From the Principal
- Prayer
- Vocations Awareness Week (4 - 11 August)
- Year 12 Retreats
- 2025 College Prefects
- Splinters, Splashes, Sounds, Stage & Stories
- Save the Date: Father's Day & Jersey Day
- Community Surveys
- P&F Trivia Night
- Junior School Book Week
- Junior School Grandparent's Day
- Key Dates
- Cocurricular - Grand finals for football & final round for rugby
Prayer
SAINT PIUS X FEAST DAY
Memorial 21 August
In the Our Lady of Dolours bulletin, there was a fitting description of St Pius X. Below is the extract from the bulletin:
Saint Pius X is often called the 'Pope of the Eucharist' because he lowered the age for First Holy Communion to 7 years old, emphasising that young children should receive Jesus in the Eucharist as soon as they reach the age of reason.
Born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto in 1835 in a small village in Italy, Saint Pius X came from a humble background. His father was a postman, and his family lived in modest conditions. Despite this, he rose to the highest office in the Church, becoming pope in 1903.
Despite his high office, Pius X was known for his simplicity and humility. He insisted on continuing to live modestly even after becoming pope, rejecting many of the luxuries that came with the papal position.
When Pius X was canonised in 1954, he became the first pope to be declared a saint since Pope Pius V, who was canonised in 1712. This highlighted his significant impact on the Church during his papacy.
Pius X had a deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and encouraged the faithful to pray the Rosary.
Pius X's papal motto was 'lnstaurare omnia in Christo' (To restore all things in Christ). This reflected his mission to renew the Church and society by bringing them closer to Christ.
Saint Pius X was dedicated to teaching the faith. He wrote the encyclical Acerbo Nimis, which emphasised the importance of catechesis, and he personally oversaw the creation of a new catechism to help the faithful.
From humble beginnings, Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto rose to the position of Pope, not through grandeur, but through his deep faith and simple lifestyle. The fact that he was canonised so soon after his death is a testament to the profound impact he had on the Church during his papacy.
Last year, I was fortunate to visit Lourdes, where within the precinct lies an underground Basilica dedicated to St Pius X. This beautiful place of worship stands as a fitting tribute to the man and devout believer that was St Pius X.
Vocations Awareness Week (4 – 11 August)
During National Vocations Awareness, recently, we were reminded to pray for vocations of all those who are baptised. We, the laity (those baptised Christians who do not profess vows of poverty, chastity and obedience in a religious community or who are not ordained deacons, priests or bishops) hold an important role in the life of the Church. We, the laity, are encouraged to use the unique gifts God has given us to bring Christ to those we encounter and share in the mission of the Church. This is more relevant today than ever before as we support each other through the many challenges that life throws at us. Let us continue to acknowledge the unique call or vocation that God has for each of us through our baptism.
Amen
Blessed Edmund Rice - Pray for Us
St Pius X - Pray for Us
Live Jesus in our Hearts - Forever!
Year 12 Retreats – a time for growth and formation
The Year 12 Retreats provide a great opportunity for our senior students to reflect on their own formation and prepare for what comes after St Pius X. The 3 retreat experiences, though different, provide each student the similar opportunity to reflect and contemplate their growth at St Pius X College. I hope and pray that the students truly appreciate and value the opportunity to contemplate and reflect on their connection with self and with their God.
I would like to thank all the staff who have provide this amazing opportunity as part of their rite of passage.
Mulgoa Winbourne: Mr D Petrie, Mr D Davies, Ms A Fileman, Ms E Coughlan, Mr R Balboa, Mr N Westhoff, Ms J Schuster, Ms L Guerrera.
Tallows Beach: Mr P de Silva, Mr M Stearn, Mr W Wheatley
Workul Koo: Mr S Di Sano, Ms D Ramsey, Mr D Quilty, Mr A Naidoo, Ms B Doherty, Mr P Rodgers, Ms L Proc, Ms J Dempsey, Mr S Yue
Special thanks and appreciation to Mr D Petrie, Mr R Balboa, Mr P de Silva, Mr M Stearn and Mr S Di Sano for facilitating the retreats for the week.
2025 College Prefects announced
During a special assembly on Wednesday, 21 August, the College proudly announced the 2025 College Prefects. This marks an exciting time for both the College and the elected students, as it represents the beginning of a new leadership journey for these young men. It’s encouraging to see that over 50 students applied for the 19 available positions. While some students may feel disappointed, they should be commended for their courage in stepping forward and demonstrating their leadership potential. I look forward to working with our future College Prefects and all Year 12 students in leading the College in 2024/25.
