Dear Ionians,

Welcome back for Term 4!

It’s hard to believe we’ve reached the final term of the school year - a time when excitement builds, achievements are celebrated, and we prepare to finish the year with gratitude and purpose.

October, in our Catholic tradition, is known as the ‘Month of the Holy Rosary’. During this time, the Church invites us to deepen our prayer life through the Rosary, reflecting on the life of Jesus with Mary, His Mother.

Late Pope Francis reminded us that the Rosary is a prayer for peace. On 1 October, during the General Audience, the Holy Father Pope Leo XIV noted: “As we begin October, the month dedicated to the Holy Rosary, I invite you to pray the Rosary every day for peace in the world”.

As a College community, let us take a few moments each day to pray for peace - peace in our hearts, our families, our communities, and especially in those places where conflict and suffering continue.

May our prayers unite us in hope and compassion, reminding us that even small acts of faith can bring light to the world.

During the recent school holidays, 21 Senior students, accompanied by four staff members, took part in a wonderful cultural immersion trip to Vietnam.

The group visited the Oblate Seminary, the formation house where more than 80 young men are studying for the priesthood, as well as the Oblate Orphanage Home, which cares for more than 70 children, many of whom are orphans, semi-orphans, or have been abandoned.

Our students also had the opportunity to visit community centres run by other missionaries and explore significant cultural and historical sites such as the Cu Chi Tunnels, Long Tan, and the War Memorial Museums.

It was truly a remarkable experience - one filled with learning, reflection, and the joy of service. Our students represented the College with great respect and compassion.

I want to sincerely thank our staff Mrs Liz Madden, Miss Amanda Mawston, and Mr Damian Jackson for their deep care, commitment, and tireless support throughout the journey.

A detailed report of the trip, along with photos, will be published soon in the upcoming edition of  In Hoc Signo.

This week, our Year 9 students gathered for their Formation Day, a special opportunity to pause from the busyness of school life and reflect on faith, friendship, and what it means to grow as young people in the spirit of the Gospel.

It was wonderful to see their engagement and openness throughout the day. My thanks go to the staff who helped create such a meaningful experience for them.

As we begin this final term, may we continue to walk together with faith and hope. Let us entrust this term to God’s care and to the loving intercession of Mary, our Mother, praying together: “Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us.”

Fr Joe Antony OMI
Rector