Weekly Reflection

This year Pope Leo XIV invites us to consider two main spiritual themes as we approach the Lenten season: listening and fasting. Together these two themes form a path to renew and deepen our communion with God and others.

Pope Leo XIV emphasises the importance of placing the mystery of God in the centre of our lives and by doing this, our hearts will be nourished by God’s love, which will help to combat the anxieties and distractions we feel in our daily lives.

The Pope highlights listening as the foundational attitude for entering into relationship with God and with others.

Listening to God’s word opens our hearts to transformation. True listening creates an inner openness that can shape our personal response to our social responsibilities.

This year, Pope Leo XIV calls for a ‘fast from hurtful words’ and urges us to avoid rash judgements, slander and speech designed to wound others. He encourages us to cultivate kindness, respect and peace toward our families, in our workplaces, our communities and online.

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Let us begin by disarming our language, avoiding harsh words and rash judgement, refraining from slander and speaking ill of those who are not present and cannot defend themselves. Instead, let us strive to measure our words and cultivate kindness and respect in our families, among our friends, at work, on social media, in political debates, in the media and in Christian communities.

”

Pope Leo XIV

By practicing this “linguistic fasting” we can work toward creating and fostering a culture of mercy and hope.

In summary, Pope Leo XI sees Lent as a time to listen deeply to God, fast authentically, particularly from complacency and harmful speech and renew our hearts by practising humility, justice and participating in acts of peace.

With this in mind, we pray:

Loving God,
As we begin this Lenten season, open our hearts to listen to Your Word and to the needs of others.
Teach us to choose kindness in our words and actions, and to grow in compassion, humility, and peace.
Amen.

Terri Curnow

Director of Faith and Mission

From the Principal

A Historic Gathering at St Patrick’s Cathedral

2026 Opening Mass

What a wonderful way to begin the 2026 school year.

For the very first time, students and staff from both our Melton and Cobblebank campuses came together to celebrate our Opening Mass as one united College community in the magnificent St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne.

A Cathedral Rich in History

On 1 April 1851, just 16 years after the foundation of Melbourne, the Colonial Secretary of Victoria granted this site to the Roman Catholic Church. As the Catholic community at that time was almost entirely Irish, the cathedral was dedicated to St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.

Since 1851, this sacred space has stood as a symbol of faith, hope and devotion for the Catholic community of Melbourne. To gather within its walls, surrounded by stunning architecture, stained-glass windows, and a deep sense of history, was both a privilege and a blessing for our College.

We were especially honoured to have Martin Ashe, Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne, lead our celebration. Bishop Martin’s presence reminded us of our connection to the wider Church and the importance of beginning our year grounded in prayer and Eucharist.

The coming together of both campuses highlighted what makes St Francis Catholic College so special. Although we learn and grow across two locations, we share one identity, one mission and one faith.

Our 2026 Theme

This year, our College theme is:

“To be brave enough to flourish is to be brave enough to…”

The sentence is intentionally unfinished, inviting every member of our community to reflect personally on what courage means for them in 2026.

Brave enough to try something new.
Brave enough to lead.
Brave enough to forgive.
Brave enough to trust in God’s plan.

As we reflected during Mass, flourishing does not happen by chance. It requires courage, faith and wise decision-making. The year ahead will bring opportunities, challenges and moments of growth. Through it all, we are called to make choices grounded in Christ and guided by true wisdom.

Our Opening Mass was more than the start of a school year. It was a sacred moment to pause, reflect and place our hopes for 2026 into God’s hands.

May this be a year in which every student, staff member and family within our St Francis community flourishes - not because the journey is easy, but because we choose to be brave.

We look forward to a wonderful year ahead.

May God bless our College community throughout 2026.

Marlene Jorgensen

Principal

Looking Ahead - Melton Campus

Dates to remember
Thursday 19 February	2025 Year 12 Academic Awards Ceremony
	Sibling/family photo day - click here for more information
Friday 27 February	College Tour - 9.30am Register here
Monday 9 March	Labour Day Public Holiday
Friday 13 March	College Tour - 2.15pm Register here
Friday 27 March	Campus Athletics Carnival
Tuesday 24 March	Parents and Friends Meeting - Cobblebank Campus, 7pm
Thursday 2 April	Final day of Term 1 - students dismissed at 2.30pm

Looking Ahead - Cobblebank Campus

Dates to remember
Tuesday 24 February	Parent presentation - Toolbox Education, 7pm. Click here to RSVP
Tuesday 3 March	College Tour - 9.30am Register here
Monday 9 March	Labour Day Public Holiday
Tuesday 17 Match	College Tour - 2.15pm Register here
Thursday 26 March	Campus Athletics Carnival
Thursday 2 April	Final day of Term 1 - students dismissed at 2.30pm

Shrove Tuesday

Our Faith and Mission Action Teams at Melton and Cobblebank campuses sincerely thank our generous College community for the donation of pancake mix for our Shrove Tuesday fundraiser in support of Caritas Australia.

It was a busy early morning at both campuses as staff and students cooked and shared warm pancakes to mark the beginning of the Church’s Lenten season.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the staff who helped cook pancakes, our maintenance team and food assistants for their ongoing support, the Social Justice Teams for serving throughout the morning, and our students for their enthusiasm and generosity.

Thanks to the combined efforts of our community, this first fundraiser for Caritas was a wonderful success.

The morning was filled with warmth, laughter, and a strong sense of community, reminding us that simple acts of sharing can bring people together in meaningful ways as we begin our Lenten journey.

Trish Griffin and Ann Praveen John

Social Justice Coordinators

Students' Athletics Success

Congratulations to all St Francis Catholic College students who competed in the Little Athletics Western Metro Regionals on the weekend of 7 and 8 February.

