VOLUME 37-3 XAVIER NEWSDECEMBER 2019 PP38 1667/0037 xavier.vic.edu.au CONTENTS LEADERSHIP 1 Building a Leadership healthy and robust community 6 From the The Life of the School Editor Fr Chris Middleton SJ Rector The second half of the year is always As one cohort departs, another steps The Israel Folau controversy, and the 30 one of much busyness. Key events, up, and the College will stand in good termination of his contract after he tweeted such as concerts, performances, stead next year with newly-appointed about his religious beliefs, triggered a Xavier sporting matches and celebrations College Captain Ben Wright-Smith debate about religious freedom in Australia. Foundation of learning pepper our calendars and Vice-Captains Tom Croagh and The Morrison Government is committed to and keep the hearts of our students, Patrick Prowse. On page 9, we also legislation around religious freedom, though parents and staff rich and full. welcome our new Director of Burke its formulation is proving a formidable task. Hall Campus, Brett Collison and learn In this edition, we celebrate the APS about his journey in education so Understanding and appreciating our 34 victories of Water Polo (page 12) and far. Similarly, we get to know long- differences, rather than fearing them, is And Nazism, more than perhaps any Undoubtedly, the debate in Australia Basketball (page 14), reflect on the serving Kostka Hall staff member Rob a recurring challenge in human history. other ideology was able to play on human over freedom of religion will be a heated Old Xaverians’ wonder and spectacle of the Hamer Shinners and how he is incorporating Racism, sexism, homophobia, sectarianism, fear in its drive for power. There is then a and divisive one. Religious schools are an Association Hall concert (page 26) and highlight his interest in neuroscience into the anti-Semitism, all have at their heart an fundamental responsibility for our western epicentre of the debate as we try to balance the students who are demonstrating a classroom (page 13). intolerance of difference, expressed in some and Christian traditions to be particularly their rights to control ethos with the commitment to and passion for service form of prejudice or hate. And tragically, alert to manifestations of anti-Semitism. demands of anti-discriminatory legislation. (page 17). In the Obituaries section, We must also acknowledge the in our human story, we are faced with But the implications are profound across we celebrate the life and legacy of departure of two key members of outbreaks of violence, even to the point Today, Jews are regularly targeted around much of society in terms of freedom of Xaverian Award recipient Tim Fischer the Editorial team; Contributing of massacres, pogroms and attempted the world and, in Australia, Jewish expression and diversity of opinion. 46 (OX 1963). Editor, John Fox as well as Director genocide. institutions are subject to security measures Archives of Development and Community not seen in any other section of our Ultimately, freedom of expression is the It is also the time of year when we Relations, Tony Bretherton. Both have Australia has been largely spared such community. Traveling to Kostka, I often pass great enemy of intolerance and hate, but bid farewell to another cohort of contributed significantly to the content extremes of human violence, with the Yeshivah, the Jewish school where tight there is a cost: we must allow voices of Xaverians. The Class of 2019 have and direction of this publication over critical exception of the terrible losses security is very evident. It is a sad fact of life dissent and viewpoints that we passionately exemplified what it means to be the years and we wish them well in sustained by our Indigenous people during for our Jewish community. disagree with to be heard. And particularly exceptional graduates, and we their future endeavours. European occupation. Today, though, in the academic world and in the media look forward to celebrating their we remain a remarkable society, diverse Dialogue with Islam has emerged as one it is important that competing voices are 47 accomplishments within the Old We hope that you and your family in origin and ethnicity, pluralistic in faith of the great challenges of today. John- heard, and that alternative perspectives are Paul II emphasised this when he prayed in Hic et Ubique Xaverians’ Association pages of this enjoy a very Merry Christmas and a and beliefs, or lack of beliefs, and largely not shut down out of political correctness, magazine in the future. Happy New Year. appreciative of the complexity that gives us a mosque and spoke of what united the or through concerted attempts to de- our identity. three great monotheistic faiths, Judaism, platform views not held by establishments, Jessica Brinsdon Christianity and Islam. Pope Benedict was Editor or through using legislation as a weapon, or Front cover image: Basketball 1st