Faith, Justice and Formation
SPC Lenten Fundraising
We want to thank everybody who contributed to the College’s Lenten Appeal this year, from families and students to staff members across the school. It is a big effort from all involved, planning and running events, as well as donating whatever you can to help those in need as part of our Christian Lenten Practice – prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
At St Patrick’s College we have a four-year cycle of who we support during our Lenten Appeal – all of whom are long term justice partners, coming from a Catholic and/or Christian Brothers’ connection, or a local partner. This year our three Lenten Partners were:
St Joseph’s Flexible Learning Centre, Alice Springs
A school that is part of the EREA Flex Network, who caters for those on the margins of society, particularly our First Nations brothers and sisters in the Red Centre who have not coped well with mainstream schooling. We have been going on immersion in Year 11 to St Joseph’s and developing our relationship with them since 2013. Our support for them goes towards basic necessities of life, including food and clothing, and it helps provide some of their students with the opportunity to come on their immersion to us each year. They will be joining us in Term 4 this year. Our contribution to them this year will help them run certain programs engaging the students in society and affording them opportunities to develop a hopeful future.
Edmund Rice Life Training Centre, Papua New Guinea (Vuvu)
We have a long-term relationship with Vuvu, seeing our Year 11 students also visit on immersion and connecting with the Christian Brothers in the area. This year is the 75th anniversary of the Brothers in the region. Our financial donations to them are used to develop skills in many areas allowing the young men who attend the school to have an opportunity for employment once leaving school. These skills include baking, carpentry, chicken rearing, agriculture, and horticulture. Our money helps the school run and buys resources, clothing and products needed for training and survival. In the past our donations have been used to buy water tanks, invest in solar power, and create buildings needed for learning; all helping them in the long term.
None of the Lenten Appeal funds is ever used to support our immersion students. Every cent we collect goes to our partners, with no administration fees.
Edmund Rice Camps NSW
Our third partner this year has been providing holidays and activities for young children who live in difficult circumstances and who have very little opportunity in life. They provide week-long school holiday camps as a respite from their home lives, with food and clothing provided. They also run youth mentoring programs and support young people in breaking the cycles of poverty through different initiatives. For decades, our SPC students have volunteered at these camps as leaders, engaging with the most marginalised and powerless in our city. This activity is part of Year 11 Social Justice Service.
All three partners support young people, like our students, whose circumstances are beyond their control, and simply need connection, awareness, and support to encourage and pave the way for a brighter future. Being in the St Patrick’s College environment, no matter what, makes us incredibly lucky. And we know the old saying from the Gospel ‘to whom much is given, much is expected.’ We have been given much (at the very least a sound education we often take for granted) and thus it is our responsibility to give to those who experience powerlessness. It is a part of all of our four EREA Touchstones, but this year our three partners really reflect a commitment to Inclusive Community.
Thanks to the generosity of our community we raised just in excess of $80,000, with the biggest contributors being the Stage 3 Cross Country and the Lenten Dances for Years 7 and 10. Special mention to the following secondary homerooms for their large tallies – 8 Coghlan 1, 8 Coghlan 2, 9 Berg 1, 11 Berg 1, 11 Coghlan 2, 11 Rice 1, 11 Rice 2, 12 Berg 2 and 12 Crichton 1. Representatives from Edmund Rice Camps will be at the Senior School Assembly this Friday to thank the community and explain the importance of the funds, and our other two partners pass on their massive thanks.
Congratulations to all!
SPC Winter Appeal
I know it feels a very short time since Lent, but we are getting into Winter and need your help.
We have three whole school justice drives during the year – Lenten Appeal, Winter Appeal and Christmas Appeal. Plus, one cohort justice partnership initiative during the year. Our mandate as Christians is to care for the other, expressing our love, in many different ways. But as an Edmund Rice school it is an imperative that ‘we give to the poor in handfuls’, thus we seek help from our community to make lives better for the powerless in our community.
Our Winter Appeal will take place on Wednesday 28 May for Hanrahan, Hickey and Rice, and on Thursday 29 May for Berg, Coghlan and Crichton, so families can get organised for the same day. Please don’t be late with your deliveries, as there is lots of sorting to be done and logistics prevent us from dragging this on.
See the poster below to know what to bring / send in.
We ask the following from every boy in the school as a minimum where possible:
A new blanket and a toiletry item (allocated per house)
Optional extras such as winter woolies and bare essentials are listed below.
Our SPC community is usually amazing with this appeal. I have no doubt this year will be the same. There is always somebody worse off than us so let’s keep them in our prayers and show our love and care through what we contribute.
In conjunction with the Winter Appeal is our Winter Sleep Out for students on 20 June which will be advertised next week, but please note the parameters have changed from last year. There will also be a Parent Winter Sleep Out in Term 3. Details for both events to come.
Thank you in advance for your support.
Mothers’ Day Mass Thank you
We hope all those present had a lovely day last Friday at our Mothers’ Day Mass, and that all mothers had a beautiful day on Sunday.
This is a very simple thank you to those mothers who volunteered to take on a role in the Mass. Each year when the Mass is advertised in the Especean I put out a call for volunteers. Numbers have been declining in this area, so I am very grateful to those who put up their hands. If you’re keen look out for the announcements next year and send me an email!
Thanks also to everyone who joined in the singing and responses at Mass. This is Church.
Thanks again to one and all.
Gillian Daley
Director of Identity
Easter/ Lent Art Competition 2025 Winners
Throughout the Lenten season, the Junior School students were actively engaged in a range of meaningful activities from tCross Country, to fundraising initiatives and to showcasing their creativity in the annual Easter/Lent Art Competition.
We are delighted to congratulate the following boys who placed in this year’s Easter Art Competition:
Thank you to all the boys that entered and congratulations again to the winners!
God Bless,
Milena Osorio Narvaez
Acting Head of Religious Education - Stage 3