GOLDEN jubilee celebrations have begun at Iona College, Lindum, to mark the arrival of its Oblate founding fathers on the school’s site 50 years ago.
Nine hundred members of Iona’s past and present community, including one of the founders Oblate Father Denis McCarthy, gathered to commemorate the event with a Mass at St Stephen’s Cathedral on October 1.
Archbishop John Bathersby of Brisbane presided and, in his homily, reiterated the Oblate motto – to preach Good News – and its importance for Iona.
“Catholic education exists to prepare young people in the best possible way for engagement with the world by sharing the Good News of God with them, and then assisting them in every way possible to incorporate the Good News into their everyday lives,” he said.
“Armed with God’s Good News let us remember we can change the world, an ambition burnt into the hearts of the founding fathers and mothers of this college and continued in the hearts of those who have followed.”
Following the Mass, a dinner was held for about 400 people at Wynnum’s Shangri La hotel, where 23 students were presented with medallions for attending Iona on its first day.
Then Fr McCarthy recounted his early days at the college and the many financial obstacles with which he and the other founders were faced.
The 82-year-old was proud to be the oldest college member at Iona’s golden jubilee.
“Very few people ever attend their golden jubilee of an important event,” he said.
“Fifty years later it is an achievement to still be alive.”
Iona’s foundation manager Anna Roberts, who has spent two years researching and preparing for the event, said it was “definitely worthwhile”.
“The most wonderful thing out of all this is that it has brought so many people together,” she said.
“The atmosphere was just out of this world.”
Iona’s celebrations will continue into next year to recognise the college’s first intake of boys in January, 1958.
