From the Principal

During the blessing of our new quad boat at the Rowing Shed a few weeks ago, I had a conversation with one of our graduates from the Class of 2020 which centred on the benefits of maintaining an elite sporting commitment during study in the senior years. We both agreed there is much to be gained from maintaining a commitment to sport as well as working hard towards academic success – the two aims are not mutually exclusive. We were also both lamenting, however, that this is not always well understood. Instead, some students can feel the need to forgo, or at least postpone, their sporting pursuits when they decide to dedicate themselves to more serious academic endeavour, only to find that the purported positive change fractures the long-established structure their academic studies have benefited from. During the week, I was able to continue this conversation with Year 11 student Braden Fyneman who has been recently selected to represent Australia at the upcoming Youth Commonwealth Games, held in Trinidad and Tobago from 4 to 11 August 2023.

Although counter-intuitive to many, maintaining a commitment to sport can actually enhance academic performance. Regular exercise has been shown to improve memory, concentration and cognitive function. The discipline required to balance both academics and sports also supports the development of valuable time management skills, while fostering qualities like perseverance, teamwork, and goal setting, which can positively influence the approach to academic studies and help build resilience when overcoming challenges. Not to mention the sheer joy and excitement that can result from competing with friends, all evidenced during our recent ACC Cross-country Carnival, for example. There is much to be gained.

In January this year, the World Economic Forum White Paper, Defining Education 4.0: A Taxonomy for the Future of Learning, stated that, in order to prepare young students for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, our current education systems need to be upgraded in line with the Education 4.0 model. Key attitudes and values identified in the World Economic Forum Report include grit (resilience in the face of adversity), a growth mindset (where setbacks are interpreted as 'not yet' rather than failure) and initiative (the willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges).

Fittingly, there are many opportunities within our College for our students to develop these vital skills. Be it in sport, music, drama, social justice activities, their own spiritual development, or what we commonly know and understand to be the ‘development of the whole child’, the College is well placed to develop our students’ resilience. 

As I have written before, it is effort in these domains that makes for a great education: it is intellectual, physical, cultural, social and spiritual in its dimensions. Perhaps at times, we need to dare to fully embrace challenge and so fully benefit from the resultant growth.

Prayer for Daring (Sir Francis Drake)

Disturb us Lord, when

We are too well pleased with ourselves,

When our dreams have come true

Because we have dreamed too little, 

When we arrived safely

Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,

To venture on wider seas

Where storms will show your mastery;

Where losing sight of land,

We shall find the stars.

Vale Fr John Harte SJ

This week we received news of the death of Jesuit, Father John Harte, whom many in our extended College community will have known and loved. 

Born in Melbourne, Fr John began his ministry in Perth in 1967 as a Catholic Chaplain at the University of Western Australia and he also assisted St Thomas More, a university hall of residence in Crawley. He served at St Louis College from 1969 to 1973. After some overseas studies, Fr John returned to WA where he had two disparate ministries – as a prison chaplain and as an examiner for music examinations.  Later Fr John served at the Catherine McAuley Centre and he became mental health chaplain in 2005.   

Fr John returned to Victoria in 2013, where he has lived for the past decade. He died on Wednesday, 7 June 2023, at St Vincent’s Public Hospital, East Melbourne, aged 91 years.

May he rest in peace.

Daniel Mahon

Principal