Mary MacKillop Catholic College | Mary MacKillop Catholic College

I am thrilled to share the wonderful experience of attending the recent JJAMM (Joseph, Julian, and Mary MacKillop) Student Conference in North Sydney. This annual event brings together students from various Josephite schools and colleges across Australia and New Zealand to celebrate our shared values, foster leadership skills, and build a sense of community. I thank Erin O’Rourke (Evangelisation Captain) and Remi O’Donoghue (College Captain) for giving up their time to attend.

From the moment we arrived, the energy and enthusiasm were palpable. The attending students are the elected student leaders of our schools, and they really do show just how impactful and positive our young people can be.

Throughout the conference, our students participated in a variety of workshops designed to enhance their understanding of the burning social justice issues of today, leadership skills and promote teamwork. These interactive sessions provided valuable opportunities for them to collaborate with their peers from other schools, exchange ideas, and develop new perspectives. It was inspiring to witness the creativity and innovation that emerged from these collaborative efforts.

The most inspiring moments were led by Sr Jan Barnett rsj, the Sister of St Joseph who leads the Josephite Justice Network and is a legend in the Josephite educational community. Her words always resonate deeply, reminding us of the strength we possess to challenge injustice and use our gifts to support all in our society. Her ongoing message was a powerful reminder of the values and faith we strive to instil in our students every day.

One of the most profound experiences for our students was the opportunity to lead prayer for the 100 other students at Mary MacKillop's tomb. This allowed them to connect deeply with her legacy and engage their peers in faith. I was so proud that students felt a sense of reverence and inspiration, understanding the significance of her work and the impact it continues to have today. This moment of reflection was a powerful reminder of the values of service, compassion, and resilience that Mary MacKillop embodied.

The conference has really filled me with pride and optimism for the future. I feel it has left a lasting impression on our students, empowering them to become compassionate leaders and active contributors to society. I am confident that the lessons learned, and the connections made will continue to inspire and motivate our students in their academic and personal journeys.

Since returning from the JJAMM conference, Erin and Remi have reflected on their time in Sydney.

From Erin: The conference was an amazing experience and opportunity to learn more about the Josephites and how they show leadership advocating for others. My highlight was the experience to meet amazing and passionate leaders from other schools who were supportive and friendly. We have come back with lots of ideas that will engage the College community in social justice causes. Our first one will be on International Women's Day, so look out for that coming up in the next few weeks.

From Remi: The conference was an amazing experience, filled with kind, friendly people and plenty of information to learn. Personally, I really enjoyed getting to meet new people and learning about Joseph, Julian and Mary MacKillop, and their leadership styles. My favourite part of the trip would be the support of the community we grew in the span of 4 days, where everyone felt welcome and happy to be there. There was plenty to learn and bring back from this trip, and I am excited to start implementing more passion and advocacy within the College, informing younger students and, hopefully, becoming a better leader.

I hope students in lower grades look at the JJAMM conference as something they would like to attend in the future.

Mr Chris Gabbett
College Principal

Tuesday, 4 March (Week 6) is Shrove Tuesday. Importantly, the term "Shrove Tuesday" derives from the act of Anglo-Saxon Christians confessing their sins before Lent, thus being “shriven” of them. Of course, there are many other names for this important day which we celebrate in the Catholic tradition, including Fat Tuesday (or Mardi Gras in French) and Pancake Tuesday. No matter what we call it, this is the final day before Ash Wednesday and the commencement of Lent.

Throughout the centuries it’s become tradition for people to eat pancakes to mark the beginning of Lent to use up ingredients that they wouldn’t be allowed to eat during the 40-day period, which is how Pancake Day obtained its name.

At Mary MacKillop Catholic College, students partake in various activities on Shrove Tuesday. These are outlined below. Further information via EdSmart will be sent to families in the coming week, regarding purchasing pancakes and Junior students' participation in Carnivale.

Junior School

Carnivale

This year, students in Prep to Year 6 will continue the MMCC tradition of celebrating Carnivale (or Carnevale) by wearing brightly coloured or glittery masks to school on Shrove Tuesday. Our Junior students have done a fantastic job of donning these masks over the past few years. We can't wait to see your wonderful masks!

Senior School

House Pancake Relays, Pancake Flipping Competitions and PC Trivia.

While the Senior students won't participate in wearing masks for Carnivale this year, we look forward to continuing some traditions of the past, including the annual House Pancake Relays in Ignatius at first break! To add to this, Senior students will also have the chance to compete in a pancake flipping competition to see which student can flip a pancake the most times. During PC time on Tuesday, 4 March, Year 6 to 12 students will also participate in Shrove Tuesday Trivia. Details about these competitions will be provided for Senior students, via morning notices and emails, in the coming weeks.

Whole College

Pancake purchases

The College Cafe will again be selling pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. Students can purchase one pancake with butter and jam for $2.00. Importantly, 25c will go to Project Compassion for each pancake purchased by our students. There will be a limited number available and pancakes will be for sale via Flexischools only. Please keep an eye on your emails for more information about purchasing.

