celebrate in a range of ways. In Week 2 we started with the College Opening Mass.

This term, we will have our first House Mass with Donovan House. This will allow the entire House to journey together to St Mary’s Parish Church, celebrate all things Donovan and then return to the College as one House.

Also in this term, we will see Year 7 and 8 have their Retreat Days. This is a combination of staff led and Unleashing Personal Potential (UPP) activities. As always, through the term, we will see Pastoral Care Liturgies again with Romero and Rice starting us off for the year, followed by Donovan and McAuley in Term 2.

We look forward to what this year brings as we light the lantern and move into our pilgrimage as companions on the journey.