Swire Shipping Fijian Drua Players continued their community outreach program today at Saint Marcellin Primary School in Vatuwaqa as part of their grassroots development plan The players were led by Ratu Meli Derenalagi and the students of Marcellin were glad to host the players in a Question and Answer session this afternoon Students gathered for the final week of school and waited patiently for their rugby icons to ask questions they have been preparing the entire week Students raised questions on how long some players were contracted to the Drua and how many times the team lost this season Drua inside-centre Tuidraki Samusamuvodre says it was a fun interactive session with the Suva based students Samusamuvodre says they want to inspire the next generation of Drua players and help provide a pathway for them to fullfill their dreams and develop their talents The Drua will host the Reds at 2.05pm this Saturday at the HFC Bank Stadium the Blues will host the Force at 7.05pm tomorrow the Hurricanes will take on the Chiefs at 7.05pm Saturday the Brumbies will take on the Waratahs at 9.35pm Saturday and the Highlanders will take on Moana Pasifika at 3.35pm Sunday Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations Copyright © 2025 Communications Fiji Limited FM96 Legend FM Viti FM Navtarang Radio Sargam PNG Haus Bung Yumi FM Nau FM Legend FM Facebook TikTok Instagram X YouTube Threads St Marcellin School honoured teacher aide of 25 years with a special liturgy service with students singing and presenting gifts of appreciation Principal Belinda Backwell spoke about Selina’s achievements ‘The inspiration from people like Whaea Selina is indeed what makes us what we are today,’ she said discipline and acts of kindness are the fruits of Selina’s work We can proudly say she is an excellent teacher aide ‘Just like a candle consumes itself to light the way for others we congratulate Selina on 25 years of service and thank her for her dedication and loyalty ‘The most important resource in any school is the employees This school has undergone many changes in the 25 years Selina has been here and she has continued to serve the school and the community ‘This is a testament to her character and her loyalty.’ Fr John Roberts led the liturgy and told the story of Mary MacKillop who was living in Australia in the 1800s when it was still being settled by people from around the world ‘She worked hard to gather a group of people around her who would do just that ‘She is reminding us today one of the natural things about being a Christian is that we reach out to others in the course of our lives Some of the things I see in Selina are “if there’s something that needs to be done she does it and makes a profound difference”,’ he said was unable to attend as he was in Parliament Editor: Annette Scullion Ph: 04 496 1712
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welcomads@xtra.co.n Breaking news for everyone's consumption coli outbreak linked to cheese after young children developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) Some Saint-Félicien and Saint Marcellin cheese has been recalled The 13 cases of HUS that developed after E coli O26 infection have occurred in young children since March 21 The patients are from several regions in the country coli infection that causes kidney failure and can occur a week or more after the onset of diarrhea coli (STEC) infections is voluntary in France and based on HUS surveillance in children under 15 years old STEC identification in stool samples is not routinely performed by medical labs French authorities said preliminary investigations found several children ate Saint-Félicien and Saint Marcellin cheeses before onset of their symptoms three have a possible link with the consumption of Saint Félicien and Saint Marcellin cheese manufactured by Fromagerie Alpine a town in the Drôme department in South-eastern France in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region microbiological and food traceability investigations are continuing to determine the source of infection and the National Reference Center (CNR) for E Shigella and Salmonella at the Pasteur Institute are continuing enhanced surveillance of HUS to detect possible new cases The implicated cheeses were distributed across France with different brand names Saint-Félicien 180-gram and Saint Marcellin 80-gram packages with lot numbers from 032 to 116 have been recalled Affected brand names are Fromagerie Alpine General precautionary advice from health authorities is that raw unpasteurized milk and cheese made from it should not be eaten by young children pregnant women and other people with weakened immune systems are also at high risk of contracting bacterial infections from raw dairy products Earlier this month, Fromagère de la Brie recalled cheese from more than 30 countries after two listeriosis cases were confirmed in France Jacquin recalled Pouligny Saint-Pierre raw goat’s milk cheese from more than 10 countries because of E A different raw goat’s milk