On Tuesday 3 December 2019 we launched our 160th Anniversary year with a beautiful Mass. Our entire school population was in attendance, as were our Sisters of Mercy and special guests. This day was chosen as the beginning of our 160th celebrations as it was that date that saw the arrival in Geelong of the first Sisters of Mercy in 1859 from Dublin, who would go on to found Sacred Heart College Geelong.

Bishop Mark Edwards was principal Celebrant and he was assisted by Fr Jim Clarke, College Chaplain, and 8 priests of the diocese. In his homily Bishop Mark acknowledged the Sisters and their bravery in coming to an unknown land:

Their ambition and vision astounds me. Starting with a 4,000 pound debt, they changed Geelong. Their hearts were in their work and, over the next 20 years, 47 young women, largely from their students, applied to join them, of whom 20 became sisters. God did bless these strong, brave, intelligent and articulate women of faith on their journey.

We gather today not only because something happened 160 years ago but also because it means something to us today....We have to discover who we are for and to be true to that and to them...and these early sisters ask us, as does St Francis, is our ambition big enough?

Our theme for the Mass was 'Standing on the Shoulders', (of those who came before us), and indeed we are. If not for those brave women who preceded us, we would not be here celebrating their courage and ambition in creating our beautiful College.

At the conclusion of the Mass the celebrants, Sisters and special guests, accompanied by bagpipers, were given a guard of honour by our students as they made their way to the College cemetery for a blessing and rose ceremony. It was lovely to hear our students and staff give a spontaneous round of applause for our Sisters in recognition of the wonderful works they do for our community, and to demonstrate the high regard in which they are held by all of us here at SHC.

Guests were then invited back to Celies Dining Room for afternoon tea and the launch of the book Mother Xavier Maguire – A Women of Faith and Vision written by Helen Delaney rsm. Mother Xavier Maguire is our Foundress, and you can purchase this wonderful book by clicking this link: Mother Xavier Maguire - A Woman of Faith and Vision.

And so we begin our year long celebration of 160 years of Sacred Heart College. We invite you to attend the exciting events we have happening in 2020 - please click this link to see what will be on offer: 160th - 2020 Program of Events