Forward January 2021 | Page 3

CHAPLAIN ’ S REPORT

From the

Chaplain

The munificence of Cecil Oliverson is well documented and greatly appreciated . His gift to the School , the Chapel of St Mary and St George , is truly one of the finest , if not the finest , chapels in Australia . However , over the 106 years since its consecration , others have been generous to the Chapel . On the day of the Chapel ’ s consecration on Lady Day ( 25 March 1914 ) Louisa Mary Oliverson , gave a beautiful chalice to the Chapel which is still in use today .
The story of the gift of Bibles by King George V and Queen Elizabeth II is well known . One of the more unusual gifts came from Westminster Abbey when it celebrated its 900th Anniversary in February 1967 . The Abbey gave the School a piece of 13th century limestone from its structure .
In December 1971 , Bishop Robert Freeth , a former Headmaster ( 1928-1950 ) presented his pastoral staff to the Chapel which now stands in the Sanctuary . Around this time the mothers of the School completed the last of the kneelers that are regularly used and lovingly cared for each year by the Mothers of Old Guildfordians ( MOGS ).
In the early 1990s , David Magill ( 1989-91 ) built the free-standing lectern used regularly , in memory of James Barton Lodge ( 1917 ) who was killed in action on 29 January , 1943 . Many of the stained glass windows , all of which are gifts , are dedicated to the memory of those who lost their lives in war .
Left : Bishop Robert Freeth ’ s pastoral staff .
Right : the chalice gifted by Louisa Mary Oliverson .
The Chapel has special meaning to both boys , Mason as Captain of Boarding ( 2018 ), who read at services regularly , and Jedd as School Sacristan ( 2019 ), who was also part of the Senior School Guild of Servers during his time at School .
The Chapel , along with the School , gave Mason and Jedd an opportunity to grow spiritually and better themselves for their next chapter in their lives and for that , we are grateful .”
So fine a gift , with such kind and affirming words , from as lovely a family as the Sullivans , is a wonderful reminder of the ministry to which this School is called and able to offer to all our families and our students . May it please God to continue to bless this School as it seeks to make the Kingdom of God known .
The Rev ’ d Canon Dr Philip Raymont Senior Chaplain
Last year , at the All Souls ’ Day Service on the 1 November 2020 , through the kindness of the Sullivan family of Cunderdin , the Chapel was blessed to receive the gift of a beautiful icon of St Gabriel at the Feast of the Annunciation ( Lady Day ). The icon was made by Marice Sariola from Boyanup , who before leaving Finland in 1989 , was awarded the country ’ s Culture Prize for her contribution to the preservation of the traditions of Church Art . The icon was hand-painted with egg tempera paint and gold leaf in the spirit of the Church tradition . The tradition of icons comes from the Early Church when Christianity was an undivided unity . Church tradition teaches that St Luke was the first icon painter and painted three images of Mary and Jesus while they were alive ; later these three motifs were followed by images of saints when Christianity spread into the wider world .
The family , Mark and Anita Sullivan , with sons Mason ( Fr 2014-2018 ) and Jedd Sullivan ( Fr 2014- 2019 ), in offering the gift wrote , “ The Sullivan family have gifted this icon of Gabriel to Guildford Grammar School to be placed in the Chapel of St Mary and St George . This is in thanksgiving for the wonderful pastoral care , guidance and opportunities afforded to Mason and Jedd during their time at the School .
Above : Icon of St Gabriel by Marice Sariola , gifted to Guildford Grammar School in 2020 by the Sullivan family .
3