Catholic Culture

In February 2014, at the Congregation for Catholic Education held in the Vatican, Pope Francis made the following observation that "Catholic education institutions offer to all an approach to education that has as its aim the full development of the person, which responds to the right of every person access to knowledge", and "they are also called upon to offer the Christian belief that is to present Jesus Christ as the meaning of life, the cosmos and history." It is through daily prayer, prayer services, school liturgies, the sacraments, the integration of morals and values in academic studies, social interaction, and service to others that the school expresses its identity and reflects Jesus' message of love. At Mazenod we aim to find a balance between academic development, spiritual nourishment and good deeds - Head, Heart and Hands.

A Culture of Leadership A willingness to stand up for what is right and bear witness to the faith is an integral part of our Catholic culture identity. It sees opportunities for young men to challenge the injustices that occur around them and seek innovative ways to do something about it as part of the Social Justice group. There is opportunity to take up the leadership of liturgies and class spiritual activities. Meanwhile models of youth ministry like MAYO, CSYMA and Building Bridges Interfaith Dialogue group thrive in the fertile conditions of Mazenod, nurturing the leadership talents and opportunities of our young men.

A Culture of Reflection Blessed with the inclusion of the Oblate community here at Mazenod, we have been able to continue the tradition of daily Mass at 8.10 am. This gives each student the opportunity to be intrinsically involved in the various steps of preparation and ministry of a celebration of the Eucharist, as well as the confidence and engagement that we hope will inspire them to become more involved in the lives of their own Parishes. Morning prayers, Rosary and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament give students a regular and profound opportunity for reflection while the staff's passion for the teaching of Religious Education supports the place that spiritual reflection has in the daily life of the College. Furthermore, various Retreats and opportunities for the Sacrament of Reconciliation are designed to deepen the relationship with self, community and God for each of our students and staff.

A Culture of Service Guided by the message of St Eugene de Mazenod to 'Leave Nothing Undared for the Kingdom of God' Mazenod students are challenged to serve others. The staff and students are given many opportunities and much encouragement to assist those who are under resourced. Helping people, through raising donations for 'St Vinnies' or the developing world, giving blood, making a 'cuppa' for the homeless, lending an ear to elderly citizens or running activities at schools and neighbourhood houses, fills a need in the community but in many ways it also serves to ground the young men, enabling them to get perspective on what is important and how lucky they are. It is hoped that these opportunities will inspire the boys to see the value of their gifts and to continue to serve others long after their final days in a Mazenod classroom.

The balance between serving God through our Heads, our Hearts and our Hands is central to our Catholic culture identity. Providing opportunities to staff and students and an environment within which they can blossom is central to our mission at Mazenod. Elements of 'service for others' are intertwined so naturally with the opportunities for personal and spiritual growth. Essentially it is our goal that students 'enter to learn, but leave to serve', enriched by their experiences with us, aware of who they are in God's eyes and connected to their community at large.