V Captain Alex Kanellis Challenges do remain, and people are hurt somewhat more confronting in challenging because we are uncomfortable with what is and Coach John White with the APS Premiership trophy. by attitudes or actions that, consciously or Islam to face issues of liberty and human being said. Xavier News Published by the Community not, reflect fear of difference. Young gay rights in parts of the Islamic world where Relations Office of Xavier College, Australians can experience prejudice and the practice of Christian faith is illegal or In a school, promotion of tolerance and 135 Barkers Road Kew Victoria 3101 even brutality. Many Muslim Australians severely limited. Islam faces significant respect for difference is an ongoing T +61 3 9854 5465 F +61 3 9854 5328 experienced misunderstanding in the questions concerning pluralism and challenge but one integral to the formation E [email protected] wake of terrorism. A ‘respectable’ form of individual liberty, the rights of women, the of character. Valuing our ability to express Director of Development and Community Relations: anti-Catholicism still finds its insidious way notions of religious and secular society. One freely our opinions and ideas is also Tony Bretherton Obituary submissions in 2020 into Australian life. Indigenous Australians might also say that Christianity took a long fundamental to building a healthy and Editor: Jessica Brinsdon remain vulnerable to racist prejudices. time to face similar questions. robust community. Sometimes there can Contributing Editor: John Fox All submissions that pertain to Edition 1 2020 and beyond will be subject to a renewed be a tension between the two. Navigating format and submission process. If your family chooses to honour the life of a loved one with an Graphic Designer: Colleen Daly Anti-Semitism should hold a particular Islam is a broad movement of over a billion that tension can be challenging, yet it is Publications and Communications Coordinator: obituary in Xavier News, we invite the next of kin to curate, submit and approve the submission in line place in our consciousness. No single event believers containing significant diversity just Hannah Clifton with publication standards. For further information or to submit an obituary, one that we should not shirk. Balancing in our story holds as much horror as that as Christianity does. We need to remind Old Xaverians’ Association Liasion: Davina Calhaem email [email protected] individual freedom and responsibilities systematic attempt to wipe out a people ourselves that for a significant period in Photographers: Dave Arnold, Nick Chester and towards others, standing up for one’s beliefs James Grant Please note that Xavier College is not able to take responsibility for the accuracy of information by the most advanced society in Europe, history the Islamic world was the home to and having tolerance for difference, holding supplied by family members, other than that which can be confirmed by Xavier College archival Archival Content: Catherine Hall using all the tools of our modern world, the best in science and learning. Nor should together humour and sensitivity, these are records. Printer: Eastern Press including its science and technology. Social we forget that much of the Islamic world always issuing facing society, issues that find Distributor: Precision Group Darwinism helped drive Nazi ideology, as is still emerging from the demoralising expression in the classroom, the yard, the We acknowledge the Wurundjeri people and all of the peoples of the Kulin nation who continue to care did an ancient anti-Semitism that was partly experience of Western colonial rule, staff room and the home. for this land as they have done for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them and renew shaped by distortions of Christian teaching explaining in part the frustration and anger our pledge to work together toward reconciliation and the wellbeing of all. and shameful actions by some Christians. that sometimes is associated with Islam. 1 LEADERSHIP LEADERSHIP Culture eats strategy for breakfast - but gets its appetite from purpose William Doherty Principal Reflecting on the year that has been Tony Nunan Meet members of the Xavier College Board Chair, Xavier College Board Much has been written about esteemed Old Xaverian Mr Barry Fr Gerry Healy SJ Tony Reeves O’Callaghan AO (OX 1954). Barry, as most of you would be aware, was a former Chair of the Xavier Foundation and Chair of I attended St Patrick’s College My involvement with Xavier is “Culture eats strategy for breakfast” Specific actions have now been established 6. For Our Operational Excellence, the the Xavier School Council, which was a forerunner to the current East Melbourne, a Jesuit school quite brief compared to many is a phrase that has been attributed to to breath life into the strategic framework. College will focus on developing a strong College Board.