Mission & Identity

Your merciful love, O God,

we have received in the midst of your temple.

Your praise, O God, like your name,

reaches the ends of the earth;

your right hand is filled with saving justice. (Cf Psalm 47:10-11)

Welcome to the 2024 school year. An especially warm welcome to all our new students and families. 

And the year is already moving quickly. The Maintenance Team and office staff have been busy for most of January, teaching staff have been back and busy for several days, our Year 12 students attended a retreat day with Mr Steve Lawrence on Wednesday – a day which also invited our new Year 7 students to commence their St. Patrick’s journey. 

New students in Years 8 to 11 also participated in an orientation program. Thursday saw the return of all students, a whole school assembly, classes commence, and the Junior School information evening. One aspect of that evening was the outlining of all the opportunities offered to students: from the classroom, sporting fields, music programs, the arts, and everyday social interactions. As our Business Manager, Mr. Andrew Juric, wryly observed, there appears to be no “Ready, Set,” only “Go.” 

The other side of all the opportunities open to students is the expectation of full and proper participation. Expectations abound about behaviour, respect, organisation, study habits, uniform, endurance, being representatives of the College community, where the list of expectations seems to match, if not exceed, the long list of activities the College offers. This can be overwhelming.

So let us take a moment, and reflect on a section from the “The Religious Dimension of Education in a Catholic School:”

Once (students) get beyond feeling that too much is being asked of them, students will realise that perfection is actually within their grasp. The only thing they have to do is live their lives as students as well as they can:

• do their best in study and work; 
• put into practice the virtues they already know in theory - especially love, which must be lived in the classroom, at home, and among friends; 
• accept difficulties with courage; 
• help those in need; give good example. 

In addition, they must find the inspiration for their daily lives in the words and the example of Jesus. They must converse with him in prayer and receive him in the Eucharist. No student can say that these are impossible demands.

Perfection is within their grasp. The only thing they have to do is live their lives as students as well as they can. The key here is to understand the phrase “as well as they can.” Students are invited to know they can meet the challenges that every day offers. This includes moments such as completing class work or homework on time. This may not seem to be an event of consequence, and the course content may eventually be long forgotten, but in that moment the student is choosing to be someone who meets the challenge he is facing. That is perfection. That is how we perfect our world, one challenge at a time. 

Our young men are invited into the trust that grounds their education: trusting the choice of parents who have selected St Patrick’s College to assist in the formative maturity of their son, and to trust their teachers who offer timely challenges that are not beyond students but are moments of invitation to take personal responsibility for their growth in perfection. Moment by moment, challenge by challenge. 

As a Catholic school in the Edmund Rice tradition, we believe that growth towards perfection must include friendship with Jesus.  They must converse with him in prayer and receive him in the Eucharist. There are many opportunities for prayer in the life of our College, and especially in the celebration of the Most Holy Eucharist that takes place every Thursday lunchtime in our Chapel. Students are warmly invited to “come and see” (John 1: 39-41) what friendship with Jesus offers.  No student can say that these are impossible demands.

May God bless our young men with the eternal joy that comes from growth in love, and the desire for God’s saving justice.