This week’s prayer is adapted from the major Mercy Education celebration held on Tuesday at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne. The celebration recognized the commissioning of Ms Louisa Rennie as the new Chief Executive of Mercy Education Limited (MEL) and brought together leaders, staff and students from all thirteen MEL schools in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia as well as a large number of invited guests. The mass was celebrated by Most Reverend Martin Ashe, Auxiliary Bishop for the Melbourne Archdiocesan Western Region, and included a large choir and ensemble of students from the Academy Mary Immaculate, St Aloysius College, North Melbourne and Our Lady of Mercy College Heidelberg.
Thanks to the students and staff from Sacred Heart College who contributed to the Mass and on behalf of our College community, I wish Louisa all the very best in her important ministry.
Year 9 Melbourne Experience
To date our Year 9 students have enjoyed three of the four scheduled days of this year’s Melbourne Experience with the final day’s program occurring today. Thanks to all the staff who have facilitated the program, and to the students on the fine example they have set in the city. There is an article and lots of photos further on in the Newsletter.
A reminder to all families that due to the Year 10 Alpine Camp there will be no Year 9 classes next Monday 26 August.
Correspondence to Parents
In coming weeks, there will be a number of important pieces of correspondence from the College in relation to the 2025 school year including:
Bereavements - Your prayers are asked for the following families who are mourning the passing of a loved one recently. The Park-Howe family on the passing of William Park, grandfather of Cooper, Year 8, and the Davies family on the passing of Matthew Gardener, relative of Declan, Year 10, and Tyler, Year 9. Our thoughts are with you all at this sad time.
Yours in Mercy,
Dr Darren Egberts
Principal
Darren was appointed Principal of Sacred Heart College in January 2019. Darren has had almost 30 years experience in teaching and leadership across a number of Victorian Catholic secondary schools. These include eight years as Principal of Mercy Regional College, Camperdown; nine years as Deputy Principal and Director of Mission at Mount Lilydale Mercy College; seven years as a Chemistry, Religious Education and Science teacher as well as REC at Sacred Heart College, Geelong.
Darren has been committed to a lifetime of study and professional development. After completing his initial degree of Bachelor of Science and Graduate Diploma of Education at the University of Melbourne, he continued his study by completing a Graduate Diploma of Religious Education, a Masters of Religious Education and a Doctor of Education, all at Australian Catholic University. In 2018, Darren participated in the Enhancing Catholic School Identity programme in Leuven, Belgium.
Darren has a deep and passionate affiliation with the Mercy tradition and charism and believes that Mercy schools must be “…committed to holistic education; determined to ensure that each student flourishes academically, spiritually, emotionally, socially and physically”.
The purpose of the Catholic school is to provide “… an authentic Christian education, where students are called to embrace the essence of the Gospels, to flourish as whole human persons” and “… to provide exemplary learning experiences for the students who attend”.
Darren was appointed Principal of Sacred Heart College in January 2019. Darren has had almost 30 years experience in teaching and leadership across a number of Victorian Catholic secondary schools. These include eight years as Principal of Mercy Regional College, Camperdown; nine years as Deputy Principal and Director of Mission at Mount Lilydale Mercy College; seven years as a Chemistry, Religious Education and Science teacher as well as REC at Sacred Heart College, Geelong.
Darren has been committed to a lifetime of study and professional development. After completing his initial degree of Bachelor of Science and Graduate Diploma of Education at the University of Melbourne, he continued his study by completing a Graduate Diploma of Religious Education, a Masters of Religious Education and a Doctor of Education, all at Australian Catholic University. In 2018, Darren participated in the Enhancing Catholic School Identity programme in Leuven, Belgium.
Darren has a deep and passionate affiliation with the Mercy tradition and charism and believes that Mercy schools must be “…committed to holistic education; determined to ensure that each student flourishes academically, spiritually, emotionally, socially and physically”.
The purpose of the Catholic school is to provide “… an authentic Christian education, where students are called to embrace the essence of the Gospels, to flourish as whole human persons” and “… to provide exemplary learning experiences for the students who attend”.