17 November 2025

Like all students in Catholic schools, those at St Oliver Plunkett’s School in Pascoe Vale have been celebrating the Year of Jubilee. But 2025 also marks significant anniversaries for their patron saint: 400 years since his birth and 50 years since his canonisation.

Recently, the school, parish and local community came together for the unveiling of the school’s new ‘peace pole’. The installation was the result of a community-wide effort – the peace pole was provided by the local Rotary Club, sponsored by local MP, Anthony Cianflone, blessed by Parish Priest, Fr James Puppady, with holy water from Drogheda, Ireland supplied by the school’s Religious Education Lead, Gabrielle Lo Castro from her visit during the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) 2025 Inspired to Lead pilgrimage.

The pole carries the message ‘May Peace Prevail on Earth’ in four languages: English, Woi Wurrung to acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation, Italian – which is taught at the school and Malayalam, the first language of Fr Puppady.

Principal Delfina Pieri, along with deputy principals Cecilia and Sara, revealed another layer of meaning on the pole, untying three ribbons with the school colours: red – symbolising sacrifice and service, blue – peace and forgiveness, and green – Ireland.

This is the most recent event at the school to commemorate St Oliver Plunkett. The school marked his feast day in July with the unveiling of a new art display linking themes of peace, reconciliation, journey and hope. The students also replicated St Oliver’s journey from Ireland to Rome through the ‘Plunkett Pilgrimage’ with mini passports used to journey through the school.

On this anniversary year of his birth, ‘let St Oliver Plunkett’s story inspire us to live our lives with courage and compassion’ (Archbishop of Armagh and Parish Priest of St Peter’s Parish, Drogheda 2025).