15 March 2024

When Dr Margaret O’Donnell – Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) board member and former principal – was recently awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), the citation read: ‘for service to education and to the community’.

Behind those eight words lie years of experience and the accrued wisdom of a woman who holds a deep sense of gratitude and love for her Catholic faith, her family and a vocation that, more than 50 years on, continues to enliven her.

‘It’s a privilege, a responsibility – but it’s also a joy. And so I would say to teachers: be joyful, be hopeful, and trust in God. Know what a privilege this is – what a wonderful opportunity this is. You have these children’s lives in your hands. You’re forming their lives.’

As a member of the MACS board, Margaret was one of the architects of the strategic plan, MACS 2030: Forming Lives to Enrich the World. Central to this plan is helping each school to understand that it is part of a wider system of education – the Catholic system. ‘The system is there for every teacher, for every principal, for every school – to direct and to guide and support.’

This is an extract of an article that was originally published on the Melbourne Catholic website.