From The Principal -

Mr Simon Cobiac​

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

We remember September 11, 2001, the day the world changed. A day that exposed the inhumanity of humanity, but through the tears, fears, courage and resilience united family with family, friends with each other and strangers embraced fellow unknowns in a life journey to build a better tomorrow. We pray for those who paid the ultimate price for such an atrocity and wherever innocent people are senselessly killed. We give thanks that as a School community we stand together with respect for difference and a commitment of support for the common good and for a peace-filled world built on justice. We pray that we will have the courage to work for justice and peace in our daily life and in our every-day actions at home, at school and in our community.

The Peace Prayer of St Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me bring love.

Where there is offense, let me bring pardon.

Where there is discord, let me bring union.

Where there is error, let me bring truth.

Where there is doubt, let me bring faith.

Where there is despair, let me bring hope.

Where there is darkness, let me bring your light.

Where there is sadness, let me bring joy.

O Master, let me not seek as much

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved as to love,

for it is in giving that one receives,

it is in self-forgetting that one finds,

it is in pardoning that one is pardoned,

it is in dying that one is raised to eternal life.

                                    (Attributed to St Francis)

Catholic Education South Australia (CESA) Welcomes New Director

Catholic Education South Australia warmly welcomes our new Director, Dr Neil McGoran. Dr McGoran commenced his appointment as Director of Catholic Education SA (CESA) on 11 September 2017.

He comes to the role from the SACE Board of South Australia, where he was Chief Executive Officer since 2013. Prior to this appointment, Dr McGoran was the Principal at Nazareth Catholic College, Secondary Campus at Flinders Park.

As an educator, he is interested in the needs of young people in the 21st Century, in the context of an evolving, globally-focused and digital world. Dr McGoran has 25 years of experience in education in a variety of roles including Teacher, Principal and Senior Administration.

Announcing the appointment in May, Adelaide Vicar General, Fr Philip Marshall, said Dr McGoran’s extensive knowledge in strategic planning would be vital in building on the work of the South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools’ Strategy for Leading Catholic Education to New Levels of Excellence.

Expressions of Interest Process – Pardipardinyilla (Park 2), North Park Lands

The Park Lands are a central part of our school fabric and community.  For decades, areas in Pardipardinyilla (Park 2) in the North Park Lands have been leased by the School from the City of Adelaide for school use.

As a School, we maintain the Park Lands for the benefit of both the School and broader communities. The School’s lease over the playing fields expired in August 2017 and is now being held over until new arrangements are made with the City of Adelaide.

In accordance with the City of Adelaide’s Park Lands Leasing and Licensing Policy, a public expressions of interest (EOI) process needs to occur before Council considers any new lease (or lease extension) and/or building project in the Park Lands that effects the long-term use of the Park.

An expressions of interest (EOI) process needs to occur before the City of Adelaide commits to any new lease (or lease extension) and/or building project in the Park Lands that effects the long-term use of the Park. This EOI process will be conducted in accordance with the City of Adelaide’s Park Lands Leasing and Licensing Policy Operating Guidelines.

The City of Adelaide recognises the contribution that Blackfriars Priory School has contributed to the Park Lands. However, Blackfriars’ future tenure must be considered within the context of the overall community ownership of the Park Lands and other possible uses.

As such, commencing on 20 September 2017, expressions of interest will be called for by the City of Adelaide to identify suitable community based, not-for-profit sporting organisations (including educational institutions) who have an interest in using the existing playing fields and associated facilities in Pardipardinyilla (Park 2) to provide an increased diversity of contemporary sport and recreation opportunities.

The School Administration and Board are committed to engaging in this process as it provides an opportunity to demonstrate our significant and ongoing commitment to the Park Lands. Our objective is to secure and then extend our tenure over all existing leased areas.

The EOI process will be concluded by the end of October 2017 and the successful party will be confirmed in November 2017.

We will forward further information in relation to this process when it becomes available.

Peace and best wishes,

Mr Simon Cobiac

Principal