This vision stems from St Marcellin’s own perspective on his mission and ministry. In the words of Marcellin himself:
“When I entered the seminary at age 16, I was well ahead of my classmates in age and well behind them in learning. But I’m glad for that experience because it made me determined to help others to get the advantages that I was deprived of. It’s a wonderful thing to be able to free people from the things that hold them back.”
Marcellin Champagnat
Strong Minds
People of Strong Mind, in the St Marcellin Way seek God. They are hope filled and show a spirit of gratitude. God chose St Marcellin Champagnat to bring hope and the message of Jesus to young lives in the France of his day. It is our hope that our young people will bring a spirit of hope to their lives.
Strong minded people seek courage and practice commitment. They are resilient and adapt to challenges. They are optimistic, seeing setbacks as temporary, changeable, and related to their present circumstance.
Strong minded individuals are lifelong learners with a strong sense of purpose for their lives. They are always learning and growing and are seekers of knowledge, as was, St Marcellin Champagnat.
Gentle Hearts
Gentle Hearts should be read alongside Strong Minds. There cannot be one without the other. People with gentle hearts, use their words with care. They extend grace and forgiveness to others as Gospel values, and they prioritise relationships and connectedness. They are compassionate. A gentle heart is a humble heart. Those of gentle heart are tender and demonstrate warmth and consideration for those around them. Gentle hearts operate at their best in community and for community.
In putting others first, they are not de-prioritising the self, but rather, they understand that in loving others, they flourish!
Hope
God chose St Marcellin to bring hope to young lives in the France of his day. For us, hope is a human strength that enables us to hold great promise for our lives. It is how we feel peace and joy. Hope gives us a way forward and is seen as the foundation in helping us to achieve our dreams and ambitions.
Humility
As one of his three most special virtues, St Marcellin valued humility immensely. For us, it is the honest recognition of our own worth as God sees us. Humility doesn’t mean hiding our talents, it means accepting our own limitations and having the capacity to see the contributions of others.
Compassion
Compassion is the capacity to put love into action. It reflects God’s heart, and it is a tangible expression of love for those in need. Compassion gets involved! Our restorative practices at St Marcellin reflect our value on compassion. It underpins all interactions in our College community.
