ST Patrick’s Primary School community is celebrating the approval of its application to be part of Marist Schools Australia after a two-year-long journey.
The application was supported by the parish council, school advisory board, Assumption College, Catholic Education Melbourne and the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne.
Marist Schools Australia, MSA, brings together Catholic schools across the nation and from around the world to help shape the schools’ mission in spirituality and an educational approach – introduced by St Marcellin Champagnat in the early 19th century.
St Patrick’s Primary School is now part of an association of 55 schools in the country with a historic connection with the Marist order.
Their membership with MSA will mean the partnership between St Patricks’ and Assumption College, another school part of the association, is strengthened.
St Patricks has strong ties to Assumption College, which is governed by the MSA, and Marist Brothers have operated Assumption College since it opened in 1893.
Assumption College principal and co-director of the Council of Marist Association Australia Kate Fogarty said their ‘Marist family had grown’.
“St Patrick’s has been accepted as an official sister school to Assumption College,” Ms Fogarty said.
“They are now part of our great big Marist family. We welcome them.
“It is so exciting to have St Pat’s join our Marist world and we are really excited that now we’ve got another reason to be great mates across the fence.”
St Patrick’s principal Michael Bourne said the success of the application increased opportunities for staff and students.
“The membership with MSA will allow the staff, students and families at St Patrick’s Kilmore to explore the five key characteristics central to Marist schools, those being the concepts of presence, simplicity, family spirit, love of work and in the way of Mary,” he said.
“The success of this application strengthens the opportunities for our staff and students and is a significant milestone in the school’s long history”.
Catholic primary education has existed in Kilmore since the late 1840s in various forms, including being taught by the Mercy Sisters and Marist Brothers.
