The Patronal Festival was an inspirational celebration of St Mary’s School’s 130th birthday on Tuesday. The gathering of the whole school is always significant and, together with a celebration of our patron saint, Mary, the Eucharist and beautiful music, it was an important day to record our school’s history and to mark a new beginning.

Father Molefi Oliphant’s sermon was inspirational. He spoke of our school as now being placed between its past and its future; of how we at St Mary’s can look to our past and acknowledge wrongs and hurt and find healing, and then turn to our future and be a blessing to the community and to education for women. We should be mindful of being guided always in the way of Mary in our relationship with God. This message was extended through the blessings of the plaques that will be placed in the foyer of The Edge. After an extensive assessment of the signs and symbols around our school, last year’s matrics and the Student Representative Council proposed a new symbol to acknowledge theirs and the school’s vision. This new symbol is strategic in being placed in dialogue with past representations and signs. The plaques record an extract from the Preamble of the Constitution and a commitment from our school to this spirit and vision. All 11 official languages are represented.

“We, the people of South Africa, recognise the injustices of our past; honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land; respect those who have worked to build and develop our country; and believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity”.

Preamble, the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa

We, the St Mary’s community, subscribe to the Constitution and strive to achieve a society rooted in equality.

(Pictures of the plaques will be showcased in a future newsletter.)

The celebration of the Eucharist was followed by our traditional picnic and the cutting of the birthday cake. It was then time for the girls to play. Across the age groups, the girls played and celebrated, a time to be with friends.

The school’s history and 130th year is recorded in the timeline that now features on our website. I hope that you will browse the timeline and enjoy the reflection on St Mary’s School.

Deanne King

Head of School