Feast of St. Benedict 2025

A Day for the Whole Family

The much-anticipated St. Benedict's Feast took place as planned on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at Sanni18, Forest Hil, Victoria. The event was a resounding success, drawing over 80 participants, including cherished Old Bens and their families, for a day filled with joy and camaraderie.

Update from the President

President of Bens OBU Victoria, Aravinda Canekeratne welcomed all those who were present and thanked them for their participation. He also highlighted our achievements as the Melbourne chapter in nurturing the 21st Century Learning Program and the STEM project and gave an update on six months of innovation in College.

A Blessed 160 and Beyond

Fr. Jossy Kizhakkethalackal led a special blessing for the Benedictine community celebrating 160 years, setting a reverent tone for the festivities.

Food, Hoppers and Dessert

Attendees embarked on a delightful culinary journey. The meal commenced with a chicken and corn soup to warm up from the cold weather. For the main course, guests savoured a selection of traditional dishes including black pork curry, devilled chicken, and yellow fish curry, all served alongside traditional polos and mango ambula. A special menu of crispy chips and nuggets was available for the younger guests. The feast concluded with an array of tempting desserts, offering butterscotch pudding, ice cream, wattalapan, and fresh fruit salad.

The atmosphere was vibrant with dancing and merriment, thanks to the lively tunes of the "Summer Breeze" band, who kept spirits high throughout the event. It was a truly family-friendly affair, with partners, children, friends, and loved ones all encouraged to partake in the celebrations. 

You can relive some of the moments from the event by watching the event video below.

The feast day was a wonderful opportunity for the community to reconnect, share laughter, and create lasting memories. Here are more photos for you to see everyone in action.