Marist College, Auckland

Marist College was established as small private girls' school in 1928.[6][7] It was founded by the Marist Sisters,[8] a congregation or order of Roman Catholic women started in France during the early 19th century by Jeanne-Marie Chavoin and Jean-Claude Colin.[9] The college was initially called Marist Convent High School, later becoming Marist Sisters' College and finally Marist College in 1996.[10]

Marist College began a year after a primary school was established in Mt. Albert Parish, and between 1928 and 1936 was a boarding school which initially included primary age students. [11] The two pioneers were Mother Bernard (Mary Gorman) Irish woman and Sister Austin, an Australian. Sr. Alexius arrived New Zealand in February 1928 to teach in the secondary school and official registration was obtained in 1947.[12]

In 1945, Colin House (named after Jean-Claude Colin) was constructed, allowing the school to greatly expand.[7] By 1955 there were 93 students at Marist College, then in 1981 after integration into the State system this had grown to a cap of 411, then by 2010 this cap had grown to 750. [13]

The boarding school closed in 1978 due to a lack of staff, and the College was gifted by the Marist Sisters of New Zealand to the Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland in 2001.[14]

In 1981, the school became an integrated school in New Zealand's schooling system.[7]

A large cluster of COVID-19 cases were associated with Marist College during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand in 2020.[15][16]

Marist College has daily prayers, regular celebrations of the sacrament of the Eucharist and formal study of a religious education programme.

Each year, Marist College celebrates Marist Day, starting with Mass in the morning and a themed fun time after that. It is always on 15 August, the Feast of the Assumption of Mary. In 2008, it celebrated Marist Day's 30th Anniversary, which started in 1978.

Every year, Marist College holds Family Festival, a festival for numerous cultures dances, many foods and cultural activities.

For year 7 and 8, a social is held either at Marist College, St Peters College, etc around October. The social includes dancing and formality.

According to the school, the school has four houses, named after significant members of the Marist Story:[23]

In 2019, the school had the following ethnic makeup: NZ European/Pākehā 40%, Māori 10%, Indian 10%, Samoan 10%, South East Asian 8%, Tongan 8%, Chinese 5%, other Pacific groups 5%, other ethnic groups 4%.[4]

• Lucy Lawless, an actress noted for her work as Xena in the television series Xena: Warrior Princess;[26]
• Agnes Loheni, a member of parliament for the National Party;[27]
• Sonja Yelich, a prize-winning New Zealand poet and mother of singer-songwriter, Lorde.
• Margaret Urlich, musician

• Official website