Page 48 - 2016 Yearbook

Remembering St Marcellin – Celebrating Champagnat Day

P opular TV show I’m a Celebrity ...Get Me Out of Here! was used
as a basis for our celebration of St Marcellin’s feast day and to
tell the story of significant people and events in his life.
We gathered in the Gonz on June 3. After acknowledging the
Taungurung people, whose land ACK is built upon, a welcome
from student leaders Sam Moretto and Monica Kelly, and prayers
from Bridget Kelly and Emily Bugeja the show began.
Hosts Julia Morris (Florence McKay) and Dr Chris, the Bondi vet
(Zack Pizzingrilli) welcomed us to the “jungle” of the French Alps
and introduced the five contestants: Shane Warne (Jai Cameron),
Jackie Baptiste Montagne (Brooke Arthurson), Scott Cam (Jason
Gilchrist) from The Block, Br Stanislaus (Keenan Gorski) and
St Marcellin (Connor Leslie), the “contestant to beat”.
“Warnie” and Jackie Montagne teamed up and were evicted
from their “rural retreat” after being unable to eat frogs’ legs and
snails (Warnie preferred baked beans). As Jackie left Marcellin
reminded her that “Mary our good mother ...Jesus and God are
always with you,” and that “they’ll take care of you.”
Scott Cam and Marcellin were set the challenge of building the
infrastructure for a new school at Lavalla. To the music of Bob the
Builder they dug through a rockface. Scott was sent home for his
dodgy work but not before he praised Marcellin for building the
Hermitage in the side of a mountain.
The final challenge facing Marcellin and Stanislaus was to find
their way back to camp after being dropped into the forest
during a blizzard. Stanislaus, about to give up, is encouraged to
go on and with the help of a light (from a torch used by Dr Chris
to take a pee outside) they made it to camp. Marcellin is praised
for not leaving his partner behind and is crowned celebrity of
the year.
The choir then sang The Power of Your Love and further prayers
were offered by student leaders. Staff and students on stage
were asked to share their thoughts on what our theme Mercy
- this is the name of our God meant to them. Commemorative
bookmarks were distributed and Br Greg McDonald called on us
to commit to several precepts including upholding St Marcellin’s
values, being people of mercy and those who work on behalf of
the disadvantaged.
Long-term staff Cristina Vergara, Mick Egan, Vicki Devine, Carol
Fisher and Jenni Mitchell were acknowledged for their years of
service, and Principal (and writer of this liturgical comedy-drama)
Kate Fogarty spoke of how “from little things big things grow”, a
reference to Marcellin’s legacy. She said we should be inspired by
his story and asked students to ask themselves: “who can I help
to become the next Champagnat?”
Afterwards, in our houses, we enjoyed huge chocolate-chip
cookies and muffins during an extended recess.
Terry Cooney 44