College Theme for 2025
In line with our policy on the annual College Theme, the 2025 theme is one from our Mercy charism.
The Mercy tradition is based on the values of compassion, respect, integrity, justice, hope and joy, as inspired by Catherine McAuley, the founder of the Sisters of Mercy. When the Sisters of Mercy arrived on the Mornington Peninsula in 1898, they recognised the importance of providing an education for young people that would enable them to assume their role in society with confidence and to be initiators of change within the spirit of the Mercy charism. Our 2025 theme is around challenging our Padua College community to have a growth mindset. Catherine challenged her community with the goal to be better today than yesterday, with a plan to become even better tomorrow.
We had 138 staff votes and 172 votes from Year 11 students, the leading year group in 2025 to have a student voice and ownership. Our 2025 College theme is:
‘Resolve to be good today, but better tomorrow’
Catherine McAuley, founder of the Mercy Sisters
Thank you to the Mission and Identity Team for their work with the organisation and discernment with the finding of our 2025 College theme.
Stepping Up and Stepping Out
On Tuesday 22 October at 5.30pm we will celebrate our Valedictory Mass for our graduating Year 12s. The Latin root grad means ‘step’. Our Year 12s have taken many ‘steps’ during their time at Padua College. From their first steps onto a Padua campus to their final step while being an enrolled student.
Even after ‘graduating,’ each Year 12 student will always be a Padua College student, albeit becoming a member of our alumni which some guess to be close to 100,000 students since the College opened in 1898.
What is the hope for a graduating student from Padua College, after their many years of study at the College? I have hope and a faith that the touchstones of our Mercy and Franciscan charisms have been instilled and are part of their character. Our hopes are:
- That these touchstones are setting the table for our students to accomplish something great, in whatever way that is
- That the College has developed young people who are hospitable
- That we have developed young people who are compassionate and unselfish
- That they do not just think only of themselves at the cost of hurting others or neglecting others
- That they have a joy in serving others allowing them to experience gratitude, appreciation and a sense of community
- That they will meet all with peace and love
The celebration of a Graduation Mass has several dimensions. For Catholics and other Christians and persons of other faiths, graduation has a religious dimension. This calls for religious celebrations to accompany the academic and social aspects. A Graduation Mass is a time for students to give thanks for the presence of God throughout their years at Padua College.
It is a time as well to ask for God’s blessing and presence in their lives to come. It is a time to commit themselves to living the Christian life more seriously and intentionally in the days and years that lie ahead.
The graduation of students from a Catholic secondary school such as Padua College, is also an important event for the local community to which they belong. It is an occasion to acknowledge the rich heritage of faith in and by which the graduates have been nourished during their formative years in their Catholic school. And as such we celebrate this Mass with our local parish priests and families.