We also recognise the efforts of the following students who came away with podium finishes:

Female 16

Nyalang Mayan – 1st 300m hurdles, 1st Long Jump, 1st Triple Jump, 3rd 400m

Female 17

Nyandeng Mayan – 1st 400m, 1st 300m Hurdles, 1st Triple Jump

Male 15

Thomas Ibrahim – 3rd 800m, 1st 1500m

Rajkamal Virk – 3rd 100m Hurdles, 2nd Discus, 3rd Javelin, 3rd Shot Put

Male 16

Cody Wapshott – 3rd Discus, 1st Javelin, 1st 1500m Walk

Lachlan Wall – 2nd Discus, 2nd Javelin, 1st Shot Put

Male 17

Asher Bongiorno – 2nd Long Jump, 3rd Triple Jump

Nick Ibrahim – 2nd Shot put, 1st Javelin, 1st Long Jump, 1st Triple Jump

The State Track and Field Championships will take place on the weekend of 8 and 9 March at the Knox Park Athletics Centre.

Congratulations also to Melton's Caleb Hurst, who competed in the 2025-26 Victorian Millers Club (VMC) Meet #4 at Lakeside Stadium over the same weekend.

Caleb placed second in the Male 800m with a time of 1:59.67.

Claudia Alp

Director of Sport Cross-Campus

Bakhita House Mass

Last Wednesday, students of Bakhita House from both Cobblebank and Melton campuses came together to celebrate Mass at St Catherine of Siena Church with Father Jeffrey Salvador.

It was great to see some families attend too, as we reflected on the life and work of our patron saint, Josephine Bakhita.

Terri Curnow

Director of Faith and Mission

Year 10s Bring Neuroscience to Life

Year 10 Human Behaviour and the Mind students have been getting hands-on in their Brain and Nervous System unit by designing and creating detailed brain models.

As part of this task, students explored the scientific skill of modelling, learning how models can represent complex biological structures and processes.

Through creativity and critical thinking, they demonstrated their understanding of brain structures and their functions, bringing neuroscience to life in a fun and engaging way.

Rebecca Toms

Teacher

Young Women in STEM Program

RMIT University is offering a series of 4-day STEM programs for girls in Years 7–12.

The programs run during the April, July, and September school holidays, and I encourage any of our female students interested in STEM to apply for this opportunity.

The programs are free, and students who wish to participate must complete an application and submit it to RMIT by 15 March.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please click below.

Jason Rowley

Science Domain Leader - Melton Campus

SFCC High Ability Program

The High Ability Program is designed to support and challenge high-achieving students.

Selected students participate in a range of programs that foster critical thinking, creativity, and confidence. Key to this is an emphasis on lateral thinking (broad, diverse thinking patterns) over vertical thinking (traditional, linear, structured thinking).

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Ranish Chand for his work in pioneering the program at the College in 2025. Eighteen current Year 8 and 9 students at Melton Campus are part of the program. This year, the program has expanded to include Cobblebank Campus.

This term, students will prepare for the Da Vinci Decathlon. This is an academic competition, held in May, that seeks to broaden students' minds across 10 disciplines: engineering, mathematics and chess, code breaking, art and poetry, science, English, ideation, creative producers, cartography, and legacy.

The program is already showcasing the wide-ranging talents of our students.

Nathaniel Winfield and Jen Collinson

High Ability Practice Leaders - Melton and Cobblebank

Sports Update

Team	Result	SFCC Ladder position
Senior Cricket Division 2	SFCC 99/3 d MacKillop College 96/5	2
Senior Netball Division 2	BYE Round	-

Year 10 Premier League – Round 1

Team	Result	SFCC Ladder Position
Boys Volleyball	MacKillop College 2 d SFCC Cobblebank 1	5
Girls Volleyball	MacKillop College 2 d SFCC Cobblebank 1	5
Boys Basketball	BYE Round
Netball	BYE Round
Boys Soccer	BYE Round
Girls Soccer	BYE Round

The Resilience Project – Parent Webinar

We would like to encourage parents and guardians to join Luke from the Resilience Project on Tuesday 17 March from 6.30pm to 7.30pm for the Building Resilience at Home webinar.

This workshop is designed to empower parents and guardians by equipping them with practical strategies for practising Gratitude, Empathy, and Mindfulness (GEM) at home.

Click here to register.

Mikaela Hurst and Peter Commisso

Health and PE Domain Leaders - Melton and Cobblebank

Free Webinars – Black Dog Health Institute

Black Dog Health Institute’s upcoming free mental health webinars are designed to equip parents and guardians with practical tools, strategies, and insights to support the young people in their lives.

Delivered by an expert clinician, these webinars will explore:

mental health in adolescence, including insights from the Future Proofing Study
what is mental health, and when to be concerned
key strategies to support adolescents
having the conversation – what to say and how to create a supportive environment
getting help – health professionals, online and digital support for parents and adolescents
promoting healthy habits – including building connections, sleep, and screen use

To register, please follow the links below.

Tuesday 17 February @ 7pm Register here
Monday 23 March @ 7pm Register here
Tuesday 28 April @ 7pm Register here
Tuesday 26 May @ 7pm Register here
Thursday 25 June @ 7pm Register here

Ferris Road Closure for Rail Works

Ferris Road will be closed from 7pm Friday 27 February to 7am Monday 2 March between the roundabout at Abey Road and Shogaki Drive and the intersection at Hollingsworth Drive and Coach Street.

Detours will be in place. Please see the Level Crossing Removal Project works notice below and allow extra time for travel.

Ferris Road closure February 2026