Mount Lilydale Mercy College has a very long-standing tradition of students going on retreat each year. These retreats provide students the opportunity to reflect on their relationships with God, others and self.

In this latest From the Archives, we take a look at past retreat experiences. Past students at the College loved their time on retreat at places including Pallotti College in Millgrove and The Mornington Retreat Centre. In 1935, during the school holidays, the College was used as a Retreat Centre for young business girls from the city.

The Advocate newspaper reported:

Through the generosity of the Reverend Mother, under ideal weather conditions and amid the beautiful surroundings of the Mercy Convent, Lilydale, forty-four young business girls attended a retreat under the direction of Rev Fr Phillip Murphy OFM, who delivered a most interesting course of lectures.

The girls slept in dormitories, and the Sisters were tireless in their efforts to attend to their every need. During recreation on the Sunday the girls walked over the neighbouring hills. It was with sincere regret that they returned to Melbourne on the Monday morning. This is the first organised retreat of its kind, and has been declared by all a wonderful success.

In fact, these retreats were considered such a success that it became an annual event at the College over the holidays and more were later organised at other convents. At the end of a particular retreat the following year, the director, Father T Haugh, expressed “his pleasure that such headway had been made in spreading the retreat movement among girls, and hoped that those present would act as apostles in spreading it still further”.

COVID-19 lockdowns remembered

Former teacher Mrs Mary Ryan, part of the Archive team at the College, has created a video about the impact of the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, sharing the perspectives of students, staff and members of the College community.

You can take a look at either a short or long edit of the video on the College Archive page on our website. Click HERE.

 

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