Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home Past Features

‘Innovative’ college named after Australian saint turns 50

byStaff writers
4 August 2014
Reading Time: 3 mins read
AA

Family member: Staff member Donna Griffiths said the students at Mary MacKillop College, whom she sees as family, have given her much hope.

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Family member: Staff member Donna Griffiths said the students at Mary MacKillop College, whom she sees as family, have given her much hope.
Family member: Staff member Donna Griffiths said the students at Mary MacKillop College, whom she sees as family, have given her much hope.

MARY MacKillop College, Nundah, proudly celebrates 50 years of Josephite secondary education – and the rich heritage which precedes it – on August 10.

In July 1915, Archbishop James Duhig purchased the convent property and invited the Sisters of St Joseph to come from Sydney to open a school at Nundah.

The Sisters arrived in January 1916 and opened a primary day and boarding school soon afterwards.

The college was opened in 1964 under the principalship of Sr Vincent in response to the growing need for Catholic girls’ secondary education throughout Queensland as a result of the abolition of Scholarship.

In the spirit of St Mary MacKillop never seeing a need without doing something about it, the Sisters provided an innovative education for local girls.

The college embraced a full secondary school syllabus for junior and senior students including home science, science, academic and commercial streams.

About 180 students were enrolled at the school, some coming from as far away as Caboolture although most came from the Nundah, Windsor, Northgate, Banyo, Wavell Heights, Zillmere and Bald Hills areas.

In the 1970s, under the leadership of Sr Paul (Evelyn Pickering), the college was re-named Corpus Christi to avoid confusion with St Joseph’s Primary School and St Joseph’s College Nudgee.

A hallmark of the principals of Corpus Christi College, Sr Bridget Moloney and Sr Janet McDougall, has been their ability to embrace contemporary educational and curriculum changes.

The first lay principal Niall Coburn was appointed in 2004.

Related Stories

Celebration marks Sister Angela Mary’s 75 years’ service to Mater and Queensland

Confraternity Carnival ready for a full return in Mackay next week

Parents of young mother considered for sainthood share powerful testimony at World Meeting of Families

During his first four years, Mr Coburn collaborated with the Sisters to consolidate and strengthen the MacKillop and Josephite identities at the college, resulting in the development of the “Principles of Josephite Ministry”.

These principles, together with the “Educational Framework” established, became the foundation for the development of the three elements of the “Strategic Plan: the Pastoral, Curriculum and Strategic Development Frameworks”.

A momentous change occurred in 2009 – the year that marked the centenary of the death of Mary MacKillop.

To commemorate this event, Corpus Christi College’s name was officially changed to Mary MacKillop College.

At the beginning of the following year a transition ritual formally instituted the new symbols including a new uniform for the college.

College justice captain Laura Mulherin recently noted that while there had been many changes, from buildings to the uniforms during her five years at the college the most important aspects had stayed the same.

“Every day that I have strolled through the gates I have been in the presence of some of the best people I have ever met, people who encompass the spirit of our college within them in everything they do,” Miss Mulherin said.

Donna Griffiths is a staff member who has witnessed many changes in the 30 years she has been at the college.

Teaching at Mary MacKillop College has been a large part of her life and she has remained not because it is safe or comfortable but because the students give her a sense of hope.

In addition to working with many high-achieving students during her time at the college Ms Griffiths said “the young women of this college embrace difference, assist those with learning difficulties and accept those with different cultural or religious background”.

“In a word, attending Mary MacKillop College means you are part of a community, a family,” she said.

Past staff and students will gather together with the Sisters of St Joseph, Brisbane Catholic Education representatives and invited guests on August 10 to celebrate this sense of family with a Golden Jubilee Mass at 10.30am followed by morning tea and a walk down memory lane with the help of photographs, past uniforms and other memorabilia.

All past community members are welcome to the celebrations.

The college will then open its doors to the public for its Open Day from 1-4pm.

ShareTweet
Previous Post

Capuchins share their spirit with youth

Next Post

Sign of peace at Mass: Vatican says it stays put, but urges education

Staff writers

Related Posts

Celebration marks Sister Angela Mary’s 75 years’ service to Mater and Queensland
QLD

Celebration marks Sister Angela Mary’s 75 years’ service to Mater and Queensland

25 June 2022
QLD

Confraternity Carnival ready for a full return in Mackay next week

24 June 2022
Parents of young mother considered for sainthood share powerful testimony at World Meeting of Families
Vatican

Parents of young mother considered for sainthood share powerful testimony at World Meeting of Families

24 June 2022
Next Post
Sign of Peace

Sign of peace at Mass: Vatican says it stays put, but urges education

newly weds holding hands

Many marriages to the same person

Students and Josephite teachers still friends after their college’s 50 years

Popular News

  • Archie’s beating heart means he is not dead, according to a Catholic institute

    Archie’s beating heart means he is not dead, according to a Catholic institute

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Three Queensland deacons preparing for priestly ordinations in the next week

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Parents of young mother considered for sainthood share powerful testimony at World Meeting of Families

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Confraternity Carnival ready for a full return in Mackay next week

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • First man ordained to priesthood for Brisbane Oratory

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Celebration marks Sister Angela Mary’s 75 years’ service to Mater and Queensland
QLD

Celebration marks Sister Angela Mary’s 75 years’ service to Mater and Queensland

by Staff writers
25 June 2022
0

MATER yesterday celebrated the extraordinary service Mercy Sister Angela Mary Doyle has given to Brisbane – on...

Confraternity Carnival ready for a full return in Mackay next week

24 June 2022
Parents of young mother considered for sainthood share powerful testimony at World Meeting of Families

Parents of young mother considered for sainthood share powerful testimony at World Meeting of Families

24 June 2022
Three Queensland deacons preparing for priestly ordinations in the next week

Three Queensland deacons preparing for priestly ordinations in the next week

23 June 2022
Pope prays for victims of devastating earthquake in Afghanistan

Pope prays for victims of devastating earthquake in Afghanistan

23 June 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping