From the Principal

A time for celebration

Earlier this week, members of the College Leadership Team attended celebrations to mark fifty years of Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA). Prior to 1971, Religious Orders provided Catholic education with the earliest school, Mercedes College, celebrating its 175th birthday this year. Nationally, we are acknowledging 200 years of Catholic education in 2021. In our state, 163 schools educate 78,000 students.

Each Catholic school was presented with a copy of a book acknowledging the journey of Catholic Education in Western Australia. Although ‘Continuity in Change’ (by Phillip Pendal), was first published in 2008, it provides a fascinating history up to that date. I was particularly interested in this reference:

‘The creation of the John XXIII College in the 1970s had caused the formidable episcopal eyebrow of Archbishop John Goody to be raised on the grounds that the late Pope was not a canonised saint and might not ‘qualify’ for a school in his name.’ (page 297)

Fortunately, the Archbishop did not press his concerns and of course Pope John XXIII was canonised in 2014. It was fascinating reading of the commencement of Loreto in 1897 followed by St Louis in 1938 and the amalgamation of the two schools in 1977. 

John XXIII College is first and foremost a Catholic school. We are proud to be part of Catholic Education in Western Australia as we help to prepare young people for the world developing wisdom through Gospel values.

Our College presents a rich heritage with its Ignatian tradition and history as Jesuit and Loreto schools. Our governance through our College Council is unique in Western Australia and enables independence and interdependence. Prominent educator, Michael Fullan, describes ‘connected autonomy’ as being important and it is especially relevant in the case of John XXIII College.

Robert Henderson

Principal