IT was a homecoming of sorts for Mary MacKillop College, Nundah, on Brisbane’s northside.
After more than 50 years in the hands of the Sisters of St Joseph, the governance of the college has been officially handed over to Brisbane Catholic Education.
College principal Niall Coburn said exciting times lay ahead for the college community.
“It is a transition from one form of governance to another, but it’s also a bit of a homecoming for us,” he said.
“This is a MacKillop school and St Mary MacKillop started Catholic education, so it makes sense that a Mac-Killop school would go back to Catholic Education and bring with it all our heritage.”
Mr Coburn said BCE had been generous in its welcome and support and showed genuine happiness the college was joining its community of 137 schools across the Brisbane archdiocese.
During a Mass concelebrated with Banyo Nundah parish priest Fr Paul Chandler, Bishop Brian Finnigan prais-ed the work of St Mary MacKillop and the Josephite Sisters at the college and in Catholic education throughout Australia.
Following the Mass, the Josephites’ Queensland provincial leader Sr Moya Campbell officially handed over governance of the college to BCE executive director Pam Betts.
Ms Betts told those gathered she too had been educated by the Sisters of St Joseph and that Mary MacKillop was a great role model for her.
She said she was delighted to be part of history in the making, and the handover marked a new chapter in the college’s ongoing story.
“Your story will now mix with ours and continue to be part of the rich mosaic of Catholic education in this archdiocese and state,” she said.
Ms Betts thanked the Sisters for their stewardship of the college since it began life as Mt St Joseph’s Students Secondary School 50 years ago, then Corpus Christi College and finally nam-ed in honour of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Australia’s first saint.
“You have written a great story here and we at Brisbane Catholic Education hope to continue and build on that success,” she said.
Sr Campbell said it was a moving experience for her and the many Josephite Sisters who had gathered for the occasion.
“We’ve been working towards this for some time now,” she said.
“We’ve really come full circle and we’re very happy to be handing over the governance of the college to Brisbane Catholic Education.”
She said there would always be a connection with the Sisters, who lived as a community across the road from the college.
“We still share quite a few occasions so my deepest wish is that this continues,” she said.
Celebrations also included the blessing and official opening of the college’s new Joanna Barr Smith Building that will house new administration and teacher facilities, kitchen, seminar room, home economics kitchen, canteen, learning enrichment centre and prayer space.
