2022 | Issue 17 | SJC Newsletter

Remembrance Day 2022

Tomorrow members of our College community will join the St Joseph’s Old Collegians Association to hold a Remembrance Mass on Friday 11 November at 10.00am in our St Joseph’s Chapel. We will gather in memory of deceased Old Collegians, staff and benefactors of St Joseph’s College Geelong. We will pay our respects to these classmates, teachers, friends and colleagues who have all been part of the St Joseph’s College story. We will welcome Fr Philip Gambin from St Thomas Parish who has graciously offered to join us as our celebrant for the Mass. November is when the Church remembers those who have gone before us. As the war continues in Ukraine and violence occurs in countries throughout the world, we continue to pray for peace. We will also pray for members of the Australian armed forces who, time and again this year, have been called to aid in recovery efforts after flooding and other natural disasters.

Year 7 Renewal Days - ‘Journeying with Christ.’

Recently, the Year 7s had their first Renewal day, celebrating the theme ‘Journeying with Christ.’ Belinda Milverton, our Faith Development Coordinator prepared the interactive and reflective days with support from the guest speakers and staff leading the pilgrimage stations. The students were fortunate to hear from two key note guest speakers, our Deputy Principal Learning - Lisa Pope who shared her inspiring reflections on her journey, and Old Collegian Shannan Gove. They both imparted messages they had gained through their own journeys. Shannon shared his journey from his time as a St Joseph's student to his co-ownership in his current business ‘Rosterfy’, ‘With a mission to connect communities to events and causes they are passionate about through their workforce engagement solution, Rosterfy, now has over 1 million users worldwide. From the Super Bowl to tin rattlers for local non-profits and charities, Rosterfy helps organisations recruit, screen, train, engage and manage volunteers and casual staff to ensure the success of workforce programs big and small.’

Students then experienced a College pilgrimage, visiting sacred and historical sites around the school. After a shared BBQ lunch, they gathered in our St Joseph’s Chapel to conclude the day in the sacred centre of the College, to reflect on their own journeys with Christ in a liturgy.

Carey Oval Embankment (South)

Nyurra wurriyn, Kim barne barre Wathaurong. Kitjarra ngitj, bitjarra ngala, mok-barra tjarra ngitj ba ngawirring tjarra ngitj. Ngamadjiyt ba kin bil ngitj Nyatne.

Translation: Hello, this is Wathaurong country. Let us talk together in friendship. Let us walk together, let us not fight, let’s have peace and learn, black and white together.

In 2016, seeds collected from Queens Park, Limeburners, East Geelong and Mertciam Avalon, were propagated, and in 2017 students planted the seedlings on the Carey Oval south embankment, launching the Carey Oval Revegetation project. In our fifth year since the commencement of the project, Sustainability Leaders, 10 Environmental Science students and students undertaking Enviroservice, have each contributed to planting approximately 1000 plants around the embankments of the oval, which currently incorporates 48 endemic and indigenous species.

The Reconciliation Garden

The Reconciliation Garden was Opened on 14 February 2017 by Principal Tony Paatsch. The Garden and its design were created with the help of past staff member Jo Hart. The design of the garden is of Bunjil the Wedge -Tailed Eagle the Creator Spirit of Wadawurrung Country of the Kulin Nation. The two large parts of the Garden are Bunjil’s wings and the tiled piece is Bunjil’s eye. Ms Jenkins has played a pivotal part with the sustainability and purchasing local native plants for the garden. The plants have been planted by students and staff. The Art piece Bunjil which lights up at sunrise and dusk was created by Daniel McDonnell from Steele Art Australia in Meredith. 

The Paul Tobias Courtyard

This is a common area that Mount Sion students use for down-ball, but it also holds significance with its display of Australia’s Indigenous flora. The buildings around this area as well as the courtyard were named after St Joseph’s previous principal Paul Tobias who served at our College for many years. As part of our College’s goal to support reconciliation as well as sustainability, we recognise the importance of caring for Indigenous flora and fauna.

B Block

The St Augustine’s Orphanage was opened on 28 August 1857 on the Feast of St Augustine. Mr Daniel O’Driscol was appointed resident manager and also continued teaching. When the Orphans left in 1935, there were 170 Students at St Joseph’s College and after extensive renovations and refurbishment, the original bluestone building became part of St Joseph's. Over the years it has been used as a dormitory, senior classrooms, a gymnasium, Brothers residence, boarders dining room, music rooms, canteen and audio-visual centre. Today B Block is The Brother Howe Creative Arts Centre.

St Joseph’s Statue

To recognise St Joseph whom our College is named after, Sculptor Pauline Clayton was commissioned in 2004 to work as an Artist in Residence with St Joseph’s College students from Year 10, 11 and 12 to complete a life size bronze sculpture of St Joseph the worker. In March 2005, the long-anticipated project came to fruition when Bishop Mark Coleridge blessed the College’s new life-sized bronze sculpture of St Joseph with the adolescent Jesus. The magnificent piece at the Aphrasia St entrance to the College greets the students daily as they arrive off the bus each morning, and is the tangible result of the three-year project. Among the large crowd of visitors at the unveiling were Old Collegians from the first decade and the late Brother Jim Ahearn, who was present at St Joseph’s opening day on 3 February 1935.

Recycling Shed

The Applied Learning Shed is a multipurpose space that enables our VCAL and Year 10 applied learning students the opportunity to implement projects.

It also houses the School’s Polymer Recycling Plant.

Some of the functions of the space are;

• Plastics Recycling

• Project implementation for VCAL – eg Cubby House Unit and Passata Unit

• Applied Learning – Trade Taster Program

• Veggie Patch

Our Year 7s learnt that just as Christ journeyed with trusted friends to share his hope-filled messages of love, forgiveness and compassion, we are on an ever-evolving innovative journey, where, ‘Anything is possible, with God’, by our side.