cheese with the brand name “EARL Le Moulin de la Fosse,” which was sold from April 2-20 in markets at Châteauroux was recalled due to potential contamination with E a company called LHT informed consumers that E coli O26 was found in a batch of its “Crottin de Chavignol” cheese with the best-before date of April 5 Hardy Affineur also recalled Valençay and Petit Valençay raw goat’s milk cheese with best-before dates ranging from March 1 to 26 (To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.) Here we are in January, but could we already have found our contender for restaurant of the year? The critics certainly seem to think so. They have been falling over themselves to praise Henry Harris’s Bouchon Racine. When Giles Coren visited the French bistro tucked away above a pub in Farringdon in London it led to near When Harry Met Sally rhapsodies lamenting that it’s just the sort of place you hope to chance across in France but seldom do Henry HarrisROMAS FOORD FOR THE TIMES MAGAZINEHarris has reworked and stripped back even further the formula that worked so well for him at Racine Holy Family Parish Priest - Father John Roberts Bishop John Adams - Palmerston North Catholic Diocese with staff and students of St Marcellin School from the Palmerston North Catholic Diocese led a special mass with the children and staff of St Marcellin School on Wednesday Bishop Adams had a special message to share with the parishioners of Holy Family Church and the school community He had announced at the beginning of Mass that he had been meeting with the school principal to discuss the investment the Diocese would be making in the school property and grounds Bishop Adams was very impressed with the school and the calibre of its students and commented on the wonderful work that had been undertaken by the principal and staff The diocese will be starting Phase 1 of the refurbishment project this year providing improved classrooms and furnishings The principal and school board are very excited about the investment the diocese is making in the school and are looking forward to showcasing the newly refurbished facilities in due course Father John Roberts and Bishop Adams conducted a beautiful service where the students were able to showcase their singing abilities with heartfelt renditions of Mo Maria and Hosea the Bishop had three key messages to bestow upon the students the best reading they could ever undertake could be found in the Bible we must always ensure that our words and actions align No matter how challenging our lives may be a special morning tea was held for the Bishop at the school The Bishop spent some time in the classrooms with the students talking about aspects of his role as the newly appointed Bishop of the Palmerston North Dioceses Midweek mayoral musings from Mayor Andrew Tripe EXCITING matches were held on Saturday during the second round of the 2025 Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby League zone competitions at the Saint Marcellin school grounds The day saw intense battles between some of the top schools with impressive displays of skill and determination on the field Queen Victoria School emerged victorious with an 18-10 win over Lami High School while Assemblies of God secured a narrow 22-18 victory over Bua Secondary Lomary Secondary School defeated Lelean 9-4 and Naitasiri claimed an 18-8 win over Nabua Lomary also secured a 24-14 victory over Nuku Secondary School in another exciting match there were standout performances from teams like Lelean Memorial who dominated Nabua Secondary with a 42-0 win and Dudley High who triumphed over AOG with a score of 38-0 Nasinu also put on a strong showing with a 40-2 win over Rewa The U15 category also saw some thrilling matches including Lami High’s 28-8 victory over Kalabu and a 16-2 win for Nasinu over SVC AOG and RSMS battled to a 22-22 draw while Marist claimed a 16-8 win over Sila Central High School The day was filled with excitement and showcased the immense talent and passion of young rugby players in Fiji Powered by PageSuite Plasteurope.com is a business information platform for the European plastics industry It is part of KI Kunststoff Information and PIE Plastics Information Europe one of the leading content providers for the European plastics industry We offer daily updated business news and reports polymer prices and other services for the international plastics industry News | Polymer Prices | Suppliers Guide | Jobs | Register | Advertising COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER Today’s featured photo shows the sculpture “Genesis de Huevo” by Italy-based Costa Rican artist Jorge Jiménez Deredia as it appeared in San José The outdoor installation is 27 works of art on a large scale Jiménez Deredia is the first Latin American sculptor whose work is located in the Basilica of St His statue of Saint Marcellin Champagnat was completed in 2000 and inaugurated in the presence of Pope John Paul II Jiménez Deredia was born in Heredia in 1954 “I learned about the world through