DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

The end of this term has seen the College appoint another group of strong female leaders who will help guide new students and their younger sisters in 2022. Whilst we are immensely proud of those who have secured a prefect position, we are also extremely proud of those students who applied and interviewed, but were not successful this time. We congratulate those students and want to ensure they know that every disappointment is a learning experience. Knowing that one ‘no’ doesn’t define you or your future is a step towards building the resilience and confidence to learn and grow. We want all students to continue learning from their experiences and be willing to try again the next time an opportunity presents itself.

Without minimising the achievements of those who were successful, it’s important for all Year 12s to realise they will be leaders in 2022. In many ways, actions are as important as titles and it is with this in mind we want all Year 12s to embrace their position as St Patrick’s College Townsville seniors. All of our senior students are experts in navigating the ups and downs of high school and we encourage them to use this knowledge to help their younger sisters. Collaboration between all year levels is actively encouraged at the College through our vertical morning pastoral care groups, beginning of year Orientation Day and sporting and community service events to name a few. We look forward to what 2022 will bring and are excited for the leadership, compassion and commitment our senior cohort will bring.

Cameran Triffett

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

This week we have gathered as a community to celebrate the Feast of our Lady of Mercy, Catherine McAuley. We always celebrate Mercy Day Mass in the last week of term as Mercy Day officially falls on 24 September each year. Sister of Mercy, Sister Helen Mary Peters who also happens to be our College Board Chair, shared a powerful reflection reminding us to think about living a virtuous life of moral excellence, driven by our heart. By becoming a pondering person who more deeply listens and trusts in faith to then go out looking for opportunities to share with others love and joy. It is always inspiring to remember that mercy is an attribute of God and that when we experience mercy ourselves it enables us to be more merciful with others. The Mass was followed by outreach and awareness activities and ended with a talent show raising money for mercy Works.

Our Year 12 and Year 11 students and their families took part in a very beautiful Passing of the Light Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral symbolising the passing of the light of Christ from the soon to be graduating seniors to the 2022 cohort.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank and acknowledge our 2021 Seniors. They have done themselves and their College proud. We will be formally celebrating their graduation rite of passage at a Valedictory Assembly, Mass and Dinner in the week beginning 15 November. On behalf of the College community, I would like to wish the 2021 senior all the very best as they prepare for their final assessment and external examination period.  

I would also like to acknowledge the following 2022 Prefects who were announced a few weeks ago and we look forward to them building on the great work achieved by the 2021 leaders:

College Captains:  Brooke Davis-Goodall & Jamie Mohr

Faith & Mission Prefect:  Elizabeth Shaju

Community Service Prefect:  Georgia Dagge & Ruby Mitchell

Cultural Engagement Prefect:  Flora Nona

Boarding Prefects:  Esther Lovae & Xenia Peinkinna

Arts & Exhibitions Prefect:  Chloe Turner

Performing Arts Prefect:  Kirsten Jorgensen

Sport Prefect:  Clara Deer

Dominations House Captains:  Elleni Voudourellis & Jasmine Gallagher

Powers House Captains:  Amy Fraser & Kayla Gunn

Princes House Captains:  Taylah Stockham & Rhiley Vines

Thrones House Captains:  Jermia Ahmat-Nona & Haylie Emanuel

2022 College Captains Brooke Davis Goodall and Jaime Mohr with Mrs Hauff

2022 Leadership Group with Mrs Hauff and Head of Year 12, Mrs Hambly.

This week we were also fortunate to gather as a community to acknowledge and celebrate PNG Independence Day. The assembly was organised and led beautifully by Belna Satchell, Esther Lovae and Wendy Bire. We are also very thankful to Darren Raimo and Natalie Kini who joined us from YWAM. We continue to be very proud of the diversity of cultures we learn from every day in our community.

Belna, Wendy and Esther

Belna Satchell, Natalie Kini, Wendy Bire, Darren Raimo, Esther Lovae, Kay Bire

I am thrilled to announce that this week we welcomed back Lisa Mowbray to our College in the new role of College Nurse. It is wonderful for our college to have someone with such incredible knowledge and experience, who also knows our students so well.  

I do hope our students and teachers enjoy a well-deserved holiday break to rest and relax and we look forward to welcoming everyone back for Term 4 with renewed energy and focus for the final 8 weeks of the school year.

Amber Hauff

COLLEGE PRINCIPAL

Lisa Mobray, College Nurse

DIRECTOR OF MISSION

MERCY DAY MASS

We warmly welcomed students, parents/guardians and the Sisters of Mercy to our Celebration of the Eucharist in honour of the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy. Her feast day is on September 24, which falls during the holidays. We therefore celebrated the special day in the life of our College in the last week of term. 

On Monday the 24th of September 1827, Catherine McAuley opened her House at number 64 Baggot Street, Dublin. Inspired by Our Lady of Mercy, she named it ‘The House of Mercy’. Catherine put out the call for help and the response was remarkable with Baggot Street becoming the home for a small group of dedicated young women, eager to share in Catherine’s work.

There, they provided education for young girls, gave accommodation to working girls, provided vocational training for young unemployed girls, and the ladies who worked there visited the sick and dying and provided meals for the poor. 

They became known as the ‘Ladies of Mercy’. Four years later in 1831, Catherine started the Sisters of Mercy after professing her vows along with three other women. She was 53 years old.

Catherine’s vision for the Sisters of Mercy was that they work to help the poor. She stated:

“The principle aim of this Congregation is to educate poor girls, to lodge and maintain poor young women who are in danger ….And to visit the sick and poor.”

As part of the Mercy Day Mass, students and staff received a Yellow Mercy Rose. A tradition of the past 30 years of our College, each rose signifies the goodness, beauty and truth which was evident in the life of Catherine McAuley. The miniature crepe paper Catherine McAuley Roses we received were in recognition of each person’s inherent dignity and the gifts each person brings to the College community. The rose is a beautiful symbol for the quality of Mercy, God’s loving kindness, which is the spirit of our College. Sr Catherine Cuddihy generously make over 600 paper roses for for our College, and we thank her.

Just as Catherine McAuley’s personal experience of God in her life enabled her to open her heart and hands to those around her, the Sisters of Mercy and in turn we, as a Mercy community, want every person to come to experience God’s love and mercy in their own life and to share this with others through Works of Mercy.

Athena Costopoulos

DIRECTOR OF MISSION

DIRECTOR OF BOARDING

MY ISLAND HOME

As we said goodbye to the last of our boarding girls, we knew how much they needed to reconnect with family, friends and country. We will miss them all. 

Living away from home is hard, but there are some amazing benefits, too. At the recent inaugural NAIDOC Ball, Bwgcolman, Palm Island woman, Dr Lynore Geia, Academic Lead of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health at JCU shared her personal experience as a boarder at St Patrick’s College Townsville. It is a very good read for all parents/guardians, and helps us understand the inherent challenges as well as the potential rewards of living and learning away from home. 

Connection is key to boarding success

What an inspiration Dr Geia is to all of us! 

Happy holidays to all.

Ms Katie de Carteret

DIRECTOR OF BOARDING