On Friday 1 October I attended the opening of the new Emily Student Centre at St Michael’s Collegiate School, Hobart.

The building is named after Mother Emily Ayckbowm, a remarkable woman, an enlightened educationalist and a woman ahead of her times in many ways. Mother Emily founded the Community of the Sisters of the Church in 1870 when she was 34.

Her life was grounded in Christ and in this world. Her trust in Christ entrusted her with a stewardship of God’s world. In particular of Christ’s heart for children and the poor. Throughout her writings, Mother Emily strived to set that difficult balance between active work and prayer. Although dedicated, as she writes to “work for God amid the din, and the jar, and unrest of modern life” Mother Emily was definite about the primacy of prayer and the inner life of devotion. Mother Emily’s faith and life in Christ is clearly and inspirationally the call of a life given to God for the good of others.

I had the privilege of officially opening and dedicating the new student centre as well as delivering an address to those who had come to celebrate this special occasion. It was fun cutting the purple ribbon and leading everyone into the new centre. We were greeted by a line of girls ringing hand bells! Fantastic! Thank you Collegiate for inspiration and fun. 🙂

You can read my Address including the Prayer of Dedication, here.