the coffee fields, about how raindrops fall, the smell of the earth, and I leaned that my destiny passed through those roots,” the artist said Palmerston North Catholic Diocese’s Bishop John Adams led a special midweek Mass on 26 June at Holy Family Church in Whanganui with the children and staff of St Marcellin School Bishop John had a special message to share with the parishioners and the school community He announced he had been meeting with the school board and the principal to discuss the investment the diocese would be making in the school property and grounds Bishop John said he was very impressed with the school ‘the calibre of the students’ and ‘the wonderful work being undertaken by the principal and staff’ He confirmed the diocese would be starting phase 1 of the refurbishment project this year The principal and board said they are very excited about the investment the diocese is making in the school and that ‘they are looking forward to showcasing the new refurbished facilities in due course’ Principal Belinda Backwell said the St Marcellin School students Fr John Roberts and Bishop John conducted a beautiful service ‘where the students were able to showcase their singing abilities with heartfelt renditions of Mo Maria and Hosea’ ‘During his sermon Bishop John bestowed three key messages on the students,’ she said we must always ensure our words and actions align; and thirdly Bishop John spent some time with the students in the classrooms talking about aspects of his role as the newly appointed Bishop of the Palmerston North Diocese Doha: The Ministry of Public Health warned consumers against consuming French white cheese bearing the trademark Saint Marcellin and Saint Felicien The two types of French cheese have been recalled over fears of contamination with E.coli The Ministry of Public Health on its Twitter account said that the two kinds of cheese 2019 and batch number L032 to L116 have a possibility of contamination by the Coli bacteria MoPH further said that they have received an international notification concerning the said French cheese and has done all the necessary measures to reduce any potential risks to the consumer The Ministry stressed the need to avoid consumption of these products by consumers in order to protect their health French health authorities recalled the two kinds of cheese after several young children were found to be infected with the bacteria National MP for Whanganui Carl Bates with staff and students of St Marcellin School National MP for Whanganui Carl Bates took time out of his busy schedule to visit the staff and students of St Marcellin School on Friday principal Belinda Backwell and parish priest Father John Roberts discussing the school its history and the current school renovations Bates then took a tour of the school grounds and met with the students The senior students have been working on their persuasive writing this term and focusing on speech writing and debating In preparation for Bates’ visit and to gain some insight into speeches in Parliament This of course sparked some curiosity in the students who had questions on how Bates controlled his nerves when public speaking to which he imparted some sage advice for the students “It’s all about being prepared and being able to talk whether it be for 30 seconds or 30 minutes,” said Bates “Sometimes you will prepare an entire speech and at the last minute depending on what is happening in Parliament on that day the Whip will ask you to shorten or lengthen your speech.” The visit was well received by students and staff “Carl Bates is the deputy chair for the Education and Workforce Select Committee It is important for him to connect with schools in his constituency and understand what is happening at the grassroots with education particularly in small schools with principals carrying out multiple roles,” Backwell said Visiting The Fiji Times is great exposure to young students who want to know more about the newspaper and how its printed Yesterday The Fiji Times staff members were treated to some melodies singing from Year 3 students of St Marcellin Primary School during their visit The students’ visit was part of their three-day excursion around Suva and to Sigatoka The students have a busy trip planned out by their teacher the students visited The Fiji Times and My Suva Picnic Park while today they will watch a movie at Damodar Cinemas followed with a short visit to the National Fire Authority the students will visit the Sigatoka Forest Park and Sand Dunes so the students get a bit of exposure to nature and its beautiful wildlife Payal Kumar said there were a total of 39 students who accompanied her and a few mums She said the trip to The Fiji Times was an eye-opener not only for the students but for her and the mothers too “Most of our young children are into mobile phones and they don’t have a lot of exposure to The Fiji Times,” she said “During our break at the park we will discuss about what we have seen and learned about the newspaper” The students visited