Homily given by Bishop Anthony Randazzo
Bishop of Broken Bay
12 February 2026
It is a great joy to be with you today as we celebrate 95 years since the opening of Stella Maris College here at Manly. Standing here now, it honestly feels like only yesterday that I was with you for the 90th anniversary. At that time, some of you might remember, Father Sam was the deacon who assisted at the Mass. Time moves quickly, but what endures is the spirit of this place and the people who give it life.
Anniversaries invite us to remember, but never simply to look backwards. They invite us to give thanks, to recognise what has been entrusted to us, and to ask how we will carry that gift forward.
When I spoke five years ago, reflecting on the rich heritage given to Stella Maris by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan, I said these words, “I hope also that the Good Samaritan charism, which is your inheritance at Stella Maris, will embolden you as Catholic women to take your place as disciples of Jesus Christ in the Church and as leading citizens in the world.”
Today, I want to return to that hope, because it is as important now as it has ever been.
The Sisters of the Good Samaritan planted something precious here. They brought with them a charism that is deeply Benedictine, contemplative and active, grounded in prayer yet alive in service, attentive to God and attentive to the neighbour lying by the roadside. That legacy is not a museum piece. It lives today in the mission of this College, and in the daily work of teachers and educators, staff and volunteers, who accompany and guide you, the young women of Stella Maris, in faith and in knowledge. For that, we give profound thanks.
The Scriptures proclaimed today speak directly to this moment in your lives.
In the Book of Wisdom we hear, “I prayed, and understanding was given to me, I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.” Wisdom is not simply information or success or high marks, as important as study is. Wisdom is a gift from God. It is received in relationship, through prayer, through honest questioning, through a dialogue of the heart with Our Lord. This is why faith and reason belong together. Education here is not only about forming capable minds, but about forming listening hearts, hearts that are open to God and open to the world.
Saint Paul reminds us in his First Letter to the Corinthians that there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit, and that each gift is given for the common good. Every one of you has been entrusted with gifts that no one else has in quite the same way. Intelligence, creativity, compassion, leadership, courage, patience, humour, perseverance. These are not given so that we compete with one another, or hide them away, but so that they can be offered in service, to build up the Church and to heal the world.
This matters deeply for young women today.
Pope Leo XIV, speaking in October last year, reminded the Church of the need to promote respect for the rights of all people, including women, and to identify where women can exercise real responsibility in the life of the Church. He spoke honestly about cultural resistances and forms of discrimination that still exist, and he called for courageous accompaniment to transform those realities according to the Gospel.
That is an important word for you to hear, it is an important word for us all to hear.
The Church does not support women by pushing them into anger, nor by confining them to silence or passivity. The Gospel of Jesus Christ does something far better. It calls you to become the best person God has created you to be. Confident without being arrogant, strong without losing tenderness, courageous without losing compassion, faithful without fear. The Church needs your voices, your wisdom, your leadership, your holiness.
In the Gospel, Jesus says, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Notice that Jesus speaks in the present tense. Not someday, not when you are older, not when you feel completely ready. Today. Your light is already shining, in classrooms, on sporting fields, in friendships, in acts of kindness, in the courage to stand up for what is right.
As we look to the future, what happens at Stella Maris does not stay within these walls.
Students, families, teachers and educators, staff, volunteers and helpers are contributing to an ongoing legacy, not only for this College, but for the Church of Broken Bay for many years to come. What begins here as a place of faith and learning is meant to equip you for a lifetime, for service in the world, and ultimately for eternal life with God.
May the Star of the Sea, Mary our Mother, continue to guide this community. May the wisdom you seek be given generously. May your gifts be used for the common good. And may the light of Christ shine brightly in each of you, today and always.