Welcome back to the 2019 school year

The weeks prior to the return of students were eerily quiet. Schools are not designed for silence. With the return of all our boys, we are now experiencing a much more realistic way of life at the College.

It is our hope that all families had the break they desired and that our young men have returned ready and recharged for the year ahead. It is important to realise that one year is never a repeat of the past. With 330 new students on-site (Year 7s, our St James students transitioning to Year 11 and some new students across the other year levels), we will always feel a sense of renewal. We do well to appreciate that each boy is unique and not simply part of a mass group. Let us hope that all at this College have a purposeful and fulfilling year.

Tercentenary

2019 is the Tercentenary of the passing to eternal life of our Founder, St John Baptist de la Salle. This is a significant marker as it places St Bede’s College within the broad International setting with so many other Lasallian schools, Universities and outreach programs. We all seek to emulate the work of the Founder in living out our Catholic Lasallian core principles. These are recognised worldwide and are given below, as too is the symbol of the Tercentenary:

Year 7

Beginning Year 7 will always be a time of excitement, wonder and nervousness. This is natural. Congratulations to our youngest students for the way in which they have embraced their surroundings, classmates and teachers. Well done also to the parents of these boys who have prepared them with care. All families new to the College had the opportunity to gather in the Functions Room on the first day. Given the numbers in attendance, all bodes well for a healthy parental participation in the life of the College.

Opening Assembly

Nearly 2000 people gathered for our Opening Assembly last Thursday. This included all students, staff, parents of our current leaders, parents and high achieving students from the Class of 2018, Board members, Principals and students representatives from Lasallian and local schools and some other guests. It was a positive and affirming occasion. We should never shy away from recognising those who have excelled or achieved in particular fields. An extract from my talk is given below, along with some photos from the morning.

“…………..we often refer to the Australian notion of a “fair go” for all. At times we prefer to be equal handed where it does not come naturally to us to celebrate individuals. This is because we feel we single them out, thereby honouring a few, but not all. Whilst we need to recognise personal excellence, we also need to highlight special achievements and contributions of individuals.

We need to affirm talent, fine work and kindness. Assemblies like today gives us an opportunity to do just that in a number of areas.

In 2019 we honour the Tercentenary year, that being, 300 years since the death of our Founder, St John Baptist de la Salle. In doing so, we join with more than one million students and families around the world and many others involved in Lasallian works beyond schools in more than 80 countries.

Our 2019 College Theme for the year is the Tercentenary Theme of:

One Heart One Commitment One Life

John Baptist De la Salle understood this well. He was completely committed to those young who had no other way of being educated beyond his group of Brothers.

As a Lasallian school we inherit and live out the stories of those who have gone before us. Everyone who has gone before us. We are entrusted with the Charism that was developed over 300 years ago, we respect the work, toil and inspiration of so many Brothers and lay staff who developed our College, we honour those students who have attended our school over many years and we work with fervour to ensure that the St Bede’s of 2019 is worthy of the ideals of our Founder whilst creating our own modern- day stories.

To the current students of St Bede’s, our collective hope for you is that you find imagination, passion, commitment and belief

(One Heart One Commitment One Life )

in what you do this year and that you have supportive friends who accept you for who you are and what you can do. You can make an enormous difference to the life of another boy and staff member at St Bede’s through the gift of encouragement to learn…………………….”

Opening Mass

We gather as a Community for liturgy on Thursday this week for our Opening of School Year Mass. We look forward to seeing many of our families present. The TryBooking link is available on the website or in the recent email sent to all families.

College Captains 2019

Congratulations to the following young men who have been chosen by their peers to lead our Community:

College Captain: Jonathan Clark

College Vice Captains: Nicholas Grech

Lachlan Kerr

Blake O’Leary

We ask for God’s gentle blessings on the year ahead as we look to be faithful to the Founder’s work during our Tercentenary celebrations.

Per Vias Rectas

John Finn

Principal

VCE

Succeeding in VCE