A very warm welcome to the beginning of the 2026 school year. I hope that the summer break provided space for rest, renewal and moments of joy with those you love, and that our community returns ready for all that this year will bring. A special welcome to our new Year 7 students and to all students and families who are joining Kilbreda College this year. We are delighted that you are here. One of the defining hallmarks of Kilbreda is our genuine sense of welcome, and it is our hope that you already feel a deep sense of belonging within our community.

Each year at Kilbreda we intentionally focus on one of our core values in the Brigidine tradition: Compassion, Courage, Hope, Hospitality, Justice and Wonder. These values are not abstract ideals; they shape how we live, learn, teach and relate to one another. In 2026, our focus value is Justice, a value that sits at the very heart of our Catholic faith and Brigidine heritage.

For St Brigid, justice was never separate from daily life. Her faith compelled her to respond to inequality, poverty and exclusion with practical compassion and courageous action. Justice, for Brigid, was about right relationship with God, with one another and with the earth itself. Her life reminds us that justice is not only about what we believe, but about how we act, especially in response to those on the margins.

At Kilbreda, justice is lived in countless visible and invisible ways each day: in classrooms where every student is valued and challenged, in relationships marked by respect and care, and in our commitment to social justice initiatives that invite students to see beyond themselves. Justice asks us to notice who is included, who is unheard and how we might respond with integrity, courage and hope.

It has been a wonderful beginning to the year, marked by a spirit of connection and purpose across the community. At our recent Assembly we acknowledged the remarkable academic achievements of the Class of 2025 and blessed our student College Leaders as they embark on their mission of service to the college in 2026. As a school, we also joined with other Brigidine schools and communities throughout the world to ‘Pause for Peace’ acknowledging St Brigid’s example in being peace-maker, a peace which our world desperately needs at this time.

In the coming weeks we will:

• Welcome our Year 7 Class of 2026 with the celebration of the Eucharist (12 February)
• Welcome all back to the College with our Commencement Eucharist and Commissioning of our Principal (17 February)
• Begin our Lenten journey on Ash Wednesday (18 February)
• Strengthen belonging and community amongst out new Year 7s through their Reflection Day (20 February).

As the year unfolds, students will be invited into deeper conversations and actions around justice through liturgy, curriculum, pastoral experiences and social justice opportunities.

May 2026 be a year where justice is not only named, but lived through kindness, courage, advocacy and faith in action. Inspired by St Brigid, may we continue to weave each student’s unique story into the rich tapestry of Kilbreda College, working together for a more just and hope-filled world.

John Riddle

Director of Catholic Identity and Mission