The pancakes are available at first break to students from Prep to Year 12.

The beginning of Project Compassion

From Ash Wednesday, students in their Junior classes and Senior Pastoral Care groups will be called to considered what they can both give up or sacrifice, or what they can do for others during the 40 days of Lent. Junior School families will be provided with Project Compassion donation boxes. In Senior School, students are encouraged to donate to their Pastoral Care Project Compassion box. As always, families can also donate via the online donation link found on the side of the Project Compassion boxes.

We look forward to celebrating Shrove Tuesday and observing the beginning of Lent, which is one of the most important traditions on our Liturgical calendar.

Mrs Paula O'Rourke & Mrs Leisa Radley
Assistant Principal Mission & Identity & Director of Formation and College Culture

As we journey through life, we often encounter moments that challenge our faith and hope. This week, we reflect on the story of The Boy Jesus in the Temple from Luke 2:41-52. This passage offers a profound lesson on hope, trust, and the growth of our children.

Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travellers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.

After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, ‘Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.’ He said to them, ‘Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favour.

In this story, we see Mary and Joseph experiencing great anxiety when they realize Jesus is missing. Their search for Him is filled with worry and fear, emotions that any parent can relate to. However, their story also brings a message of hope. When they find Jesus in the temple, He is not lost but is exactly where He needs to be, growing in wisdom and understanding.

This passage reminds us that even in moments of uncertainty, there is hope. Our children, like Jesus, are on their own journeys of growth and discovery. As parents, we may not always understand their paths, but we can trust that they are in God's hands, learning and growing in ways that will lead them to fulfill their unique purposes.

Here are some ideas that you can try as a family to foster Hope:

Family Discussion: Share a time when you felt worried about your child and how you found hope in that situation.
Prayer Time: Spend time praying together as a family, asking for guidance and trust in God's plan.
Encouragement Notes: Write notes of encouragement to your children, reminding them of their strengths and the hope you have for their future.
May this story inspire you to embrace hope and trust in the journey of your children. Let us treasure these moments in our hearts, just as Mary did, and support our children as they grow in wisdom and favor.

God's blessings on you all,

Paula O'Rourke
Assistant Principal Mission and Identity

Last week, across the College, we celebrated Affirmation Week which concluded on Friday with St. Valentine's Day. Rather than romantic love and commercialisation which tend to be what our society associates with this week, at MMCC the focus is on scriptural notion of fraternal love or a love for one's neighbour.

We commenced the week with a prayer in Pastoral Care and Junior classes which reflected the themes of both 1 Corinthians 13 and John 13. Often, we hear 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 recited at weddings, the words of St Paul reminding us that "love is patient, love is kind". In fact, there are 15 qualities of love outlined in this passage, including that love is not envious, it is not self-seeking, it protects, trusts, hopes and always perseveres. Additionally, in John's gospel, Jesus proclaims the New Commandment to "love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another". These scriptural beliefs about love for God, self and others–namely because we are disciples of Christ–underpin the reason why staff and students use this week to write affirmations.

During Week 3, as we write to others, some students affirm those who have qualities they admire. Others prefer to write a note of gratitude to a teacher or another student who may have supported them. Others again look for the vulnerable in their homes or classrooms and write a note of affirmation to someone who may be having a hard time. No matter who our students write their affirmation to, they are reminded that we seek to uphold the dignity of the human person in all whom we encounter because we "love one another" in the same way God loves us. When we affirm others, we are telling them that they are valued; they have inherent worth because they are created in the image and likeness of God.

In the Senior School, we wrapped up the week with a Saint Valentine's Day prayer at assembly. Most students are unaware of the history of Saint Valentine. His story is unfortunately overtaken by commercialisation of this day. Interestingly though, as Penola 02 explained in their assembly prayer, there are many stories about this man and confusion about whether there was more than one “Valentine”.

An Italian doctor, who later became a priest, was sent to jail for performing weddings for couples during a time when new marriages were outlawed in ancient Rome. During the reign of Emperor Claudius II, he outlawed weddings. Claudius wanted to recruit lots of men to be soldiers in his army and thought that marriage would be an obstacle to recruiting new soldiers.

Before Valentine was killed for refusing to give up his faith, he sent a loving note to the daughter of his jailer. She was a child he had been helping to teach. He signed the note: “From your Valentine” which inspired people to begin writing their own loving messages to people on Valentine’s Feast Day.

While there is, of course, still contention around this account and the true identity of this famous saint, Valentine's story reminds us that before flowers and chocolates, there was a man who was committed to his faith; the love he showed others was spurred by this commitment.

Thank you to all staff and students who participated in Affirmation Week across the College! We hope some little notes or hearts came home via lunchboxes, or in Homelinks bags!

Leisa Radley
Director of Formation and College Culture (7-12)

Junior College Swimming Carnival

It was the perfect day to be poolside for our Year 3 – 6 students on Thursday, 6 February, who participated in competitive and novelty events throughout the day in a great show of participation, competition and sportsmanship.

