Principal

The Season of Advent is upon us

Dear Parents/Carers and Students,

Last Sunday, we marked the beginning of a new liturgical year and more significantly, the beginning of the season of Advent, the time of preparation for the celebration of Christmas, which we are going to celebrate in about four weeks’ time. This season of Advent is a blessed and great time for all of us to reflect, take a step back and see how our lives have been, and how ready we are to welcome the Lord into our hearts and families, and into our lives this Christmas.

If we all walk around and see the shopping malls and many other places, we would have seen the Christmas decorations already up in full force, in some places even as early as from September onwards. We surely have heard the usual Christmas songs and the festive mood being all around us, with Christmas sales and shopping on the upswing literally everywhere. But before we jump into the craze and start to be swallowed by the Christmas festivities, let us all remind ourselves, brothers and sisters in Christ, what Christmas is truly all about.

Christmas is not about all the bling and the festivities, all the glamour, food, and drinks, all the merrymaking and songs. What is Christmas, brothers and sisters in Christ? It is, just as its name says, something about Christ, Our Lord and Saviour. It is a celebration that is about and should be focused on Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Man, Saviour of the world, Our Lord and King, who unfortunately has often been sidelined and even excluded from His own celebration. It is the celebration of His birth into this world, the moment when He revealed Himself in the flesh to all, after having spent nine months in His mother’s womb.

As the students finish their lessons for the year this week, we prepare ourselves for the season of Advent and we should reflect deeply on the hope that Christ has brought to us by His coming into this world. Let us rediscover the true spirit of Christmas, not one of excesses and greed, not one of unbridled feasting and desire to outdo one another in opulence, but rather a renewed faith in Christ, Our Lord and Saviour. And it is important that as we prepare ourselves this Advent, we also begin a journey of self-rediscovery, to rediscover our faith in God and to realise that newfound hope that we have in Him, that no matter how difficult and challenging our lives may be now, the Lord will always be by our side and will provide for us.

May our Advent journey be meaningful and fruitful, and may God be our guide and strength, our compass and light, our hope and courage in the midst of the darkness and trials in this world. May God bless us all and strengthen us, that our Advent preparation and our upcoming Christmas celebrations will be truly wonderful. Amen.

Staff leaving St Patrick's College

I would like to take the opportunity to farewell and thank staff leaving the College at the end of 2021. Some are coming to the end of a temporary contract; others are moving on to new opportunities in new settings. We wish them well in their future endeavours. We thank:

We especially keep Mr Chase (new Deputy Principal, St Joseph’s College Hunters Hill) and Mr Munday (new Principal, St James’ Primary School Glebe) in our prayers as they continue on their leadership journeys. You have both contributed so much to the College, sharing your individual gifts. On behalf of our students – thank you!

Speech Night, Quaycentre Thursday 2 December 

I am very much looking forward to being part of this annual event and thank Mr Cutrupi in advance for his enormous efforts to make the night a successful one.

The annual Speech Night is the most significant event in the year of a school. It is a time to acknowledge the boys’ efforts. We have gone to great effort to host this in the nearby Quaycentre, an enormous, cavernous space, that enables us to enact a strict COVID-19 safety plan:

• Students will sit in their cohort groups, wearing masks, with their fully vaccinated teachers.
• Only fully vaccinated parents and carers can attend. They will be wearing masks too and will be seated in the separate concourse area, well away from students.

It is disappointing that a few parents/carers are hesitant to attend because of the positive case we had in Year 7 last week (Wednesday 24 November). This case was not as a result of transmission at school. Rather, during activities at home and on weekends.

Since that day, all casual and close contacts have been isolating and have had multiple PCR tests. All tests have proved to be NEGATIVE. Furthermore, all the Year 7 close contacts are part of the NSW Health daily Rapid Antigen Test regimen. This began on Tuesday and to date, all test results have been NEGATIVE.

It is natural to be fearful and this leads to irrational decision-making. There is simply no need for parents/carers to fear having their sons attend, even if they cannot participate. They have been at school each day, strictly ‘cohorted’ and moving to the Quaycentre space is an even better environment – large and well-aired.

Speech Night to our community is like Christmas Day lunch with our families; an important event where we celebrate our unity.

St Patrick's College would never place the safety and wellbeing of the community at risk and we would have cancelled the event if we felt we could not implement a clear, COVID-19 safe plan. I would much appreciate it if parents/carers could reflect upon this and ensure that their son/s is/are present on Thursday night. 

Vote of Thanks

A quick word of thanks to all the parents, carers, students and staff of St Patrick’s College in making my inaugural year such a magnificent one. All the great reports I had heard about the school have proved true and in fact, the school has surpassed my expectations as a leader.

It’s easy to lead when you are supported and guided by such an amazing community. Have a great Christmas and New Year! Safe travels and I look forward to 2022 when we continue to be A Beacon for Boys’ Education.

Keep in your Prayers

Ethan Aflak (Year 8) who is battling a serious health condition in the Children’s Hospital at Randwick. 

Archer Gray (Year 10) who is also in hospital at present recuperating from extensive surgery.

Keep them at the forefront of your prayers and pray for a speedy recovery. 

In Memoriam

Please keep in your prayers the family of Mrs Edna Rumore who passed away last week. Mrs Rumore and her late husband, Tony had a long affiliation with St Patrick’s College, having educated their six sons here, Old Boys Christopher Rumore (’69), Mark Rumore (’72), Paul Rumore (’75), Adrian Rumore (’76), Justin Rumore (’79) and Simon Rumore (’87), and their daughter, Margo Louise Calavassy, at Santa Sabina College. Mr and Mrs Rumore also have grandchildren who are Old Boys: Luke Calavassy (’03), Anthony Calavassy (’07 and Head of Secondary Sport), Daniel Calavassy (’14), Tony Rumore (’15) and Patrick Calavassy (’16). Mrs Rumore has also been a benefactor of the College, supporting the Year 12 Dr Tony Rumore Memorial Prize for Visual Arts. 

We also keep Luke Taweel (Year 12) in our prayers on the passing of his grandfather, Albert Taweel, this week. Mr Taweel was a strong supporter of the College and is also the much-loved grandfather of Old Boys Albert Taweel (‘12), Joshua Taweel (’13), Nathan Taweel (’14) and Matthew Taweel (’20). 

Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them.

May they rest in peace. 

Amen.

Dr Vittoria Lavorato

Principal

SPC boys can do anything! 

**except divide by zero