Masses & Liturgies
When and where St Mary's College celebrates Mass: first-Friday whole-school Mass at 9:15am, year-level and chapel Masses, feast days and remaining 2026 liturgy dates, plus St Mary of the Cross Parish Mass times (Saturday 6:00pm, Sunday 8:30am and 10:30am).
Mass and liturgy mark the rhythm of the year at St Mary's — the whole college gathers on the first Friday of each month, year levels and classes celebrate their own Masses, and the great seasons and feasts of the Church are marked with liturgies that involve students as readers, musicians, servers and artists. Parents and grandparents are welcome at every whole-school and year-level Mass; simply sign in at Reception and a student will show you to the family seating.
Regular Masses and prayer
| Gathering | When | Where | Who |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole-school Mass | First Friday of each month, 9:15–10:15am (see exceptions below) | St Mary of the Cross Church, via the Church Walk gate | Prep–Year 12; parents welcome |
| Year-level Mass | Thursdays 9:15am on rotation, about one per year level per semester | Church (Junior) or MacKillop Chapel (Senior) | The year level and families |
| Senior Chapel Mass | Thursdays 8:00–8:30am, followed by toast and juice | MacKillop Chapel, St Joseph's Building | Years 7–12, voluntary; staff and parents welcome |
| Junior prayer assembly | Fridays 2:30pm (opening prayer of Junior assembly) | Mary MacKillop Hall | Prep–Year 6 |
| Class prayer | Start of each day; Junior classes also before lunch and at dismissal | Classrooms | All |
| Parish Family Mass with Junior Choir | Third Sunday of each month, 10:30am | Church | Whole community |
How to prepare a child for a whole-school Mass: full school uniform (blazer for Senior students in Terms 2 and 3); students walk over with their class from 9:00am; Preps sit with their Year 6 buddies. Mass finishes by 10:15am and recess follows at the normal time.
Remaining 2026 liturgy calendar
| Date | Liturgy | Time and place | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 28 August 2026 | Book Week Junior assembly with prayer | 2:30pm, Hall | — |
| Thursday 3 September 2026 | Year 4 First Eucharist Reflection Day and rehearsal | 9:00am–2:30pm, Hall; rehearsal 1:30pm Church | Year 4 candidates |
| Sunday 6 September 2026 | First Eucharist Mass (Year 4) | 10:30am, Church | Families arrive 10:00am; also Father's Day |
| Friday 4 September 2026 | No whole-school Mass — Junior Athletics Carnival | — | September Mass moves to Friday 18 September |
| Monday 7 September 2026 | R U OK? Day prayer at Senior assembly | 8:40am, Hall | Years 7–12 |
| Friday 18 September 2026 | End of Term 3 whole-school Mass (September first-Friday Mass, rescheduled) | 9:15am, Church | Dismissal 2:30pm this day |
| Wednesday 7 October 2026 | Confirmation Parent & Candidate Workshop | 7:00pm, Church | Year 6 |
| Friday 9 October 2026 | October whole-school Mass (Friday 2 October falls in the holidays) — Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (7 October) | 9:15am, Church | Year 5 absent on camp |
| Sunday 11 October 2026 | Confirmation Commitment Mass | 10:30am, Church | Year 6 candidates and sponsors |
| Wednesday 14 October 2026 | Confirmation Reflection Day | 9:00am–3:00pm, MacKillop Chapel and Hall | Year 6 |
| Friday 16 October 2026 | Confirmation Mass (Year 6), Bishop presiding | 7:00pm, Church | Arrive 6:30pm |
| Tuesday 20 October 2026 | Year 12 Graduation Mass | 6:00pm, Church; Final Assembly 9:00am, Hall | Year 12 families; bookings closed Monday 14 September |
| Friday 23 October 2026 | Year 12 Farewell Prayer and Celebration Breakfast | 7:30am, Hall | Year 12 |
| Friday 6 November 2026 | November whole-school Mass — All Souls; remembering the dead of our community | 9:15am, Church | Families may add names to the Book of Remembrance from Monday 2 November |
| Wednesday 11 November 2026 | Remembrance Day service | 10:45am, Main Oval flagpole (Hall if wet) | Whole school; one minute's silence at 11:00am |
| Monday 30 November 2026 | Advent liturgy — first candle | 8:40am, Hall (Senior); Friday 4 December 2:30pm (Junior) | — |
| Friday 4 December 2026 | December whole-school Advent Mass | 9:15am, Church | Carols on the Green follows at 6:00pm on the Main Oval |
| Wednesday 9 December 2026 | Year 6 Graduation liturgy and ceremony | 6:00pm, Hall | Year 6 families |
| Friday 11 December 2026 | Senior end-of-year liturgy and final assembly | 8:40am, Hall | Years 7–11; dismissal 1:00pm |
| Friday 18 December 2026 | Junior end-of-year liturgy | 9:15am, Church | Prep–Year 6; dismissal 1:00pm |
Feast days and seasons we celebrate every year
| Occasion | Usual date | How we mark it |
|---|---|---|
| Opening Year Mass and commissioning of leaders | First Friday of February (Friday 5 February 2027) | Whole-school Mass; House Captains, SRC and staff commissioned |
| Ash Wednesday | Wednesday 10 February 2027 | Distribution of ashes in year-level liturgies; Project Compassion launched |
| Feast of St Joseph | 19 March | Junior liturgy honouring the Sisters of St Joseph |
| Holy Week | Week before Easter (in Term 1 in 2027: Monday 22 – Thursday 25 March) | Junior Stations of the Cross tableau; Senior Holy Thursday liturgy; Good Friday and Easter Monday are holidays |
| ANZAC Day | Nearest school day to 25 April | Commemorative service with the Wattle Creek RSL |
| Feast of the Sacred Heart | June | Winter Appeal for Vinnies launched |
| Feast of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop | 8 August (celebrated Friday 7 August 2026) | Whole-school Mass followed by MacKillop Day festival — stalls, House performances, gold coin donations to Mary MacKillop Today |
| Feast of the Assumption | 15 August | Whole-school or year-level Mass |
| Remembrance Day | 11 November, 10:45am | Service at the flagpole |
| Advent and Christmas | December | Advent wreath liturgies, Christmas Hamper Appeal, Carols on the Green |
St Mary of the Cross Parish Mass times
The parish church adjoins the college and is open to all families.
| Day | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday | 6:00pm | Vigil Mass |
| Sunday | 8:30am | — |
| Sunday | 10:30am | Family Mass on the third Sunday of the month with the Junior Choir; children's liturgy of the Word most Sundays in term |
| Tuesday – Friday | 9:15am | Weekday Mass (the first Friday of the month is the whole-school Mass) |
| Saturday | 5:00–5:40pm | Reconciliation |
Parish Office: (03) 9555 0180, Tuesday–Friday 9:00am–3:00pm. Fr Michael Dwyer is Parish Priest. Baptisms are celebrated on the second and fourth Sundays at 12:00pm; contact the Parish Office for preparation.
Getting involved
Students in Years 3–12 can train as altar servers (Sr Bernadette runs a training session each February and August), readers and musicians. Parents are invited to read or bring up the gifts at year-level Masses — the class teacher will send a note. The Liturgy Committee (staff, students and two parent representatives) meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 3:45pm in the Chaplaincy room; new members are welcome via mission@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au.
Contact
Mission & Liturgy — Mrs Siobhan Reilly, Deputy Principal – Wellbeing & Mission · mission@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au · (03) 9555 0100 College Chaplain — Sr Bernadette Long rsj · Chaplaincy room, St Joseph's Building, Tuesday–Thursday Parish Office — (03) 9555 0180