the newspaper and the printing press hall Grace Train (left) and Emily Murrin of KidsCan with Whanganui ASB team members Angela Church celebrate new rain jackets with students Presley Toleafoa Inoke Rasabale and Rishi Thomas at St Marcellin School Pupils at St Marcellin School in Whanganui are ready for the cold and wet months ahead thanks to new rain jackets and beanies supplied by ASB and KidsCan Whanganui ASB branch manager Angela Church with personal banking specialist Raymund Dayao and customer specialist Sam Scott took time out to visit the school for the presentation of new weatherproof jackets sponsored by ASB through KidsCan KidsCan partnerships specialist Grace Train and programme co-ordinator Emily Murrin presented a jacket to each student and said there were also waterproof winter shoes on the way for all the students St Marcellin principal Belinda Backwell said the school’s former acting principal Kieran Udy had made the application to KidsCan some time ago so he did all the paperwork while he was here and now you have your new jackets,” she said Train and Murrin announced an extra surprise of Lego sets for everyone as well as additional ones for the school and the ASB team sweetened the deal more by supplying warm said no child should have to go to school cold we have a significant role to play in the community and we see our support of KidsCan as a hugely important part of that “New Zealand shouldn’t be a country where any child is going to school cold or hungry and we’re incredibly proud to be a KidsCan partner and to be helping them to make a difference,” he said KidsCan chief executive Julie Chapman said families were finding it harder to keep growing children warm during the colder months and sponsorship was essential for KidsCan to support as many children as it could “A warm jacket has become a luxury for some children as families grapple with the rising cost of living,” Chapman said “KidsCan provides around 70,000 jackets a year We’re grateful to ASB for all they’re doing to support this programme - we need to do all we can to support vulnerable families through these tough times.” who recently returned to her Whanganui hometown after living in the South African capital Cape Town said she was working with the school board and staff to boost the school so I’m very happy to be home and be in this role,” she said St Marcellin is an integrated special character Catholic full primary school in Tawhero catering for Years 1 to 8 Low temperatures are forecast to temporarily return to double digits this week It is tempting to think that Saint Marcellin Champagnat would be astonished at the growth of the Institute he founded as the Little Brothers of Mary in 1817.   But that is unlikely to be true given his reply to a bishop seeking Brothers for his diocese.  To the bishop “All the dioceses of the world figure in our plans”.  These are extraordinary words given how modest the scale of the Institute was when he spoke them.  Words like that signal either megalomaniac delusion or genuinely prophetic foresight.  In Champagnat’s case I would favour the latter.  Marcellin’s was a grand vision of possibility because it was born of a vision indeed an experience of divine grace – the grace that lies at the heart of the great feast of the Immaculate Conception we celebrate today In contemplating the figure of the Immaculate Mother Marcellin came to understand what grace is and what grace does.  Grace touched Mary from the first moment of her life in the womb keeping her free from the sin which is endemic to the human race.  The one to be born of her and a sinless womb was needed for the sinless one to be born into a sinful world.  In preparing that sinless womb is not native to the human being; we weren’t created for sin isn’t native to the human being.  We all die; but we weren’t created for death.  In the figure of Mary “first superior” and “ordinary resource” of the Institute a truth we see in its fullness only when the sinless one rises from the dead.  But in Mary we see as well that God’s grace can do things which are simplyimpossible.  It was that vision of grace which brought to birth Marcellin’s grand vision of possibility and enabled him to say in those early days “All the dioceses of the world figure in our plans” even the dioceses of this distant land.  Champagnat knew the truth of Gabriel’s words to Mary:  “Nothing is impossible to God” when the first Brothers arrived on these shores first in 1838 and then more permanently in 1872 died in Sydney:  may that great man rest in peace and rise in glory Such was the growth of the Institute on these shores that Australia became a province in 1917 and two provinces in 1948 until this day in 2012.  The timing of the Brothers’ arrival and growth was perfect because these were the years following the decision of the Bishops of Australia to establish their own Catholic schools whatever the cost.  That was a brave – some said foolhardy – decision; yet what a triumph it has been.  