New Marist Secondary School to open in Bendigo

It was announced by the Diocesan Administrator of the Diocese of Sandhurst, Monsignor Frank Marriott, that the Marist Brothers will be establishing a new college in Maiden Gully, a developing region of the city of Bendigo. The new foundation is likely to commence in 2014. At a mutually convenient time, the Brothers will subsequently withdraw from the governance of Catholic College Bendigo (which we have jointly governed since 1983 with the Sisters of Mercy and the Diocese) to take up sole governance of the new school.

For some time now, the Diocese and the Governors of CCB have been looking for the best way to accommodate the increasing demand for Catholic education in Bendigo. After extensive consideration of the options, it was jointly decided that a separate school was the most effective way forward in the long‐term, rather than a third campus of CCB or some kind of federated model. The offer of the Marists take responsibility for the school was very warmly welcomed by all parties. Monsignor Marriott spoke with considerable feeling of his appreciation to the Marists for taking on this new venture in the Diocese. The news has also been well received in the wider Bendigo community.

This is an exciting initiative for Marist Schools Australia which will now have carriage of the project in partnership with the Diocese of Sandhurst. At the local level, it opens a new Marist chapter in Bendigo, in a story that first began in 1893 and has gone through a number of developments as needs and contexts have evolved. More generally, it signals that the Marist Brothers, through MSA, are looking to be part of the ongoing expansion of Catholic schools in this country, offering Marist spirituality and Marist education to serve the mission of the Church well into the future.

Yours sincerely

Brother Michael Green FMS