From the Dean of Identity

Catholic Education Week 
This week we celebrate Catholic Education Week with the theme ‘Share your light, inspire others’. In the gospel of Matthew, the following is written:

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”  Matthew 5:14-16

Catholic education is the central part of our community, and our faith directs us to forming young men who can follow in the footsteps of the gospel and co-create a just and equitable world. 

The theme and gospel challenge us to hide the good works we do but let them shine as an example to others. Our students here show a beautiful sense of humility in the gentle manner they go about their works. 

We have students here that serve multiple communities through our Paddy’s Van ministries and connect with our fellow faith communities in India. 
Students know the strength of service and the strong grounding in faith shows a spiritual connection to what they do. Weather we are in the classroom, the sporting field, or serving our students know we are connected to something that is greater than ourselves.

Our education is not just about our achievements as an individual but how we go about outing others before ourselves in different aspects of our lives. We know we live in in a changing world and many of our families do not necessarily come from faith bases backgrounds, and it becomes more important than ever that our schools become church. 

This does not mean we sit through a traditional church service, but we connect more deeply through our catholic teachings to see the innate dignity in each person we meet. We understand that we are part of a deeper calling and our faith will always keep us grounded in how we treat all those around us. 

Grandparents Mass
Last Friday we began our Catholic Education Week celebrations with our Grandparents Mass. 

This mass is one of the highlights of our College calendar and gives our beloved grandparents a chance to come and visit or for some revisit the place they hear so many stories about. 

It is always wonderful to see the sense of pride our grandparents have for the special young men in their lives. 

Grandparents hold a special type of love for all of us; they become an extra parent at times but also share a deep bond of love. This mass is always a special occasion, and we thank all the grandparents who came from near and far to join our students. 

We hope the occasion was loved and cherished by all who attended. 

Shore2Gate
On behalf of St Patrick's College, I would like to sincerely thank all our families, friends and supporters who helped make the 2026 Shore2Gate Walkathon such a tremendous success.

The day was a wonderful celebration of community spirit, House pride and service. It was inspiring to see our students embrace the challenge with enthusiasm and determination while raising valuable funds for their House charities.

Events such as Shore2Gate exemplify what it means to be a St Patrick's College Man of Action. We are incredibly proud of the way our young men supported one another, represented their Houses and contributed to causes that make a genuine difference in the wider community.

We are deeply grateful to the families, friends and community members who have already sponsored our students. Your generosity will have a meaningful impact on the charities supported through our House Action Plan initiative. I look forward to announcing the recipients of our fundraising prizes in the coming weeks, so please keep an eye on REALM for updates.

Special thanks must also go to our community sponsors: Aspley Mazda, Wellio, the Deagon Ward Office of Councillor Jared Cassidy, the Office of Hon. Anika Wells MP, the Office of Hon. Bisma Asif MP, The Dolphins and FMH Group. Their support has helped make this year's event even more rewarding for our students.

The College and our young men are humbled by the generosity of our community. Together, we have demonstrated the strength of the St Patrick's spirit and the positive impact we can make when we unite in service of others. Thank you for helping us continue to build a culture of action, compassion and generosity.