Faith, Justice and Formation 

Sydney Archbishop’s Award for Student Excellence

It is with pride and joy that we congratulate the St Patrick’s College Strathfield recipient of the Archbishop’s Award for Student Excellence in 2021, Patrick Tandiono.

Patrick received his award online last Friday in a streamed ceremony with all other recipients around Sydney. Despite the scaled back presentation, the significance of this award is not to be overlooked. Below is the citation read about Patrick on the day and printed in the upcoming Catholic Weekly.

Congratulations to this fine young man.

Patrick is an outstanding member of St Patrick’s College, Strathfield and is heavily involved with the faith aspects of our community, as well as other areas from academics to co-curricular. He displays his leadership as the College’s Faith Formation/Spirituality Prefect, and more specifically through his participation as a Eucharistic Minister, and his presence and assistance for school masses and liturgies.  He is also a member of the Social Justice Action Group and was selected to attend the Immersion to Papua New Guinea last year. Patrick has served his Parish, St Martha’s Strathfield, as an altar server for nine years and he helps with other roles, including money collection.  He is a young man who exhibits integrity in every aspect of his life.  Patrick is positive, enthusiastic, engaging and always willing to say yes when he is needed.  He speaks with conviction, demonstrating love, compassion and truth at all times.

ERA for Change National Executive Appointment

ERA (Edmund Rice Advocacy) for Change is the national student-led justice and advocacy group within EREA across Australia. ERA for Change organise and lead many justice campaigns and lend their voice to matters of inequality. As the name suggests, the focus of this group is advocacy – “Advocacy is not like charity. If you were being charitable, you might donate $10 to someone living in poverty. However, if you were being an advocate, you might spend an hour of your time, writing to your government to urge them to take action for those who are living in poverty. Advocacy is about making change, not just by giving but by standing up for those who aren't always heard.” (ERA for Change website).

St Patrick’s College has our first ever student representative on the National Executive of ERA for Change. Eden Gittany of Year 11 was nominated, along with other boys, and then submitted his application. He was then chosen from many others across the country. I know personally that Eden will bring a lot to this group and in turn strengthen our College commitment to work for those in greatest need. He is also ably backed by the Social Justice Action Group (SJAG), the Faith in Action Team (FIAT) and Junior School Justice (JSJ) at the College, and most specifically by the amazing group of Year 11 gentlemen who live and breathe their commitment to justice each day. They are outstanding!

To read more about ERA for Change, go to their website. 

Congratulations Eden!! This is a great honour and well deserved!

Gillian Daley

Director of Identity

Advocacy for the Earth

On Tuesday 7 September, Ms Daley and I were able to be part of a meeting of representatives from various climate change organisations throughout the Reid Electorate with the MP for Reid, Dr Fiona Martin. This meeting was based on a petition by the ACF (Australian Climate Foundation) that called for the federal government to effect:

1. An economy-wide, long-term climate strategy to achieve net zero carbon pollution in the next 15 years, including the policies and interim targets to get there.
2. Laws that genuinely protect our unique places, plants, animals and ecosystems, including strong outcome-focused environmental standards and an independent Environment Protection Agency to oversee decision-making.

At this meeting I was able to express why I signed this petition and was able to gain greater insight into what action needs to be taken by the government and how climate has affected Australia’s biodiversity and the world around us. We heard from 10 different speakers all from different walks of life and organisations coming together on the single issue of climate change. Dr Fiona Martin has taken these concerns and will hopefully be able to begin action within the coalition government.

It was good to be part of advocacy in this arena – giving a voice to the earth in order to affect change.

Vincent Younes

Sustainability Prefect