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ST PATRICK’S COLLEGE BALLARAT Vol. 12 Ed.3 December 2013 the Shamrock the Shamrock Top shot! Year 7 student Sam Williams crosses the finish line to claim the Victorian 800m title at the Victorian All Schools Athletics Championships at Albert Park in October. Sam won with a personal best time of 2min10sec. Sam also won the state title in the 1500m event with a time of 4min34sec, stamping himself as an athletics star of the future. Well done Sam! Page 2 December 2013 the Shamrock Page 4-7 Headmaster’s address Welcome to the to Speech Night Page 8-9 third edition Speech Night Page 10-11 of the Shamrock Valedictory Dinner Page 12-13 for 2013 Announcement of 2014 student leaders Another year has passed and the fabric and culture Page 14 of St Patrick’s College has been enriched further. For SPAM Awards/Flanagan many reasons (far too many to list) 2013 will long be Art prize remembered as a landmark year in the history of the College. Most notably though it was the 120th Page 15 anniversary of the College’s inception and also Father’s Day Mass presented us the opportunity to thank and farewell Page 16-17 the Christian Brothers for all their work in that time. Ordination of We hope this, the third and final edition of The Shamrock, provides fitting coverage of all that has Fr James Kerr happened in the College over the past few months Page 18-19 as we draw to a close another wonderful year. We General news wish you and your family all the very best over the coming Christmas and holiday period and look Page 20-24 forward to welcoming many of you back refreshed Sport and reinvigorated for 2014. Page 25-29 Green, White and Blue: News from the OCA Credits Page 30 Editor: Mr Paul Nolan Thanks: Thanks to all contributors including Dr Peter Casey, Mr Stephen McMahon, Mr Howard Clark, Upcoming events Ms Tamara Westwood, Mr John Sullivan, Mr Tony Beggs, Mr Leigh McKee and Mr Gordon Hutcheon. Page 31 Front Cover: Old Collegian James Kerr (SPC 2000-05) is ordained to the priesthood by Bishop of Ballarat Paul Bird in St Patrick’s College September, 2013. Fr Kerr became the first Old Boy in a decade to be ordained to the priesthood. Foundation the Shamrock Page 3 the Shamrock Headmaster’s Annual Report to Speech Night 2013 Good evening everyone. Acknowledgment of Guests · Mr Chris Caldow, Welcome to all in the The members of the Official Party Deputy Headmaster: Student & Staff · Bishop Paul Bird, CSsR Wellbeing 121st year of the College. Bishop of Ballarat and Patron · Mr Stephen Hill, As we gather I of the College Deputy Headmaster: Teaching acknowledge that we · Dr Peter Casey, & Learning gather on the lands Headmaster traditionally cared for by · Ms Elizabeth Till, Director of Administration, Teaching the Wathaurong People. · Br Vince Duggan, Oceania Province Leader of the Performance & Development I pay my respects to Christian Brothers Dr Peter Casey · Mr Chris Gleeson, Headmaster their elders past and · Mr Geoff Howard, Director of Sport present and to any State Member for Ballarat East other elders who join · Ms Elizabeth Ryan, us tonight. · Ms Sharon Knight, Head of Senior School State Member for Ballarat West · Mr Neal Arthurson, I also acknowledge the Christian · Head of Middle School Brothers who for 120 years cared for Mr Paul Williams, Director of Regional Support the site on which St Patrick’s College · Mr John Richards, Southern Region, Edmund Rice stands, who established the legacy Head of Junior School upon which we build, and who are Education Australia represented tonight by Br Vince · Mr Stephen Kirby, · Mr John Schreenan, Duggan, Leader of Oceania Province. College Captain 2009 St Patrick’s College Foundation · Mr Peter Oakley, · Mr Steve McMahon, College Captain 2013 President of the Old Collegian’s Association Page 4 December 2013 the Shamrock Other guests include Sr Margaret promotion of interactions with the Cultural Pursuits Sculley, who has returned as ladies of Loreto at many levels. This A highlight of the year was the community leader of the Institute of has been most positive. production of Sweeney Todd under the the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Loreto aegis of Mr Greg Shawcross, something Sisters, and Mr Paul James The boys continue to flourish through the boys could sink their teeth into! representing the Dorothy Irene the care showered on them by our Ellis-Thomas Trust. You are all welcome staff, both teaching and non-teaching. Sporting Activities as we reflect on another year of Having people genuinely interested in Highlights for me include the tour of flourishing at St Patrick’s College. one’s wellbeing is a very affirming Ireland, London and Paris, the hosting notion to boys as they grapple with of