Tuesday, March 15, 2011

MT ST MICHAEL'S COLLEGE HISTORY

In 1815 Mary Aikenhead founded the Sisters of Charity in Ireland, with the aim to help the less fortunate. In 1838 Mary Aikenhead received a request from the Archbishop to send some sisters to the colony of New South Wales. Mary responded by sending five sisters to the Parramatta gaol to help the lives of the women in the gaol. Today, the Sisters of Charity have many projects to help the poor and less fortunate.
‘Mt St Michael’s College was founded by women in faith in response to the need of Catholic Education for the young women of the area.’ (http://www.msm.qld.edu.au/history.html)
Mt St Michael’s College is in the tradition of the Sisters of Charity. The school started in 1925, and was called Grantuly, until the change of name in 1941. They chose the patron of the school to be St Michael the archangel, because he was the leader of the ‘Triumphant Armies of Heaven’ and patron of the sick and infirm. Grantuly is now the name of the administration and reception.
The Sophia Centre was opened in 1997, Killindarbin block was opened in 1998, with Home Economic rooms, the kitchen, dining room and textile room. Grantuly was renovated in 1999, and the Miryam Centre was built in 2000. The Learning Enrichment Centre was moved in 2006, and on the 16th of March 2011, the new Ionian centre science laboratories were opened.
Constant work has led the school so that the students and staff carry out the work and message of Mary Aikenhead and the Sisters of Charity in faith and love.