Catholic Identity and Mission

October - Month of The Holy Rosary

Throughout October, Catholics are invited to rediscover one of the Church's most treasured forms of devotion, the Holy Rosary.

The Rosary is much more than the repetition of familiar prayers. Through its mysteries, we contemplate the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus alongside Mary. It creates space in our busy lives to pause, listen to God and entrust to him the needs of our families, our communities and our world.

Pope Leo XIV has invited Catholics to pray the Rosary throughout October for peace in the world, and on 1 October he prayed alongside hundreds of children and families in the Vatican Gardens.

For our community at Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs, this invitation resonates strongly with our College Pillar of Prayer.

The Rosary begins in prayer, but authentic prayer changes the way we live. If we pray for peace, we must also ask how we can become peacemakers.

In our Year 10 Religious Education classes, students have been exploring what our faith teaches about Mary, her role in God’s plan of salvation and how she leads us to her Son, Jesus. Our community has also gathered in prayer, with staff and families coming together for our Rosary evening and our Living Rosary taking place earlier this week.

Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us.

The Rosary Explained in Two Minutes

All Souls Memorial Mass - Friday 6 November

Our College community invites students, families and staff to join us for our All Souls’ Memorial Mass on Friday 6 November at 8.00 am.

November is a special time in the life of the Church when we remember and pray for those who have died.

Students are invited to bring a photograph of a deceased loved one whom they would like remembered in prayer during the Mass.

Following Mass, families are warmly invited to join us for tea and coffee as we gather together in remembrance, prayer and community.

Staff and students can also record the names of loved ones who have died in the past year in our ‘Book of the Names of the Dead’, located in Student Services.

May this be an opportunity to give thanks for those we have loved, to entrust them to the mercy of God and to find hope and consolation in Christ’s promise of eternal life.

Annual Living Rosary

It has become an annual tradition at our school to gather and pray the Living Rosary each October. Through this devotion, we honour Mother Mary during the Month of the Holy Rosary and bear a beautiful witness to our unity and solidarity as a faith community.

Prayer connects us directly to God and when we pray the Rosary together, it also strengthens our bonds with one another as fellow believers. Our shared prayer becomes a powerful testimony of faith, making the invisible visible through our unity and devotion.

On a sunny spring afternoon, students, staff members, the LIHM Sisters and some of our students’ families gathered around Our Lady’s statue on the Hogan Green. Taking turns, each participant prayed a Hail Mary and offered a flower to Our Blessed Mother. The prayer concluded with the re-coronation of the statue by Year 10 student Marcus Cassar, the placing of the Rosary beads by staff member Natasha Bickley and the imposition of the Brown Scapular by Pol Elefano, a grandfather of one of the students.

As we came together in prayer, a spirit of joy, peace, and unity filled the gathering, leaving a lasting impression on the hearts of those who participated. It was a beautiful reminder that when we pray together, we grow together in faith and draw closer to God and one another. It is this very spirit which empowers us to 'Live Fully Act Justly.' 

Sr Lawrence Nicholas, College Chaplain

MACS Faith Formation Day - Do It Scared

Forty-two students joined more than 400 young people from Catholic schools across Melbourne for a MACS formation day hosted by Fr Rob Galea at ACU Cathedral Hall. Through powerful music and storytelling, the Do It Scared experience invited students to 'take courage' echoing the theme of World Youth Day 2027 and to face life’s challenges with faith and bravery.

One of the day’s greatest strengths was the opportunity for students from across Melbourne to gather as a community of faith. Surrounded by hundreds of their peers, our students were reminded that they are not alone: they belong to a wider community of young people seeking to deepen their relationship with the Lord. They returned inspired to share that sense of belonging within their own school community. Participation has grown from three students at our first MACS excursion to 42 students at this event, a powerful sign of the authentic joy they have experienced and shared with their peers. Our faith is alive, and the Spirit is contagious.

Worship through music also left a lasting impression. Free from everyday peer expectations, students could participate wholeheartedly, enjoy the experience and pray openly. They spent time in Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, while priests were available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Insights from our students:

Rianie Roque, Yr 9: Going into this experience, I wasn't sure what to expect or what feelings and thoughts I would leave with. This whole day felt like such a blessing to be a part of and impacted my view on different aspects of religion, while helping grow my faith with songs of worship, meeting new people, food, and prayer.

Augustine Caballes and Sheira Fernando, Yr 9: We were able to attend the last MACS formation day, and we can confidently say that it was truly a blessing to be able to gather again with other schools and have fun but also having the continuous connection with God! If we were able to do it all over again, we would!

Felicia Ch'ng, Yr 9: Something I enjoyed from this day was interacting with other people and singing the songs in unison since it really got the whole community together. We look forward to welcoming even more students to MACS formation days in 2027. These experiences will support our preparation for World Youth Day while also offering every student the opportunity to discover the courage, community and joy of living their Catholic faith.

Angella Francis - Youth Minister