Principal’s Message

by Principal, Mr Steven O’Connor

All Souls’ Day

On Wednesday, 2 November, we commemorated all the faithful departed via All Souls’ Day. On this day, we remember all of our loved ones, friends and colleagues who have passed away and gone to God in faith. Our community Mass, held on Thursday in the College Chapel, we dedicated to remembering and honouring all the faithful departed, particularly those who have died in recent times. I thank Fr Eladio, our College Chaplain, Mr Geoff Brodie and the Mission Team for preparing Mass this week and I ask that we take the time to remember and pray for the souls of those who have left this life for now and are in God’s unconditional embrace and care.

 

This week, members of the College community joined many Old Collegians, Christian Brothers, the broader Ballarat community and his family and friends in the Chapel at Nazareth House to farewell Br Evin Zoch, who passed away on 23 October 2022, aged 88. Br Zoch entered his ministry in the Christian Brothers in 1955 and he worked at St Patrick’s from 1976 for 38 years. Br Zoch taught Mathematics, managed various dormitories in the boarding house, ran the College’s Cadet unit, oversaw various maintenance and grounds issues amongst many other things during his time at the College. He was indeed, a generous and loyal servant of the College and its community. I recall working with Br Zoch when I was Deputy Headmaster at St Patrick’s sometime ago and he was always around, knew what was going on and was always there to help the College.

Vale, Br Zoch!

 

 

On the Feast of All Souls’ we pray for those who have died and gone to heaven. In particular, we pray for Rohan Cosgriff, Mr Mike Brady, Mark Waddington, Br Evin Zoch and all the dearly beloved of those in the SPC community who have passed away recently and over the years.

Blessed are those who have died in the Lord;

let them rest from their labours, for their good deeds go with them.

 

VCE Exams

I ask that we remember all of our VCE students in our prayers and thoughts as they make their way through the written VCE exams at this time.

It has been encouraging to talk with many of the senior students and to hear their thoughts on the exams to date. It appears that they feel that the exams have been ‘pretty good’ or ‘better than I expected’ and that they have been well prepared for them.

I thank the staff who have been involved in teaching our VCE subjects and courses this year; their dedication to this important task has been tremendous. I wish all of our students all the very best as they complete the VCE exams in the days ahead; well done!

 

2023 Term Dates

Please find an overview of the term dates for the 2023 school year below:

Term 1:

Staff Days:                                                    Monday, 23 January – Wednesday, 25 January & Friday, 27 January

Public Holiday:                                             Thursday, 26 January

Classes Commence Years 7 & 12:          Monday, 30 January

Classes Commence Years 8-11:            Tuesday, 31 January

Public Holiday:                                            Monday, 13 March

Classes Conclude:                                    Thursday, 6 April

 

Term 2:

Staff Days:                                                        Monday, 24 April

Public Holidays:                                              Tuesday, 25 April, Monday, 12 June

Classes Commence:                                    Wednesday, 26 April                     

Classes Conclude:                                       Friday, 23 June

 

Term 3:

Classes Commence:                                   Monday, 10 July

Staff Days:                                                      Monday, 14 August; Monday, 11 September – Wednesday, 13 September

Boarders’ Exeat:                                            Monday, 14 August

Classes Conclude:                                      Friday, 8 September

VCE Practice Exams:                                     Monday, 11 September –Friday, 15 September

 

Term 4:

Classes Commence:                                     Monday, 2 October

Last day for Year 12:                                   Wednesday, 18 October

Boarders’ Exeat:                                              Monday, 6 November

Public Holiday:                                                Tuesday, 7 November

Classes Conclude:                                        Wednesday, 6 December

Staff Days:                                                        Thursday, 7 December, Friday, 8 December

New Staff Induction:                                      Monday, 11 December

Office Closes:                                                 Friday, 15 December

 

 

Mr Steven O’Connor

Principal