the state schoolboys rugby grand Student Programmes and adolescent issues of identity, sexuality, finals and the fourth consecutive win Teaching & Learning personhood, value systems and in the Herald-Sun Shield by the 1st This is the first year that boys will have hopefully faith. XVIII, as well as the growing number vied for Chris Nolan Awards since their of house-based competitions at entry into Year 7 in 2008. Fittingly, Catholic Identity lunchtime and after school, eleven Year 12 boys have achieved a To assist in this latter area which is complementing our BAS Chris Nolan award in each of their core to our being, our identity as a representations. eleven semesters and they were Catholic school in the Edmund Rice recognised at Assembly recently. tradition, our Mission Team led by Mr Boarding Geoff Brodie has worked assiduously Boarding continues at the heart of the Student Leadership and Pastoral Care to find new ways of engaging staff in College. We farewell our Director of Peter Oakley, Nicholas McMaster and the work of engaging the boys in what Boarding, Mr Alex Hunt, because of Luke Wilson have ably led the Year 12 must be the work of all. Our liturgies family circumstances, Alex has Student Council, the Student Congress flourish as opportunities for all to brought a good level of rigour to our and the general student body. They enter into our sacred mysteries, into Boarding processes and the have been evident across the arts and our celebration of all that is good, and certification of staff. sport as well as in academic pursuits. into our remembrance of friends in This year’s Council members have good times and sad. been particularly noticeable in their the Shamrock Page 5 the Shamrock Student Population entity responsible for our school as Abuse. Many members of our Ballarat The new year saw us start with 1375 well as the other educational community still bear the scars, the students, up by 50 students from last ventures of the Christian Brothers in shame and some, the guilt of what year. We anticipate an enrolment in Australia. I am a member of the old has been. 2014 of 1400. guard of principals who are still struggling to modify the bureaucratic Special Events Finances model adopted by EREA. We seek to This year was marked by our 120th The College Board and the Finance limit the impost on schools locally, birthday celebrations and a farewell to Committee continue to zealously both financially and in the the Christian Brothers on St Patrick’s ensure that our resources are well duplication of reporting. Overall EREA Day. The closure of the local brothers’ husbanded, keeping the costs to appears to be serving the needs of community was an opportunity to parents at a sustainable level while the Congregation of Christian mark the great work of so many providing adequately for the Brothers to be reassured with regard people over 120 years, something programmes we choose to offer and to legal compliance and to charism which should not be lost because of the growth of our facilities to cater for continuity but other religious orders the failings of a few. those who wish to join us. have much leaner mechanisms to We have lived with pain and suffering achieve this. Support throughout the year with several of The College is grateful for the way in While we have continued to enjoy the our boys lucky to escape death, and which it continues to be well served by support of the Church locally and staff not so lucky. We remember Mr its support groups: the Board, the Old across the diocese, we have been Phil Sherry who died recently after a Collegians Association, the mindful of the pain being examined long battle with cancer, and pray for Foundation, the Friends of St Patrick’s, and being suffered because of the Ms Cathy Warhurst who is currently in the Friends of Music and the SPC Parliamentary Inquiry into the intensive care suffering from cancer Rowing Club. Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and who has a poor prognosis. We and Other Institutions, and the remember the families who have During the year, Edmund Rice concurrent Royal Commission into suffered similar losses and pray for the Education Australia was officially Institutional Responses to Child Sexual eyes of faith to filter our sadness. recognised by the Church as the Page 6 December 2013 the Shamrock As I conclude I offer my thanks, and those of the broad College community, to all who have added to our flourishing in 2013. With a touch of sadness we farewell our Year 12s and several staff, but we view them as our missionaries, taking our story to the world. In particular, I thank our Deputy Head: Student and Staff Wellbeing, Mr Chris Caldow, who leaves us to take up the principalship of Penola College in Melbourne.