Catholic Identity and Mission
Mass Celebrating 121 Years of Kilbreda College
On 7 August we celebrated Mass as a community, 121 years since the foundation of Kilbreda. This was a wonderful event with Mass celebrated by Fr Peter in thanksgiving for all that Kilbreda has and continues to be for so many people. We gave thanks for the Brigidine Sisters and the amazing legacy they have given us. Mass was also offered for the repose of the soul of Sr Angela Ryan. Our sincere thanks to all students who participated to make this such a special time for the College and of course to Ms Carole Downie for all her organisation of the day.
Of course, at the conclusion of Mass, we were also given the wonderful news that Ms Stephanie Smyth will be the 16th Principal of Kilbreda. We pray that God will bless her in this ministry and service to our amazing students and community.
Introducing Brigid’s Bites
Our tremendous Living Justice Leaders and team, led by Olivia Murphy and Zoe Fitzgerald, have proposed a bold new initiative for our community. Inspired by the Gospel, Brigidine tradition, our College values and mission, the team have focused on the local issue of poverty, homelessness and food insecurity. Utilising the ‘See, Judge, Act’ method grounded in Catholic Social Teaching, the team proposed a free food service to operate once a week out of the College. This will be open to all in our community with specific focus on those experiencing homelessness, food insecurity and social isolation. This program will begin soon and occur on Friday afternoons. From the student’s proposal:
Brigid’s Bites aims to:
- Address immediate hunger in the local community with dignity and warmth.
- Foster a spirit of service and empathy among students and the wider school community.
- Offer meaningful, real-world opportunities to live out the values central to Kilbreda College’s identity and the Church’s social mission.
The students have identified their vision for the program as:
“A place of welcome and nourishment every Friday…where dignity is served, stories are shared, and all are seen.”
This proposal was submitted to the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) Rerum Novarum awards and was awarded an initial grant of $1,000 to establish the program.
More information about how the community can be involved will follow soon. This is an amazing student-led initiative tackling real world issues with care and compassion and our student Living Justice Leaders are to be commended for their work in making this a reality.
St Brigid of Kildare,
woman of wisdom, warmth, and welcome
inspire us to create spaces of belonging and joy,
to serve with humility, and
to live with hearts open wide.
May the flame of Brigid burn in our hearts,
reminding us that hospitality is holiness
and every chat, every shared laugh,
every act of kindness
can be a prayer.
All: Amen.
St Brigid – Pray for us.
Director of Catholic Identity and Mission
Head of Counselling Services