If it has yielded such fruit it is because of Institutes like the Marist Brothers who went far and wide establishing schools of every kind and teaching the young in every way.  Were it not for their contribution not only the Church in this land but Australian society more generally would look very different than it does today.  On this historic day we look back upon that story and we give thanks because it has been above all a story of God’s grace we have seen tumultuous change in the Church and society then a celebration such as this becomes cosmetic a kind of whistling in the dark; and if it is only that then it is a betrayal of Champagnat and his vision of divine grace This is a moment of grace for the Institute or it is nothing.  Real planning for the future in the Church is always a response and these have changed and are changing quite dramatically in Australia.  Often we find ourselves with structures and strategies which are a response to the facts on the ground fifty or a hundred years ago.  They may have worked brilliantly in those earlier times but not now when the facts on the ground are different.  Yet planning for the future in the Church must be not only a response to the facts on the ground but also be a response to grace of the moment.  The question therefore becomes: What is the grace even the unexpected and inconvenient grace of this time?  That question can be harder to answer than it seems it is unlikely that our structures and strategies will be a response to the grace of the moment.  They will end up looking more like palliative care The brave and complex decision to unite the provinces of Australia is surely intended to stir new energies and to create new possibilities for mission.  In a time of institutional decline we can be tempted to turn inwards to close ranks in a supposedly self-protective manoeuvre.  But that would be a fatal mistake at this time and ultimately a refusal of grace.  Now is the time for a new missionary audacity the kind of boldness we hear in Champagnat’s words “All the dioceses of the world figure in our plans”.  Without that boldness turn to your “first superior” and “ordinary resource” the Immaculate Mother; and you will turn to the earthy and haunting figure of your saintly Founder who points now as then to the crib the cross and the altar.  Contemplating those two figures you will understand the great mystery of grace; and understanding that mystery you will find the right path into the future which God is now preparing.  Amen.Most Rev Mark Coleridge over 600 people gathered together online and in small groups for the Marist Association of Saint Marcellin Champagnat’s annual Marian Lecture titled Human Dignity – An Aussie Value Led by prominent Australian and Jesuit priest the lecture attracted Catholics from dioceses throughout Australia and overseas Fr Frank is a highly respected public voice in Australia He is the current Rector of Newman College at the University of Melbourne and the former CEO of Australian Catholic Social Services Frank reflected on the challenges surrounding the issue of human dignity as an Aussie value especially for young people today given the realities of the war in Ukraine He spoke of these as the big questions that confront young Australians: “They are the first generation since the Second World War who don’t have the promise that life will be materially better for them than it was for their parents and their grandparents.”  He encouraged us as a Catholic faith community to look to Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ to guide us to accept responsibility for the planet; to always have an eye for those on the margins; and to keep the common good above self-interest whilst attending to our interior prayer life Fr Frank spoke in detail of the challenges of defending human dignity in relation to the issues of Temporary Protections Visas for refugees and recognition of our First Nations People and their voice as represented in the Uluru Statement from the Heart “If we are committed to human dignity as an Aussie value we have to be prepared to have the difficult discussions and we have to be able to see things through the eyes of those who are most on the margins.”  Leader of the Marist Association of Saint Marcellin Champagnat and President of Catholic Religious Australia public advocacy for justice and reconciliation and voice for those on the margins He said: “There is nothing more important for us than witnessing to Jesus in our Marian way of affording dignity to every single human being we encounter.”  