The morning began with a whole College Mass, celebrated by Fr Edmond and Fr Huy. Year 12 students then took on the Running of the Colonnades, sprinting the length of the iconic colonnades while the rest of the College cheered them on, with the fastest times earning the Golden Boot and a place on the honour board. This year, wet weather turned the race into a lighter-hearted affair, with the competitive heat rescheduled to a later date.
Stalls run by students and staff filled the campus with food, games, and activities, alongside a sustainable op shop selling secondhand clothing and a plant stall.
Primary students enjoyed a silent disco, a soccer tournament, a music incursion, Taiko drumming and a visiting storyteller. Senior netballers and footballers took on alumni in fiercely competitive matches, before all secondary students watched or performed in the Variety Concert. Student musicians and singers took the stage alongside two of the day's best-loved traditions: the staff dance and this year's routine from the Student Representative Council. The day also marked an acknowledgement of staff celebrating twenty years of service to the College.
Central to John XXIII Day is its spirit of giving. Funds raised go directly to our fundraising partners, Mary Ward International and Jesuit Mission Australia. This connects the day's festivities to the very heritage it celebrates: Mary Ward International continues the work of the Loreto Sisters, founded by Mary Ward, while Jesuit Mission Australia carries forward the service tradition of the Society of Jesus, founded by St Ignatius Loyola. Together with Pope John XXIII, the College's namesake, these three figures represent its founding spirit, and the day's fundraising is a tangible expression of the College's commitment to being people for others.
John XXIII Day has become a strong tradition, one that brings together current students, staff and alumni in a shared celebration of community, faith and service.
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