BLESSING AND OPENING OF NEW FACILITIES

On Thursday Holy Cross College held the Blessing and Official Opening of the Early Learning Centre, Secondary Learning Centre and extension to the Administration building.   The  project, worth more than $12 Million dollars, has resulted in state of the art facilities designed for contemporary learning.

 

The buildings were blessed by Monsignor Michael Keating and Officially Opened by Dr Tony Curry, Director School Improvement.  The Hon Christian Porter addressed the gathered audience.  As a College we acknowledged our appreciation of the Federal and State Governments, Catholic Development Fund and coresponsibility of Catholic Schools in WA for making this project possible.

NAMING OF BUILDINGS

As the number of buildings in our College grows now is an opportune time to name them. and  during the ceremony we named each of the buildings in the College.   Sense of place is important and the naming of the buildings can make an important statement about what we value.  The buildings have been named the after places associated with our College patrons allowing for wonderful opportunities for the telling of our faith story.  We were delighted to have representatives of the Benedicitnes, the Sisters of Mercy and the Sisters of St Joseph join us for the Occasion.

Our new Early Learning Centre will be called Tui after the town in Spain where Bishop Rosendo Salvado was born 200 years ago this year.
Santiago de Compostella will be the name of the lower level of Learning Centre 2, including the Cafe.  Compostella in Spain was where Salvado trained at the Benedictine Abby of St Martins.    
I am also very pleased to welcome representatives from the Sisters of Mercy.  

The lower level of the new Learning Centre  will be called Dublin after the city in Ireland where Ursula Frayne was both born and became a Sister of Mercy..  

The upper level of Learning Centre 2 will be named Victoria Square.  This is the place where Ursula Frayne founded the first convent School in Western Australia, the Convent of the Holy Cross. Victoria Square is also the location of St Mary’s Cathedral where Bishop Rosendo Salvado laid the foundation stone and Benedictine monks built the first stage of the Cathedral.
The Upper level of Learning Centre 1 will be named Huasahuasi after the village in the Andes mountains where Irene McCormack lost her life.   
The upper level of the new secondary building will be named Paris recalling the city where Frederic Ozanam started his work with the poor which grew to the worldwide organisation of the St Vincent de Paul society.
The lower level of Learning Centre 1 will be named Lyon for the town where Frederic Ozanam grew up and where he retuned to study law.
The newly extended Adminstration Building will be called Santiago de Maria after the Diocese in El Salvador where our College Patron Oscar Romero was born and where he served for 25 years in his ministry. The Learning Resource Centre will be called San Salvador remembering the City in El Salvador where Archbishop Romero spoke spoke so powerfully for justice and was assassinated while saying Mass.  
As we add new buildings we will give them  names associated with our patrons - Lima, Subiaco, Traiying, New Norcia, Fitzroy and more.  In a sense we will have our own pilgrimage around the College along which our students and staff  will journey with a purpose -  to honour God in embracing life to the full.

Ms Mandy Connor 

20 September 2014

LIFE TO THE FULL

Today we celebrated our College Feast Day - held each year on the Friday nearest to the Feast of the Holy Cross, 14 September.  The day's celebrations started with a College Mass.  We listened to the Gospel incorporating John 10:10 - I came that you may have life and have it to the full', from which our College motto is drawn.  Fr Bona spoke of the importance of counting our blessings and giving thanks for what we have.  

The Feast Day Fair was a great success.  Junior School classes and Secondary House Tutor Grouos had each organised stalls and activities.  The addition of Junior School students gave the fair a real family atmosphere and it was great to have parents joining in.  The little children (and the big ones) enjoyed the facepainting, the nail bar, pluck the duck and the bouncy castle.  There was a variety of food on offer, including delicious cupcakes and ice cream.  The Italian game, Bocce, has become an annual favourite and the teacher auction generated enthusiastic bidding.  The day finished with a tug of war and the staff had the chance to show their strength as they pulled the Year 12s over the line in a fitting finish to the day.  Thanks to Mr Collins for coordinating Feast Day activities, to Mr Muller for organising the Mass and to all staff who assisted in making this a great day.

HIGH TEA

Thanks  to Mrs Brown and the Year9 Hospitality students for the delicious High Tea on Wednesday afternoon.  Parents, grandparents and staff were treated to an array of cakes, scones and savoury snacks, all beautifully presented.  The students were excellent hosts looking after each of the guests and keeping them well supplied with refreshments.  

COLLEGE BLESSING AND OPENING

Families and friends are invited to attend the Odficial Blessing and Opening of Stages 2 and 3 of our building programme..  This stage includes the Ealry Learning Secondary, new Secondary building and extension to the Administration building and car park.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ACC WINNERS

Congratulations to the Athletics Squad (captained by James Evans and Georgia Heggs) for an amazing effort today.  In wet, windy and cold conditions the team worked hard to win  the G Division of the Associated and Catholic Colleges Carnival. 

We also brought home the trophies for the Junior Boys and Overall Boys and the Junior Girls came second just four points behind first place.  Well done to Cameron Smythe who broke the ACC record for U/13 Discus with a throw of 33.25 metres.  Thanks to Mr Gareth Elliott, Mrs Christina Davini, Ms Fiona D Courcier, Mr Brendan Buckley and Mr Ian Wilson for all their work with the ACC Athletics Squad.    

CELEBRATING FATHERS

Last Wednesday fathers and grandfathers joined their children to celebrate Frathers' Day at HCC. We started the day with a liturgy in which we gave thanks for the gifts of our fathers. This was followed by a delicious breakfast in the College Cafe, a good opportunity for the young people to spend some time with their Dads.

REMEMBERING SALVADO

Staff gathered iat St Joseph's, Subiaco for. Retreat Day on Friday.  The theme of the Retreat was Pilgrimage - Taking The Long View and provided opportunities for staff to learn more about Bishop Rosendo Salvado and Benedictine spirituality.  The day started with a pilgrimage walk along the Camino Salvado from St Mary's Cathedral to Subiaco.  En route we visited the MercyCare Centre, site of the 19th century Benedictine Monastery. The day included stories from Abbot John Herbert and also Greg Clune and Monica Mulcahy who had been students at school in New Norcia.  We celebrated Mass and reflected on our LIFE pillars.  The Retreat day was a great chance for staff to come together to reflect, pray and 'take the long view".