With thanks to the Marist Association of Saint Marcellin Champagnat. right foreground) conducts a taste test while Strata Lounge executive chef Brett McGregor looks on Original MasterChef NZ winner Brett McGregor was recently at St Marcellin School cooking up a storm for the students as part of the Healthy Lunches in Schools programme McGregor visited the school to educate the students on the future of food systems focusing on tastes and cuisines from around the world “He talked about food preparation and safety and prepared a delicious Mexican nacho meal that the students enjoyed,” said principal Belinda Backwell it was a meal that their discerning taste buds enjoyed,” she said McGregor comes from Auckland and is a brand ambassador for Compass promoting healthy eating and balanced diets He was a teacher at an international school in Hong Kong and became a deputy principal when he returned to New Zealand and is now the executive chef at Auckland International Airport’s Strata Lounge Marcellin School was established in the 1980s having previously been a Marist Brothers school as an intermediate Catholic school for Years 7 and 8 bolstering it and transforming it into a full primary school “I started as a teaching principal this year with a roll of 32 students and two teachers yielding a high teacher/student ratio,” said Backwell “We now have 36 students and are looking to grow the roll The school provides a strong Catholic character holistic approach to the social and emotional wellbeing of the children We’ve got fantastic support from our whānau with a lovely community who are very involved Lots of volunteers help with the children - Nans help cut fruit in the mornings and volunteers stamp journals and laminate materials.” “We have a close connection with Gonville Kindergarten - one of the lead teachers takes the children for [a] Pasifika cultural group [session] each week the children are putting on a Pasifika concert.” MontrealNews13-year-old student dies at private school in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.By Daniel J. RowePublished: November 13, 2023 at 9:57PM EST Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved Le décès de l’élève de l'école Marcellin-Champagnat à Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu me bouleverse profondément.Je veux offrir mes plus sincères condoléances à sa famille et à ses proches Je pense aussi à tous ses camarades et amis de l’école ainsi qu’au personnel de l’institution The match to watch is between RKS Eels and Lelan Bati in the under 19 grade at the Vodafone Southern Eastern Zone Secondary School Rugby League happening at the St Marcellin Primary School ground Vodafone FSSRL general secretary Dan Vakamoce says the team that wins in this match will finish on top of their pool since both teams remain undefeated He says they are grateful to the Ministry of Education for allowing them to go ahead with the competition “We are also grateful to our major sponsors Vodafone (Fiji) for helping us despite the challenging time that we are going through now,” Vakamoce said Nasinu Panthers take on Nabua Broncos; and Lomaivuna Rabitohs takes on Marist Storm in the Vodafone Southern Eastern Zone U15 and U17 finals Nasinu Panthers take on Sukuna Broncos; and Marist Storm takes on RKS Eels Wins for local members Mitchell Shire Council releases draft Budget Women’s sport grants open Shaping Whittlesea’s future Changes to intersection design a win New look for Bar Landy Clonbinane CFA receives big boost Words of wisdom A vigorous clash Key teams take wins Eagles stay in touch Thrilling weekend for Pacers Rangers’ big weekend Productive Panthers score two wins Assumption College Kilmore’s statue of Saint Marcellin Champagnat has been restored after multiple years in disrepair Previously standing for a long time in the Fourviere Courtyard the surrounding building and courtyard underwent a major refurbishment in 2015 The Champagnat statue had been in the courtyard in a state of disrepair for several years leading to the decision to commission a new statue that reflected the more accurate drawings of Champagnat that were released at the time of his Canonisation in 1999 The statue that was commissioned decades ago was based on a painting of Champagnat made after his death in 1840 The new version was based on his passport’s description and facial recognition software applied to the original painting and the faces of descendants of the Champagnat family Champagnat was a Marist priest born in 1789 who after his ordination was concerned by the isolation and lack of education in many of France’s rural areas at the time He acted to improve the situation surrounding Catholic teaching however on his first day at school he witnessed the poor treatment of a student by a teacher – souring his thoughts on education It was from that incident that he and two other men worked to form the Marist Brothers in 1817 which now incorporates more than 600 schools worldwide including Assumption College damaged statue was housed in Assumption’s maintenance area for eight years before Kilmore woodworker and sculptor Greg Stute offered to attempt the restoration Mr Stute said working with the concrete statue was a new experience and added to his portfolio of other pieces around Kilmore I’ve got quite a few projects here so at least for myself I know that I’ve actually contributed something to the school,” he said “If you drive past or you go to Assumption and you see it sitting there it would’ve just been broken and put into landfill and