Good morning, Salesians, staff, students and, most importantly, our graduating Class of 2026.
Today is an important moment in the life of our college. It is a time to celebrate our Year 12 students, to give thanks for all they have contributed and to acknowledge the young men they have become.
For the Class of 2026, today marks the closing of one chapter. For every younger student here, it offers a glimpse of the journey that still lies ahead.
One of the great privileges of my year has been sharing lunch with each of our Year 12 Oratory groups. These lunches have been relaxed, honest, enjoyable and very informative. I have asked the students what has brought them joy, what makes Salesian special and what advice they would give to younger students.
Their answers have been remarkably consistent.
They have spoken about their mates.
They have spoken about friendships formed in classrooms, Oratories, sporting teams, productions, concerts, camps, retreats and in the yard. They have spoken about teachers who knew them, encouraged them and continued to believe in them. They have spoken about the opportunities they accepted and, occasionally, those they now wish they had accepted.
So, to our younger students, listen carefully to the wisdom of the young men sitting before you.
Do not wait until Year 12 to appreciate the people around you.
The friendships you form here matter. A good mate celebrates your success, stands beside you when life is difficult and has the courage to tell you the truth. Mateship is not simply having people to spend time with. It is noticing when someone is struggling, including the person standing at the edge and refusing to allow another person to feel that he does not belong.
Take a moment to look around this hall. Every one of us wears the same College crest on our blazer, a visible reminder that we belong to something bigger than ourselves. We are not just individuals sharing a campus; we are a community. That means we have a responsibility to treat one another with respect, care and dignity. Look after one another. You are more than classmates. You are mates, friends and brothers on a shared journey.
That is what it means for Salesian to be a home that welcomes and a playground where friends meet.
Our Year 12 students have also reminded us to take the opportunities placed before us.
Join the team. Audition for the production. Learn an instrument. Attend the camp. Volunteer for service. Apply for leadership. Speak at assembly. Try something that feels unfamiliar.
I have been fortunate to witness students from the Class of 2026 represent the college at community fetes in the rock band, studying for assessments in class or in the study centre after school, competing in ACC sport or proudly representing the college in athletics and swimming. I too have seen them on stage in productions, leading student initiatives, welcoming guests as ambassadors of the college.
You may not be the most talented person in the room, and everything may not go perfectly. That is not the point. Confidence is rarely developed by standing safely on the sidelines. It grows when you participate, contribute and discover that you are capable of more than you first imagined.
A Salesian education is not something that simply happens to you. You must enter into it.
Our senior students have also shown us that service is not an additional activity to complete when convenient. It is central to who we are. Jesus taught us to love our neighbour, and Don Bosco wanted his students to become good Christians and honest citizens. That invitation asks each of us to use our gifts not only for our own advancement, but also for the good of others.
Service may be expressed through leadership, fundraising or supporting the work of the Salesian Missions. Just as often, it is found in smaller choices: helping a younger student, encouraging a classmate, thanking a staff member, welcoming a visitor or getting around a mate who is having a difficult day. They have led with soft hands, gentle hearts.
Thank you to our College Captains and student leaders who have served the community in leadership roles. Xavier, Zac and Thomas – thank you for your outstanding service in the community in your roles as College Captains. To other student leaders, you have represented the College with integrity, maturity and generosity, giving your time and energy to support others and strengthen our community. You have led assemblies, hosted events, welcomed visitors, supported your peers and, most importantly, modelled what it means to be a Salesian young man. Thank you for your leadership, your example and your commitment to making this College a place where others feel known, valued and included.
These ordinary actions create an extraordinary community.
Class of 2026, you have contributed significantly to our community. You began secondary school during a period of disruption and uncertainty, yet that beginning did not define you. You returned, reconnected and rebuilt. You brought energy to our classrooms, joy to our yard, commitment to learning, creativity to the arts, determination to sport and generosity to service.
You have helped demonstrate that there is no single way to be a Salesian young man. Each of you brings different gifts, interests, stories and aspirations. Yet you are united by the call to be strong in mind and gentle in heart.
Today, we also thank the staff who have accompanied our Year 12 students throughout their journey.
As Salesian students, you have access to outstanding and committed teachers, admin staff and nurse who welcome and care for you, canteen, facilities advancement, and IT staff that ensure the college functions to a high standard.
To our teachers and professional staff, thank you for your expertise, patience, generosity and care. You have taught, encouraged, challenged, listened and, when necessary, offered another opportunity. Through your daily work, you have helped make Salesian a home that welcomes, a parish that evangelises, a school that prepares young people for life and a playground where friends meet.
Year 12s, never become too busy, too successful or too proud to thank the people who have supported you.
As you leave us, remain grateful for your friendships. Continue to serve. Take the opportunities that come your way, especially those that require courage. Carry the joy, welcome and family spirit of Salesian into every community you enter.
Remember that wherever life takes you, you will always have a home at Salesian College Chadstone. You will remain part of our story, just as this College will remain part of yours.
Class of 2026, we are immensely proud of you.
Be you. Become more.
May Mary, Help of Christians, guide you. May Don Bosco continue to inspire you. May God bless each of you and your families.
Congratulations, gentlemen. Go well.
Omnia Omnibus.