Saint Maximilian Kolbe

Feast Day: 14 August

Patron Saint of: Families

Life:

Born in Poland in 1894, Maximilian entered the seminary at 16. Incredibly intelligent, Max received PhDs in philosophy and theology, and was deeply interested in science, even drawing plans for rocket ships. At 24 he became a Priest and founded the 'Militia Immaculata' a group dedicated to Mary whose aim was to spread the good news to all nations.

In 1941 during WWII, Kolbe was arrested by the Nazis and sent to Auschwitz concentration camp. After a prisoner had tried to escape, ten men were chosen to die. One man who was chosen was separated from his wife and children and begged for the Nazis not to take him. Maximilian Kolbe stepped forward saying "I would like to take that man's place. He has a wife and children", the officer replied "Who are you?" with Max telling him "I am a Catholic priest". The officer took him immediately and sent Max to die. During his period of starvation, Max and the prisoners sang and prayed and after two weeks he was given a lethal injection. Pope John Paul II made him a Saint in 1982.

Reflection:

Father Kolbe showed the ultimate kind of love - sacrificial love, to someone that he had never even met before. That man, Francis Gajowniczek survived Auschwitz and spent the remainder of his life telling the world about Maximilian's sacrifice until his death in 1997. During a period of history of great darkness and suffering, Maximilian Kolbe inspired others through his display of great love, faith and courage, three virtues that we can all aspire to live out in our own lives. St Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us.

The Year 8's had a fantastic time at camp last week. It was an action packed three days, starting with a group hike of the beautitul Nancy's Peak in the Porongurup Ranges and ending with a bumpy ride down a hill in a plastic bubble filled with water. After the hike we settled in to Camp Quaranup and we spent time playing volleyball as the sun set, and after dinner, enjoyed a wonderful games night organised by the amazing Ms Muezelaar. Thursday was action packed with the Year 8's splitting into 2 groups. One stayed on site and explored Quaranup using their mapping skills and the other went off to capture the flag at Laserscape. The groups swapped activities in the afternoon after lunch. The evening was spent eating pizza. Thank you to the local Girl Guide leaders who opened their hall for us, as the weather had changed and we didn't want to eat our pizza in the park in the rain. We then went to the cinema to see Spiderman - where a number of our other staff joined us. We returned to camp tired but happy. After a quick start to the morning on Friday, we were off to Denmark for the day. The groups spent time patting the animals at the Alpaca Farm and rolling down the hill in the zorbs at Denmark Thrills. A big thank you to Mr Long for cooking the sausage sizzle lunch for us all. After a quick pack up, it was back to school to unload the bus.

Some of the student feedback comments about what they liked the most were:

1. Going to the movies and having pizza!
2. Getting to walk around the dorms and talking to people
3. I really enjoyed spending time with my classmates, and movies.
4. LASERSCAPE!!
5. I liked the zorbing the most.
6. The movie, was thrilling
7. Being able to interact with people I don't really talk or see at school
8. Hanging out with friends and doing the hydroGlobe

A big thank you to Mr Landells, Ms Grove, Mr Probert, Ms DeChief, Ms Li, Mr Morcom, Mrs Kershaw, Ms Muezelaar and Mr Long for helping with everything and making sure everything went smoothly.

Students have been busy in Junior School Art Room exploring the elements and principles of art, with a focus on pattern, line and colour. Through their learning, students have investigated Impressionism, expressive brushstrokes and creative mark-making techniques. Our artists in focus include Vincent van Gogh, inspired by Sunflowers and The Starry Night. Also Claude Monet, exploring his beautiful Water Lilies series and The Japanese Footbridge. Students have enjoyed developing their artistic skills while responding creatively to these iconic masterpieces.

We warmly welcome all families to visit the Junior School Art Room on College Open Night Tuesday 18 August, from 4:30–6:30 pm. Come along to celebrate students creativity, artistic skills and the wonderful hard work they have put into their Visual Arts learning.

Come and Try Day! FREE

I’m getting in touch to share details of a free, all-ages pop-up gig featuring First Nations hip-hop artists INKABEE and JJ Vacant at the Vancouver Arts Centre on Friday 21 August.

Doors will open at 2.00pm, with a live performance from 2.30–3.00pm followed by an informal meet-and-greet until approximately 3.30pm - more info here.

INKABEE and JJ Vacant will also be performing at the 18+ Live @ the Town Hall show the following evening, so this pop-up provides an opportunity for younger audiences to experience the artists live. The event has also been scheduled to coincide with a pupil-free day at several Albany schools.

The gig may be of particular interest to young people interested in hip-hop, songwriting, music production and live performance.

The event is free and no booking is required; however, capacity is limited, so early arrival is recommended. Young people aged under 14 must attend with a parent or guardian.

The Albany Agricultural Society is delighted to invite students and their families to participate in the 2026 Albany Agricultural Show Horticulture Section, to be held on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 November 2026.

This year's theme, "Grow It, Nurture It, Show It!", celebrates the joy of gardening, creativity and learning through nature. We are encouraging children of all ages to discover the rewards of growing, creating and exhibiting something they can be proud of.

Entry is FREE for children up to 16 years of age, making this a wonderful opportunity for young people to become involved in one of Albany's longest-running community events.

Children can enter a range of fun and creative classes, including:

1. Grow Flowers
2. Create a Miniature Garden
3. Decorate a Pot
4. Plant a Cactus or Succulent
5. Make an Animal from Fruit or Vegetables

There are cash prizes, beautiful rosettes and Best Exhibit awards to be won, but most importantly, every child has the opportunity to learn new skills, build confidence and experience the pride of displaying their work to the community.

As Albany celebrates its Bicentenary in 2026, we hope to inspire the next generation of gardeners while celebrating the rich horticultural heritage of our region. We would love to see as many local children and families as possible take part in this special year.