MOCA

Old Collegians’ Association

“All the world is a village”, and throughout this past year, this emphatic claim has been tangibly manifested by our Mazenod Old Collegians’ Association (MOCA). Despite the restrictions on our ability to gather in person, we have utilised a number of electronic and communications devices in order to ensure that our connections as a united Old Boys’ Association have remained intact. Nevertheless, when opportunities prevailed, it was great to catch up in person with many of our Old Boys and their families.

This included having our Old Boy, Gerard McCulloch, speak at our Mother’s Day dinner this year. In presenting Gerard to our audience of predominantly mothers who are associated with our College, I recalled and described Gerard’s brilliant ability to make people laugh. When he was a student, I remembered that Gerard’s sharp wit and great oratory skills made him an excellent public speaker, as well as an actor in many of our College productions.

Furthermore, throughout this year, I had the privilege of working in the canteen at a few of the Panthers’ Football Club gatherings. It was great to see so many of our Old Boys supporting our young people as trainers, coaches, mentors and as grounds and canteen staff.

In fact, one of the greatest joys I experience as the Mazenod College Staff Liaison for MOCA is the wonderful opportunity that I have to share in the lives of our Mazenod Old Boys. I fervently believe that our Old Boys are a fundamental part of our College; they are definitively part of the Mazenod College community for life. Irrespective of the situations involved, our Old Boys are always very welcome to contact me and to be in touch with MOCA. I encourage our Old Boys and their families to telephone us, write to us, or just visit us. I wish to remind our Old Boys that we are able to provide friendship, assistance, or even just be there to share a laugh and reminiscence about old times, as we tour the College together.

There are a plethora of situations in which I have the immense blessing and privilege of catching up with our Old Boys. For many of our Old Boys, this often involves providing references for employment or for other circumstances. At times, our Old Boys require connections with tradespeople, business or career opportunities. Moreover, it is delightful to hear about exciting and happy events that are happening in the lives of our Old Boys. Certainly, one of the greatest privileges that I derive from working with our Old Boys and their families is that I am often invited to share in some of the most significant experiences in their lives. These include being present with them, and journeying with them throughout their studies; career choices; the births of their children; baptisms and weddings. At other times, there are the difficulties of personal or family illnesses, tragedies, deaths and funerals. MOCA seeks to embrace and to accompany our Old Boys though their lives.

My heartfelt and sincere thanks to all of the MOCA Committee, and to all our Old Boys and their families for the profound blessing of being able to share in their lives. As our Mazenod College anthem exhorts us, may “our friendships formed here ever flourish and grow”.

Tina Giacco Old Collegians Liaison