College Timeline

Fr Kevin Davine OMI commenced as the second Rector of Mazenod College in January 1973. Fr Kevin grew up in Sale, Victoria and attended St Patrick’s College, Sale. After entering the Oblates he completed his studies at Kildalton Abbey in Ireland before returning to Australia to be ordained as a priest in 1959 thereby becoming the first Oblate priest ordained in Australia. After finishing his studies at the University of Western Australia, he was appointed to Iona College in Brisbane. In 1966, he was transferred to Mazenod College, WA before being appointed the second Rector of Mazenod College Victoria. Some of Fr Kevin’s notable achievements as Rector included discontinuing the wearing of academic gowns by staff, doing away with school caps worn by students, making the summer uniform (shorts and white socks) optional for students and removing all straps from teachers and having just one strap – teachers had to register details in a book before being allowed to use it. In 1976, Fr Kevin employed the first College Lay Deputy Principal, Mr Harry Boundy. In the sporting area, he coached the senior College Cricket and Football teams. Fr. Kevin’s term as Rector ended at the end of 1977.

Fr Ian Mackintosh OMI commenced as the third Rector of Mazenod College in January 1978. He grew up in Geelong and attended St Joseph’s Christian Brothers College at Geelong. After joining the Oblates he was ordained in 1966. His first appointment was to Mazenod College, Western Australia where in 1973, he became the Rector until the end of 1977 before transferring to Melbourne to replace Fr Kevin Davine OMI. Fr Mackintosh or Fr Mack, as he was affectionately called in those days, was a “hands on” Rector. He always liked a tidy school and stressed the need for students to pick up their rubbish. Some notable developments during his tenure included an Indigenous Australian Art Group performing at Mazenod College for the first time in 1978, the opening of new buildings, changes to the curriculum and student numbers rising from 714 in 1978 to 954 in 1983 at the conclusion of his tenure as Rector.

Fr Patrick Moroney OMI became the fourth Rector of Mazenod College Victoria in 1984. He was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1939 and educated at Terenure College and Roscrea College. In 1958, he joined the Oblates and was ordained at Piltown in 1964. Fr Pat arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia towards the end of 1965, then moved to Melbourne where he studied at Monash University before being sent to Queensland to teach at Iona College. He began working at Mazenod College in early 1968 when it was still based at St Joseph’s, Springvale. As well as his teaching duties, Fr Pat was appointed to the position of Bursar in 1968. In the same year, he introduced the Chess Competition to the College and was a member of the first College Council that met in March 1969. Always interested in the Arts, Fr Moroney was keen for students to attend live theatre and in 1969 took Year 9 students to a performance of Macbeth at the Alexander Theatre at Monash university. He coached cricket and football sporting teams in 1968 and 1969 and introduced Careers Education into the College. Fr Moroney left the College in 1970. He spent six years doing Missions in Indonesia and then undertook post graduate studies in Psychology and Theology at Washington D.C. and Berkeley, California. He returned to the College in 1979, a trained psychologist and counsellor and was appointed to the position of  College Counsellor until 1983. One of Fr Moroney’s great legacies was the development of all aspects of the Arts at the College firmly believing that training in the Arts benefits students greatly and develops an all-rounded personality in a young man. He also showed a concern for students transitioning into the College and worked with staff to provide a curriculum to prepare them for secondary education. Fr Moroney served as Rector from 1984 until the end of 1988 when he was appointed Rector of Iona College in Queensland.

Fr Kevin Davine OMI returned to Mazenod College in 1987 as Year 11 Co-Ordinator. In 1989, after Fr Patrick Moroney OMI moved to Iona College in Brisbane, Fr Davine was appointed the new Rector at Mazenod College. The College had undergone a considerable transformation since Fr Davine was last Rector from 1973 to 1977. Demographic changes in the area meant there were students from 47 different ethnic backgrounds at the College. Meanwhile, student numbers had risen to over 1000 by 1989 and were continuing to grow especially in Year 12. In 1989, there were 127 Year 12 students and by 1992 this had risen to 167. At the end of  1995, Fr Davine completed his term as Rector and his achievements included introducing a new College Blazer for Year 11 and 12 students, guiding the College through the considerable changes in the curriculum brought about by the new VCE structure, implementing the College Board’s plans for the construction of a new Computer Centre and Staff Room and drawing the College closer to the Old Collegians Sporting Clubs often attending their games and functions. On leaving Mazenod College, Fr Davine was appointed the Rector of Iona College in Brisbane for 1996.

