16 MAR 2026 Deputy Principal: Faith & Mission

Term 1 in any school is busy: getting ready, establishing habits and focusing on the goals for the year. In Catholic schools, there is the added feature of the Lenten Season; one which also asks us to get ready, to establish habits of prayer, penance and almsgiving, and to look forward with hope to the season of Easter.

At Kolbe Catholic College, students are offered the chance to pray daily during PC time, with reflections on the Gospel of the day, or Feast days of importance. In this way, as teachers and leaders, we work with our parents to continue to inspire our students to seek and recognise God’s unique call in their life and equip them to explore their own journey of faith, growing in confidence to be witnesses to the Gospel message. 

Here at Kolbe, the Lenten Season began acknowledging Shrove Tuesday, where the college community was invited to share pikelets to signify the traditional day of indulgence. This event was our way of supporting Project Compassion from Caritas Australia, raising money and awareness of the needs of others in the world. Thank you to those who were able to support this cause. Find here a link to the Kolbe Project Compassion page for those who wish to donate.

Shrove Tuesday was not all about gluttony though. To help staff and students to foster a deeper connection with God and one another through Lent, our St Clare of Assisi Campus (Greenvale) was offered the chance to engage in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We were grateful for Father Godfrey of Our Lady’s and Father Samuel of Good Shepherd for offering the sacrament of individual reconciliation to students at lunchtime. It was a very moving experience to see so many students come along, seeking the sacrament, to prepare for the day of Fast and Abstinence of Ash Wednesday, and the season of Lent ahead. 

In that same week, the College marked the start of the school year by celebrating together our opening school Mass on Thursday 19 February. Father George Varisingal from Our Lady’s Parish of Craigieburn and Roxburgh Park, and Father Mahir Murad from Our Lady Guardian of Plants led us in the Eucharist, for the first time with our new Year 7s from the Mickleham campus, and it was a significant sight to see the growth of our college in the numbers of staff and students seated in the stadium. Father Mahir spoke powerfully about the importance of seeing God in everyone we encounter, emphasising the central message that we should offer unconditional love to all people.

Throughout the remainder of Term 1, Kolbe has offered students various opportunities for spiritual growth. Our new Year 7s have engaged in their first Reflection Day, with Youth Mission Team (YMT) helping them to explore their relationship with self, others and God in games and reflective activities. The St Catherine of Bologna Campus (Mickleham) was lucky to have Father Rob Galea conduct a Teaching Mass, where he explained for the students, the meaning behind various words or actions within our Eucharist celebration. Father Galea will visit our St Catherine campus students later in the year.

There are other activities offered by the Melbourne Archdiocese this term, and some Kolbe students will have a chance to attend. Our Year 11 student leaders will shortly attend Catholic Education Week Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral Friday 20 March, followed by a young adults symposium where they will learn about the ACU Young Leaders Program.

As many of you know, Kolbe brought some Year 9 students to the Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF) in the City of Melbourne December 2025. We hope to bring a few of those students to a reunion of ACYF in late March to continue the joy that was ignited during that time.

All in all, Kolbe has started the year well, keeping its focus not only on academic studies but on daily nurturing its relationship with Christ so we continue to grow as a prayerful discipleship community. Let’s continue journeying towards Easter together remembering Father Mahir’s homily to love everyone: ‘Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ - Matthew 25:40

Siobhan Loukomitis
Deputy Principal: Faith and Mission