Archived News Item
Mercy Connection Recognised
February 28, 2014Having completed a $15 million upgrade which allowed the College to consolidate to one campus in Mt Clear, Damascus is now proud to be recognising past contributors to the College through the naming of these buildings.
The naming of the Chapel recognises that each of us makes a commitment, before God, to live mercifully toward others. Our Lady of Mercy, Jesus’ mother and mother of all, offers God’s grace and mercy to all who call upon her maternal intercession. An icon of Our Lady of Mercy adorns the south wall of the new Chapel.
Bishop Peter Connors, the retired seventh Bishop of Ballarat, opened and blessed the Bishop Connors Wing, a two-storey classroom building constructed in 2012, which offers eight modern learning spaces to the Year 9 and 10 students.
The naming of this building recognises the contribution made to Damascus College by the Catholic parishes of greater Ballarat, who allowed funds from the sale of the former Damascus junior campus on Victoria St, owned by the parishes, to be used for the construction of this new classroom wing.
Catherine McAuley founded the Sisters of Mercy in Ireland in 1831 and in 1881 the Sisters of Mercy established Sacred Heart College in Ballarat East. In 1968 the senior students of SHC moved to a separate campus at Mt Clear – St Martin’s in the Pines. The amalgamation of Sacred Heart College, St. Martin’s and St Paul’s Technical College established Damascus College in 1995 and the Sisters of Mercy remain an integral part of the College today.
“It is fitting that we acknowledge the contributions of the many people who have allowed Damascus College to grow and flourish into the school it is today”, said Mr. Byrne. “The names chosen recognise the significant history of the College so that current and future students understand the charisms on which the College was founded. Each of these people have been enormous contributors to education and have committed time, energy and resources to building an exceptional co-educational Catholic secondary school for the community of Ballarat”.
Messages to: Corrina Dischiera