College Captain: Anthony Parissis
College Vice-Captains: Lachlan Staber and Charlie Woolf
Prefects:
Ethan Auer
Sam Cooper
Nikolai Dimantha
Matthew Dixon
Dominic D'Souza
Jack Fairbanks
Adam Fitrzyk
James Furini
Ben Hillsdon
Jason Kristianto
Luke Mortimer
Robert Oner
Ryan O'Reilly
Ethan Rahme
James Terzian
Christian Wong
Splinters, Splashes, Sounds, Stage and Stories
It is with great excitement that we celebrate our very talented HSC students at Splinters, Splashes, Sounds, Stage and Stories. Our HSC students will be showcasing their major works in an exhibition around the college next Thursday evening, 29 August.
It will commence at 6:00 pm. Please join us to view these presentations, which will be in the form of visual art works, industrial technology works, drama and music performances, and history speeches.
Congratulations to all these students for their hard work over the past years as they showcase the culmination of their learning in artistic fields.
SAVE the DATE: Father's Day Friday 30 August
Awareness of Organ Donation – Wear your favourite jersey
Last year, our Father’s Day celebration was a fantastic event with many fathers’ wearing their favourite jersey in support of our special cause ‘Jersey Day’ that raises awareness of organ donation in Australia.
This year the tradition continues with the Junior Schools Father's Day Liturgy and sports day at Oxford Falls on Thursday 29 August. Please see the Junior School News to rsvp to this event.
On Friday 30 August, the College will celebrate Father's Day commencing with Mass at 7:30 am in Our Lady of Dolours Church. Following the Mass, there will be breakfast hosted back at the Chatswood campus. Fathers, grandfathers, etc and their son/s can wear their favourite jersey during the Mass and then during school day in support of this very special cause. Students still must wear full winter uniform in their travel to and from school.
Please see the Mission and Identity page for more information and how to RSVP to the Father's Day Mass and Breakfast.
Community Surveys
The annual community surveys will be distributed to all stakeholders during Week 7. These surveys provide an opportunity for students, families and staff to provide valuable feedback on specific areas of the College. I would encourage all members of our community to complete these survey so that we can continue to improve the St Pius X environment. There will be email communication explaining the process to all stakeholders over the coming days.
P & F Trivia Night
The P&F Trivia Night was a fantastic evening filled with fun and games. It was wonderful to see so many parents and friends in attendance. I want to extend my thanks to the P&F Committee for their outstanding efforts in making the night so enjoyable. While the teachers' team didn’t take home the win, we certainly had the best boat of the evening. A special thank you to Mrs Greenwood, Ms Shaba, Mrs Arena, and Mr Stearn for their support.
Junior School Book Week
The Junior School Book Week Parade was truly outstanding, showcasing a fantastic array of characters from various books for everyone to admire. The extraordinary effort put into the costumes by the students (and I’m sure, the parents) was a particular highlight for me. The judging was incredibly challenging due to the high quality of the costumes. A big thank you to Mrs Martin for organising the parade and to all the teachers for their enthusiastic participation.
Junior School Grandparent's Day
As a grandparent myself, I deeply appreciate the significance of including our grandparents in a liturgy that honours the vital role they play in the lives of our young people. While there were many memorable moments, the reflections on grandparents by our Year 5 and Year 6 students truly touched my heart. The kind and heartfelt words from all our students were incredibly moving and brought many of us to tears. I hope and pray that when my own grandchildren reach Year 5 or Year 6, they will have similar kind words to share about their grandparents as well. Thank you to Mrs Greenwood for organising the day, and to the entire junior school for warmly and graciously welcoming our special guests, the grandparents.
Key Dates
Cocurricular
Grand Final week for football
Congratulations to all football teams who have reached the grand final.
1st XI (coached by Mr Lacey, managed by Mr Simon Yue)
2nd XI (coached by Mr O'Byrne)
4th XI (coached by Mr Simpson)
16B’s (coached by Mr Barnes)
15C's (coached by old boy Marco Balverde)
13A’s (coached by Mr Powell)
With the grand finals split over two venues, I will make my way to Valentine Park to view the First XI and the subsequent teams that will be playing at this venue. Apologies to the 4th XI and the 15C’s for not being able to support you in person. May all our players play to the best of their ability and with great sportsmanship.
Final round for rugby
This week also sees the last round of the rugby season with all teams playing St Gregory’s. Best wishes to all teams and thank you for your support of rugby at the college throughout 2024.
Fide et Labore
By Faith and hard work
Live Jesus in Our Hearts - Forever
Mr Michael Ronchetti - College Principal