The Province Star of the Sea opens 3 new schools
The start of the 2025 school year in the Province of Star of the Sea has begun with the opening of three new Marist schools. Two schools are in Australia, Archdiocesan schools with a deliberately chosen Marist charism, the St Marcellin Catholic College, at Madora Bay (Westerns Australia) and the Notre Dame College, in Bells Creek, North of Brisbane. And the third school was opened in East Timor.
Marist Schools Australia has been collaborating closely with the Archdiocesan authorities and College Executives. Both australian schools have recently enjoyed staff development days facilitated by the Mission and Life Formation Team.
In Timor Leste, in the District of Lautem, Colégio Marista started its activities on 3rd February! Among the foundation staff members are: Br Paul Kane (Principal) and Brothers Jacinto and Joel.
About the first day in the Colégio Marista, Br. Paul Kane wrote:
To borrow a metaphor the ball has been bounced! Colégio Marista Lautem is up and running.
After two weeks of staff preparation, we welcomed the students (3 February) for their first day at their new school.
In this, the first year of the College, we have just two year groups – Year 1 and Year 3. The school will grow year by year until it is a full Year 1 to Year 12 school with a boarding section for the secondary years. Brother Joel and Ana Veronica are the Year 1 teachers and Brother Jacinto and Julieta are the Year 3 teachers. We have chosen to use team-teaching since some teachers are in their first year of teaching or in the early stages. Senor Augusto Ornai is the Director and Senor Humberto Cardoso is the Administration Person.
Unfortunately, the school, which is located at Sika about ten minutes’ drive from the Lautem township, is not ready for occupancy. Because of this, we are having to operate for some weeks out of the Lautem parish centre, which is a spacious structure which we (Marists) refurbished a few years back.
After a welcome assembly, the students and staff piled into two trucks to visit the school site. Their eyes were all agog as they walked around a complex like no other school in Timor-Leste. Several parents came along as well. One dad remarked “I have goose-bumps just looking”.
In recent weeks, we conducted meetings – one with the Local Government Authorities and another with the Parents. Both occasions were opportunities to speak about the Marist School, Marcellin Champagnat and Marist Education. The local people are clearly appreciative of the Marists coming to their area and establishing a Marist school.
In welcoming the students I invited the students to make a promise: Let us all promise to work together to make this a very happy school.
We pray that all that everything we accomplish here will be inspired by our College motto: In the way of Mary (Dalan Na’in Feto Nian).