General News
10 August, 2026
Marist spirit to the fore
GOOD Counsel College celebrated the Feast of Saint Marcellin Champagnat with a vibrant community gathering, highlighted by the first-ever official visit of Bishop Joseph Caddy, who led a packed Mass at Mother of Good Counsel Catholic Church, concelebrated with Fr Kerry Crowley and attended by more than 450 students.
The feast day honours the founder of the Marist Brothers and the inspiration behind the college’s Marist identity.
College principal Paul Melloy said the celebration united the school community and connected Good Counsel College to a global Marist tradition shared by schools in more than 80 countries.
He said the day offered an important opportunity to reflect on St Marcellin’s dedication to educating and caring for young people, encouraging students to consider how each person “can make a difference in others’ lives through kindness and service.”
In his homily, Bishop Caddy invited students to rethink what true greatness means.
While society often celebrates innovators, athletes and celebrities, he said Jesus offered a very different answer.
When asked who is the greatest, Jesus placed a child before the disciples, teaching that greatness is found not in power or popularity but in humility, trust and openness, qualities that are childlike, not childish.
“We often think strength, success or admiration define our worth,” Bishop Caddy said.
“But Jesus reminds us that what truly matters is how we treat others, especially those who are vulnerable, overlooked or feeling small.”
He said this message connected deeply with the life of St Marcellin Champagnat, born in 1789 in Marlhes, France.
Marcellin’s own schooling was marked by hardship, shaping his belief that “to educate children you must love them and love them all equally.”
After meeting 16-year-old Jean-Baptiste Montagne, who was dying with little education, Champagnat founded the Marist Brothers of the Schools to support young people facing illiteracy and spiritual poverty.
Champagnat was later declared ‘blessed’ in 1955 and canonised in 1999. His mission continues to guide Marist schools worldwide, including Good Counsel College, which formally joined Marist Schools Australia in 2015.
The Marist presence in Innisfail dates to 1938 when Brothers established the Mother of Good Counsel School for boys.
“Marcellin saw the dignity and potential in young people who were poor, forgotten or uneducated,” Bishop Caddy said.
“He didn’t chase greatness in the world’s eyes. He lived it through service.”
He also reflected on Jesus’ warning not to become a stumbling block.
“In a school community, that speaks directly to bullying, exclusion, gossip and behaviour that tears people down. Each of us has the power to lift others up or cause harm.”
Bishop Caddy encouraged students to live the Marist values of presence, simplicity, family spirit, love of work and in the way of Mary daily.
“Be someone who welcomes, encourages and cares for others. When you do that, you’re meeting Jesus himself, and that is where true greatness is found,” he said.
After Mass, students enjoyed a shared lasagne lunch and a full afternoon of activities celebrating Marist heritage, including sports, art, games, dance and trivia.
Read More: Innisfail