Fr John Sherman OMI became the sixth Rector of Mazenod College at the start of 1996. Fr Sherman grew up in Queensland and attended the Christian Brothers College at Nudgee. On entering the Oblate Order, he completed his studies at St Joseph’s Seminary in Cedara, South Africa and the University of South Africa. On his return to Australia, he spent the first seven years of his ministry teaching History and Religion at Iona College in Brisbane before transferring to Melbourne to take up the position of College Bursar and Sports Master at Mazenod College in 1973. Fr Sherman was heavily involved in the planning of all the new buildings over the next ten years – Chapel, Gymnasium, Administration Wing and Manual Arts Complex. At the end of 1983, he departed to become Rector of Iona College, Brisbane returning to Mazenod College again in 1996 following his appointment as Rector. Notable developments during his tenure included the introduction of the Student Representative Council (SRC) and the expansion of College Houses from 4 to 8 in 1996, the introduction of the “90” plus club for VCE students,  Mazenod College entering the Associated Catholic Colleges (ACC) sporting competition in 1999, the establishment of the College Executive and major refurbishments of the buildings and grounds. He also made the decision to move the Inaugural Mass from the College to St Patrick’s Cathedral in 2000. At the end of 2001, Fr Sherman completed his six year term as Rector of the College.

Fr Pat Moroney OMI returned as Rector of Mazenod College at the beginning of 2002. After his first tenure as Rector of Mazenod College ended in 1988, Fr Pat was Rector at Iona College Brisbane before being the Provincial of the Australian Oblates from 1995 to 2000. After a sabbatical, he was again appointed the Rector of Mazenod College Victoria from 2002 to 2009. After leaving the Rector’s position, Fr Pat was a Parish Priest at St John Vianney’s, Springvale North for three years then Parish Priest at Immaculate Heart of Mary, Sefton, NSW before retiring to the Oblates Residence at Camberwell in 2018.

Fr Michael Twigg OMI commenced as the eighth Rector of Mazenod College at the start of 2010. He was born in Brisbane and educated at Iona College. In 1989, he joined the Oblates and was ordained in Brisbane Cathedral on December 16, 1995. Fr Twigg’s first obedience was as Assistant Priest at St Paul’s, Massey, New Zealand for 18 months and then in mid-1997 he joined the teaching staff of Mazenod College Western Australia for 4 and a half years. The next 8 years were spent at Mazenod College Victoria first as Chaplain & Religious Education Co-ordinator and then as Rector in 2010. Following the appointment of Fr Mark Edwards OMI as the new Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne in November 2014, it was announced that Fr Twigg would replace Fr Edwards as the new Rector of Iona College in Brisbane thereby cutting short his term as Mazenod College Rector. Fr Twigg’s last day was Mission Action Day 2015.

Fr Harry Dyer OMI commenced as the tenth Rector of Mazenod College in January 2021. Harry Dyer was born in Yallourn, Victoria and educated by the Marist Brothers at Traralgon. He worked for the Ministry of Housing in Morwell for some years before joining the Oblates in 1983 and was ordained at Newborough in the Latrobe Valley in 1990. His first obedience was assisting at Massey,  New Zealand for 4 months followed by two years as Assistant Priest at St John Vianney’s at Springvale North. He became Chaplain of Rosies Victoria in 1993, then moved to Queensland to become Assistant Director and then Director of Rosies Queensland. In 1996, he was Assistant Priest first at Dernancourt in Adelaide then at Sunshine in Melbourne before becoming Parish Priest at St Eugene’s, Burpengary in Queensland and then at Our Lady’s, Sunshine. In his last two years at Sunshine, Fr Harry was also the MAMI Director and from 2007 to 2013 he served as Provincial of the Oblates in Australia. In 2014, he became Parish Priest, at Moe, Victoria and since 2015, Victoria Police Chaplain (voluntary) for the Latrobe Valley. He was appointed as the new Rector of Mazenod College Victoria in 2020. Fr Harry loves the Collingwood Football Club.