This Sunday was Good Shepherd Sunday. It is a day that has universally been recognised as being entirely appropriate given that it is the first Sunday that our new Pope, Pope Leo XIV, is our Shepherd of the Church.

Whilst there is much spoken via the media and social media about the procedure of electing a new Pope, what is less explored is the understanding that the Pope is believed to be chosen by God through the cardinals. We believe the Holy Spirit works through the College of the Cardinals during the conclave. Whilst voting is a human process, spiritual discernment is central to the process. The cardinals spend time in prayer, seeking wisdom and guidance. Through this reflection, God inspires the hearts and minds of the cardinals to select the one who is called to serve as the Successor of Saint Peter. Therefore, the Pope is called by God through the Church to lead, teach and unify us.

Importantly, we recognise that popes are human. The interviews with Pope Leo’s brothers were the most telling of this humanness. Stories of him growing up and how his brothers used to tease him about becoming Pope because, as a boy, he would pretend to officiate Mass allow us to revel in the ordinary. This does not make our new Pope less sacred; it ensures his relatedness. It highlights that God can work through us all and that the Pope has accepted a calling to lead his flock with humility, wisdom and faithfulness – such as his predecessor Francis did.

Looking towards the future, just as some of our Year 7s asked, what will the new Pope be like? The first words Pope Leo XIV spoke were the same as those we reflected on in our last newsletter. Peace be with you – the same words that Jesus said to the disciples when he appeared to them after his resurrection. Peace be with you - in moments of fear, of doubt, of uncertainty. Peace be with you – have courage and fear not. Pope Leo XIV finished his address by speaking of a vision and a mission for us all to seek together, (we must be) a missionary Church, a Church that builds bridges, dialogue, always open to welcome … and much like the charism of the Order of Saint Augustine we approach all with veritas and Caritas – Truth and Love.

Term 2 has had a fabulously chaotic start. With so many events crammed in, it is hard to keep track of all that has been achieved in such a short time frame. It is important that we take the time to reflect on recent events and thank the staff who made the events such a wonderful success and celebration of our community.

Such great thanks go to our Senior Pastoral Leader, Codie Ellis, for a beautiful celebration. Others we need to thank are Theresa Bourke, Kate Santo and Stevie Meerdink for their hard work. We thank Greg Convery for his time and energy in teaching the dances and etiquette of the evening; it is so greatly appreciated. Thank you, Pat Donnelly and Bianca Retallick, for their witty repartee and John Hodder for his efforts in photography. Thank you to Donna Williams and the students who gave their time to serve our Year 12 students and their families. Thank you also to all the staff who volunteered on the night – the efforts of all were so clearly valued and ensured that the evening was one of elegance and joy and befitting the theme of Light the Lanterns.

Having been postponed at the end of last term, the 2025 Cross Country and Donovan House charity activity – the March Charge, were held at the beginning of Term 2. Congratulations to Program Leader Sports, Tom Duggan, and Donovan House Leaders Amy Ryan and Hannah Hamilton, who ensured our community enjoyed a fabulous day. Congratulations also go to McAuley House for gaining Champion Cross Country House for 2025 and Romero House for earning the Lee Gunderman Spirit Award for Cross Country 2025.

Many thanks to Riley Salter and Pat Donnelly for their work and delivery of yet another sacred ANZAC Day Liturgy. The liturgy was made more poignant with the playing of the Last Post on a bugle by Faith and Social Justice Leader Abby Hammond in recognition of her family’s service and sacrifice over the past 100+ years. Thank you also goes to our College and House Leaders and the many other students who joined the Warwick community at the Dawn Service and the March.

We would also like to recognise Shane Walker's contribution to the delivery of the keynote address and his time helping the staff and students of Assumption College prepare for the liturgy.

Congratulations to Rice House leaders Jack Coleman and Ashton Costello; on Friday, 9 May 2025, these leaders undertook the call to raise awareness and take action against bullying. With a visual display of words and blue butterflies, these leaders encouraged us all to work together to prevent bullying within our community and support those affected by it.

Congratulations to the Senior Rugby League and Senior Netball teams for their achievements at the Mercy Shield. The Rugby League team were runners up for the carnival, and the Netball team returned with the shield for the first time; it was a great display of sportspersonship, camaraderie and grit. Thank you to Tom Duggan, Dimity Gardner, Jack Duggan and Lexi Lever for the gift of their time and expertise.

Many thanks to all the parents and students who engaged in our conferences. The opportunity for dialogue, specifically relating to your child’s learning progress, is such a vital part of their educational journey. These conferences were further enhanced through the introduction of Live Feedback. I would like to take the opportunity to thank Anna Hardy and Pat Donnelly for their presentations and assistance to parents in setting up their CANVAS observers accounts.

Assumption College celebrated Mother’s Day on Friday, 9 May 2025. We sincerely thank Kimberley Nelson for her organisation of this event, as well as Marita Lunney, who started preparations before her departure. Once again, there were so many volunteers, including staff and students, who joined together to celebrate the significant women in our students’ lives. With over 230 breakfasts enjoyed, these events are such an important part of our culture.

A review of the timing of the Year 12 Formal was undertaken by the College. This included current Year 12 students, Year 11 parents and the members of the College’s and Middle Leadership Teams. After a final survey, it has been determined that in 2026, the Year 12 Formal will return to an end-of-year event and celebration. This will replace the Valedictory Dinner that was introduced to the College in 2020 owing to a lifting of the then COVID restrictions.

We thank all the people involved in deciding the best time to host this important event and look forward to sharing further news relating to this event in the coming weeks.