Where are they now?

In each newsletter we will be recognising some of our St Pius X College Old Boys. However, there are many more SPX Old Boy stories on our website. 

Daniel O'Kelly Class of 2013

Daniel has been on quite a journey since graduating from the College in 2013. He completed a double degree: Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering/ Bachelor of Commerce at The University of NSW in 2019. He won a scholarship with Transport for NSW (TfNSW) and worked across the Transport Cluster from 2015 to 2019 as a scholar and in 2020 as a graduate. His roles included working as a Mechanical Engineer, Tunnel Technology, Motorways - Roads and Maritime Services (4 years). As part of his Engineering Degree he wrote a thesis on Road Tunnel Ventilation linked to his work in Tunnel Technology on the North Connex tunnel in Sydney's north. 

Daniel has also been on a fascinating Faith journey. He had been involved in his local Parish at Ryde-Gladesville, leading the music ministry for the 6pm Mass each week as well as youth ministry groups. Daniel wrote: I'll be honest, my faith dwindled for a number of years, especially around the 3-year mark at university. I had reached a low point but this was also the point at which I experienced a profound re-conversion whereby the faith and my relationship with God became personal and meaningful. It is hard to express this with words, and it's certainly not something that can be found in a textbook, but this particular experience changed everything in my life. I was eager to learn more about the Catholic faith, to deepen my relationship with God and eventually discern where God is calling me. For so long I had imagined the future might look like: graduate university, get a job, get married, buy a house, have children, etc. However, one day in my final year of university I realised that at the end of my degree I could do anything; and someone asked me the question well what do you think God has planned for your life? And so I asked the question and at least 20 people asked me similar questions like "Have you thought about the priesthood?" . At the same ..time, the Archdiocese of Sydney was setting up its first House of Discernment, called Sumner House (located in Lidcombe, NSW}. It was a house for young men to live in community and discern where God is calling them in their Vocation, whether it be marriage, priesthood in September 2019 and lived with eight brothers. The house provided support in terms of formation, brotherhood and fostering our identity as men of God to gain the freedom to choose the next step in responding to God's call. I applied for the Seminary in November 2020 after discerning that my best bet is that God is calling me to be a priest, still open to wherever God may lead me in the future. I am very grateful for the education that I received at St Pius X as it has shaped who I am today and laid the foundation for my life: Fide et Labore. It's heartening that there are good young men graduating into the world having received such an important and fruitful formation. 

Michael Rodgers, who is in the seminary with Daniel is the nephew of Mr Pat Rodgers, History Coordinator at the College. Daniel was a fine young man at school - a real asset to the College. We wish him every success for the future.