Last week, as we gathered for our Opening College Mass in this our 122nd year, we were invited into a sacred and shared responsibility, to be stewards of Brigid’s flame and to bring light to our world.

Beneath the quiet strength of our Brigidine story, we stood once again before the flame that has guided generations before us – a flame first carried by the courageous and visionary Brigidine Sisters, whose faith, fortitude and kindliness gave life to Kilbreda College.

It was a profound honour to be commissioned as Principal in that moment, to receive that flame not as something new, but as something entrusted, to be tended, protected and shared.

And over the past fortnight, we have seen it shine.

We have seen it in the eloquence and confidence of our senior debaters, and we congratulate Rhiannán Marie-Jeanne on being awarded Best Speaker. We have seen it in the perseverance of our CGSAV Tennis team, finishing runners-up in a closely fought final. We have seen it in the leadership of our Year 9 students as they stepped into the surf life-saving experience with enthusiasm and courage.

We have heard it in the voices of our Kilbreda Chorale at Mass. We have felt it in the spirit of our House Captains as they prepare for the Swimming Carnival. We have witnessed it in the reverence of students who led our Ash Wednesday liturgies and in the quiet bravery of those applying for leadership roles.

Light is rarely loud. It is steady. It is generous. It grows when it is shared.  And it is alive in this community.

The Golden Thread

I often speak of the golden thread that connects past, present and future generations of Kilbreda College. That thread was beautifully visible last week during our inaugural Generational Photoshoot, as second, third and fourth generation students gathered with mothers and grandmothers. There was laughter, storytelling and quiet pride. In those moments, we saw that the flame is not only carried forward – it is handed on.

Each student adds her own strand to this tapestry. Each family strengthens the story. Together, we continue to weave a community marked by Strength and Kindliness.

Into the Wilderness

As we now enter the season of Lent, the Gospel reminds us that light is often formed in the wilderness. Before beginning his public ministry, Jesus spent forty days in the desert – a place of testing, clarity and renewal.

The wilderness is not simply a place of hardship. It is a place where distractions fall away and purpose becomes clearer. It invites honesty. It calls us to listen more deeply to God, to one another and to the quiet stirrings of our own conscience.

For us, Lent is not about grand gestures. It is about intention. It is about choosing compassion over indifference, courage over comfort and generosity over self-interest. It is about noticing those on the margins and asking how we might make the needs of the vulnerable paramount in our daily decisions.

To be Stewards of Brigid’s Flame in this season is to carry light gently but deliberately in our classrooms, on the sporting field, in our friendships and within our families. It is to allow the wilderness moments of our lives to shape us into people of Strength and Kindliness.

May this Lenten journey steady us, deepen us and remind us that even in quiet places, the flame continues to burn.

A Time To Pause

We hold our Year 12 students especially in our thoughts as they prepare for their upcoming Retreat.

In what is a significant and demanding year, Retreat offers something precious – space: space to step back, to reflect on the journey that has shaped them, and to consider the young women they are becoming.

Like the wilderness of Lent, Retreat is not about doing more, but about listening more deeply – with gratitude for friendships formed, challenges overcome and growth quietly unfolding across their years at Kilbreda.

May this time strengthen their sense of purpose and deepen their awareness of the light they carry within. As they enter the final stretch of their journey, we look forward to welcoming them back renewed, reflective and ready to lead with Strength and Kindliness.

In Partnerships

As we continue to strengthen the partnership between home and school, we look forward to welcoming parents and carers to our Year 7 – 9 Meet the Team evening on Wednesday 4 March. This gathering provides students with the opportunity to introduce their families to their subject teachers and to deepen the relationships that support learning and wellbeing. When families and educators work together with shared purpose and trust, young people flourish. We warmly encourage all parents and carers to join us as we continue to nurture a community grounded in connection, high expectations and care.

As we move further into this term, may we continue to tend the flame entrusted to us – drawing strength from those who have gone before, walking gently through the wilderness moments that shape us, and weaving our own strand into the golden thread of Kilbreda College. Together, in partnership and with hope, may we remain a community where light is carried with courage, learning is pursued with purpose and Strength and Kindliness guide all that we do.

Stephanie Smyth

Principal