The swimming was as enthusiastic as the war cries and cheering as Penola, Cunningham, McCormack and Tenison houses battled it out for points.

Well done to all students who competed, with some great times and personal bests recorded. The noodle race events were also contested with much fun, and a tough battle was also fought in the stands with house groups vying for the best – and loudest! – display of team spirit.

This year we are excited to introduce the Culture Cup to be awarded at College sporting events to acknowledge and celebrate house spirit, enthusiasm, engagement and teamwork. The encouragement and energy on show from all students at our Junior Swimming Carnival made it a tough call to pick a clear winner. From the proud and creative show of house colours, the loud cheers and war cries, and the unwavering sportsmanship and mateship, every moment was a testament to the power of partnership.

Congratulations to our Age Champions and Runners Up mentioned below.

Congratulations to McCormack House, our first recipients of the Inaugural Culture Cup. Your boundless encouragement and energy, both in the pool and in the stands is a testament to passion and partnership.

Congratulations to Cunningham House who were the competitive events winners for the day, taking home the Mary MacKillop Swimming Trophy for 2025.

Thank you to the parents and spectators for supporting the event and to the staff who made the day so successful.

TCPSSA Swimming Carnival

Toowoomba Catholic Primary School Sporting Association (TCPSSA) swimming carnival was held last Thursday at The Glennie School. We took a strong team of 29 students from Year 3 to Year 6, who competed in a variety of events. The day was filled with enthusiasm, team spirit, sportsmanship and ribbons.

Go Team Mary Mac!

QCIS Swimming Carnival

On Wednesday, 19 February, Mary MacKillop Catholic College proudly sent a team of 30 talented swimmers to compete in the QCIS Swimming Carnival. Our team, comprising of our best swimmers aged 10 to 19, showcased their dedication, skill, and sportsmanship throughout the event.

Each swimmer gave their absolute best, representing our College with pride and determination. Their hard work and commitment were evident in every race, and they truly embodied the spirit of our school community.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the swimmers for their outstanding performances and for making our College proud. A special thank you to the staff, parents, and supporters who contributed to this successful event. Your encouragement and support are invaluable.

Go Mary MacKillop Catholic College!

Troy Brunner & Carmen Campbell
Middle Leader Sports & Student Engagement & Junior Sports Teacher

	Age Champion	Runner Up
9 Years - Boys	Eli Connor	Beau Lotz
9 Years - Girls	Madeline Sheedy	Audrey Siebenhausen
10 Years - Boys	Tim Watt	Noah Wight
10 Years - Girls	Emily Cowie	Matilda Pigozzo
11 Years - Boys	Declan Stokes	Mikah Kouokam
11 Years – Girls	Lilliana McCotter	Dylan York
12 Years - Boys	Alfie Lever	Tyler Dean
12 Years - Girls	Elliana Campbell	Lily Watt

Welcome back to school. It is wonderful to see all the students buzzing around the College. I would like to introduce myself, Mrs Andrea Goddard, I am the new Careers Development Practitioner. I have almost 30 years of teaching experience and have a passion for guiding students on their chosen pathway. I look forward to working with the students from Years 7 to 12 throughout their journey of secondary education and beyond.

I would like to thank Ms Jennifer Stevenson for her dedication to the CDP role over the years and wish her all the success in her new role.

Many of our 2024 Graduates have accepted places to university, decided on a gap year, started full time work or apprenticeships in a wide range of fields. Congratulations to them on their hard work and persistence in achieving their goals.

University Showcase

We would like to commend the students on their positive attitude, manners and relevant questions when attending the University Showcase last Monday. We hosted 10 representatives from Universities, QTAC and ADF in Queensland, Tasmania and Northern NSW. It is important that the students get to speak with hosts about their experiences and listen to opportunities.

White Card – General Construction Induction Training

Students attended the White Card induction course here at MMCC. This was a great opportunity for the students who will enter work construction sites for Work Experience. Each year we host this opportunity, so if you are interested in any type of construction keep an eye out for an email regarding this course in 2026.

Work Experience

The Year 10 Work Experience agreements should now all be in and contact with employees should have been made. Students will be attending a Workplace Health and Safety and Rights at Work talk at school in the coming weeks. Students will need to complete modules on their Careers Portal before attending Work Experience and email the certificate once completed to higyourpathway@twb.catholic.edu.au .

Year 11 and 12, please remember that you are able to also attend extra Work Experience over school holidays. Please see your Pathways Team to discuss and arrange the paperwork. Students looking to set up SBA’s please make contact with the Pathways Team to discuss the procedure if you have not touched base in 2025.

Brisbane University Tour – Griffith, UQ and QUT

Year 11 students will need to sign up for the Brisbane University tour on Thursday, 27 March. Places are limited. If you cannot find the permission slip, please email higyourpathway@twb.catholic.edu.au and we will resend this to you.