Principal's Mater Day Address

When addressing our College community at our Mater Day Mass, Principal Maria Haggett spoke of the impact we can all have by doing small things with great intention and kindness - that the most important thing is to 'do something'.

"A few weeks ago, a woman gave a speech to accept the nomination to stand for President of the United States.  Not just any woman - she is the daughter of immigrants.  Her mother is from India, and her father is from Jamaica.  I'm sure they never imagined that their daughter would rise to be the current Vice President of the United States.  I am, of course, speaking of Kamala Harris.  A journalist from the Washington Post took a picture of her - it is of her grand-niece gazing at her as she accepted the nomination.

In that speech, the VP spoke about her values and the importance of her mother. Specifically, she said, "[my mother] taught us never to complain about injustice, but... do something about it.

Do something.

Of course, for Kamala Harris, this meant working hard in high school, through university, and then Law School. We know she held many positions where she made a difference, including as a prosecutor, a senator and then all the way to where she is now. She has always tried to do something.

We stand in our own tradition of those who wanted to do something.

What is the story of the Good Samaritan if not "do something?  On the road to Jericho, he (or she!) did not stand around and debate the relative merits of helping the injured man, whether they deserved to be helped, what it would cost, or what better use of time there was.  No, the Good Samaritan just acted.  Do something.

When Archbishop Polding and Mother Scholastica Gibbons saw the needs of women and children in Sydney in the 1850s, they didn't moan about how terrible the state of affairs was in the colony.  They didn't blame them for their poverty and lack of education; they didn't give up on the children.  No, incredibly, they did something.

And us?  I was privileged to listen to the speeches of our aspiring 2025 student leaders this week.  They reflected what is best about us as a community.  They aren't sitting around complaining - each student spoke bravely in front of their peers about wanting to do something.

Today, on Mater Day, is our chance to do something together.

I hope that today you understand one thing: changing the world doesn't require some people to do everything; it only needs everyone to do something.

Maria Haggett, Educator Principal, Mater Christi College