then that bit of history is lost forever.” Mr Stute thanked Matt Gibson from Amos Painting and John Knight from ASAP Bins for their contributions to the project The final location of the restored statue is currently undecided however it could end up at the College’s boarding precinct in recognition of the area’s historical significance After removing seven coats of paint and repairing the cracks and voids Kilmore’s Greg Stute used Haymes paint for the undercoat and final finish and modelled a missing finger and thumb off his own hand The 620-kilogram statue will be reinstalled at Assumption College © The North Central Review Pty Ltd St Marcellin School students performing their Siva - the backdrop of tapa cloths were made by the senior students An end-of-term Pasifika performance was put on at St Marcellin School on Thursday evening with all parents turning out for the occasion Angela Aki from Gonville Kindergarten was coming in to volunteer to coach the children for their Pasifika Siva imparting her knowledge and culture with the children - with a view to the children putting on a performance at the end of the term for their parents “The Pasifika performance was a resounding success,” said St Marcellin School principal “Every single parent was at the performance it was amazing to have our whole community involved NETBALL HEAVYWEIGHTS: The St Marcellin Senior A girls (back and (front) Keilani Tyrell and Kiana Millar St Marcellin School are punching well above their weight on the Wanganui netball courts the sporting pool is shallow and the netball coaching staff can barely field the minimum seven players in each of their three teams in the local competition St Marcellin are well up the leader board in each grade said the St Marcellin Senior A team won the final last Saturday edging out Wanganui Intermediate 8A 25-23 at Laird Park considering we do not have the luxury of running trials and selecting the best players We just had the bare seven girls for each of our teams," Bryant said yesterday "We have three netball teams - a primary Year 5-6 side that also won their finals and two Year 7-8 teams The B team came fourth in their grade but won their Open Day grade we had four girls who also represented Wanganui in the Year 7 and 8 age group teams Not only did the girls take out the intermediate grade but they also won the trophy for highest goal average "This trophy has not been won by St Marcellin since 1984 I am very proud of all the girls this season So proud I decided that the girls should have the opportunity to test their skills against other teams from around New Zealand "I have entered them into the Global Games Junior Netball Festival in Taupo this weekend This will be an amazing experience that no other school from this district will enjoy "St Marcellin is not only the best at netball but nearly all sports we enter we do well at We had four touch teams in competition this year - Year 1-2 Year 5-6 and a Year 7-8 mixed side and all four grades won their division," Bryant said "St Marcellin is a great sporting school and have produced some outstanding athletes over the years MARIST Brothers Primary School managed to retain their title today in the boys division at the Suva Zone 1 meet at the ANZ Stadium at Laucala Bay Marist team track coach Bill Momo said trying to defend their title was quite difficult for them in the zone because there was a lot of competition “We worked as hard as the other schools and are thankful that our six weeks preparation had been fruitful,” said Momo Saint Marcellin Primary School managed to retain their title as well Suva Zone 1 will now prepare for the Chow Games meet at the end of next month school captain Emily Smith and principal Darren McGregor during Catholic College Bendigo's Founders' Day celebrations.BENDIGO’S Catholic community gathered in the Marian Centre yesterday to celebrate Catholic College Bendigo’s Founders’ Day.Two of the college’s most prestigious awards the Marcellin Champagnat and the Catherine McAuley awards were presented to 12 students.More than 2000 students parents and staff gathered for the Founders’ Day liturgy presented by teacher Alannah Darmody principal Darren McGregor and the student leadership team.College captains Jacob Carroll and Emily Smith welcomed guests with Jacob giving thanks for Saint Marcellin Champagnat and Venerable Catherine McAuley who were the founders of the Marist Brothers and the Sisters of Mercy while acknowledging the Vincentian Fathers who were also crucial in the history of the college which dates back to 1876.Emily said the school was in its second year of the house pastoral system and she recognised the contribution made to the Australian Church and those who were the inspiration for the school’s house names.These include the Jaara people who will become Australia’s first saint on October 17 Today's top stories curated by our news team Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert Your digital replica of Today's Paper Test your skills with interactive crosswords