ARCHDIOCESE OF MELBOURNE REPORT:
| More than 2000 students at St Patrick's Day Mass |
 Friday 16 March 2012By David Ahern, Catholic Education Office Melbourne The St Patrick’s Day celebrations kicked off early for more than 2000 Catholic school students who attended a Mass in honour of the popular Irish saint yesterday. View gallery The celebration of the life of one of the Catholic Church’s most famous saints included a vibrant student procession into St Patrick’s Cathedral, with Catholic schools celebrating major milestones and new Catholic schools leading the parade, including St Francis of Assisi in Tarneit and St Joseph’s Flexible Learning Centre (FLC), North Melbourne. Two Irish pipers added colour to the occasion, as students in full school uniform and holding school flags marched proudly into the cathedral. Dignitaries at the Mass, which is always a major highlight during Catholic Education Week, included the Premier Ted Baillieu, the Deputy Premier, Peter Ryan and Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews. This year’s Catholic Education Week theme was ‘Throw Open the Doors — Let in the Light’. A mass choir involved students from St Gregory the Great Primary, Doncaster, Avila College, Mount Waverly, and St Kevin’s College, Toorak. The Archbishop of Melbourne, Denis Hart, was the main celebrant, assisted by priests from parishes throughout the Archdiocese. Many had an ear out for the rain following a heavy downpour during the Mass but thankfully the skies cleared for the concert in the Treasury Gardens. Students in their school groups wandered down to the usually tranquil gardens which came alive for the St Patrick’s Day Concert. Enjoying a picnic lunch on the lawns, students rocked to the sounds of the navy band and musical entertainment provided by students from four Catholic schools: Resurrection School, Keysborough, St Monica’s, Footscray, St Matthew’s, Fawkner North and Star of the Sea, Gardenvale. Executive Director of Catholic Education, Stephen Elder, said the Mass and the Concert were a wonderful opportunity for Catholic school students to celebrate their Catholic faith and the life of a great saint. “Saint Patrick was a great missionary in Ireland and his legacy lives on, not just for the many people of Irish heritage now living in Australia but for all Australians," he said. “Catholic Education Week has become one of the major events on the Catholic education calendar, and is a chance to acknowledge the work and wonderful achievements of our principals, teachers and students in Catholic schools." Photos by Timothy Burgess http://www.cam.org.au/melbourne-news/more-than-2000-students-at-st-patricks-day-mass.html |
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