Joyous celebration marks 40 years of first-class Catholic co-education
By Wendy Shaw
Memories were reignited and friendships renewed as past and present staff, students and community members gathered to mark 40 years of co-education at St Patrick’s College in the Launceston suburb of Prospect on 26 October.
The event included an anniversary Mass with Archbishop Julian Porteous as chief celebrant followed by anniversary cake, college tours, reminiscing and a barbecue.
In his homily marking the ‘joyful’ occasion, Archbishop Julian reflected on the college’s “rich history which is linked to the efforts of past generations to provide Catholic education in Launceston”.
“It is always good to celebrate special anniversaries, as they provide us with the opportunity of looking back and realising that where we are today is the outcome of the vision, dedication and struggles of those who have gone before …” he said.
“The dedication of the Church, in this case here in Launceston, to the enterprise of education is inspired by the realisation that the faithful search for truth will enable us ultimately to know the truth about ourselves.
“As we celebrate this important milestone in Catholic education in the Launceston area, let us embrace the legacy of those who have gone before and renew our dedication to the pursuit of truth through the Catholic educational enterprise.”
Principal Liz Illingworth was a year 8 student at the new college in 1984, following the amalgamation between St Patrick’s boys’ college and Marion College for girls. She later taught at the college for about 14 years before serving in other Catholic schools and then returning last year as principal.
Mrs Illingworth said the college had continued to thrive and grow over those 40 years. Now it is the largest Catholic secondary college in Tasmania, with 1,548 students across Years 7 to 12.
“Today, St Patrick’s College continues to be an outstanding place for educating young people,” she told those gathered in St Patrick’s Chapel.
“We have a focus on Catholic values that support our young people to flourish and grow and to be the best versions of themselves.
“As a college we are grateful to those who have come before us. They made decisions that we know would have been difficult at that time. But those decisions have enabled our college to be the outstanding place that it is.
“As a college we are absolutely committed to recognising our past, celebrating the present and looking to the future with open eyes.”
Mrs Illingworth said the three charisms of the founding orders remained central to the values of the college today.
“As we celebrate our 40th year as a coeducational college, it is important that we look back and acknowledge what has come before us,” Mrs Illingworth said.
“We as a community are grateful to the Presentation Sisters who bought Catholic education to Launceston in 1873, establishing Sacred Heart College.
“We are thankful to the Christian Brothers who in 1919 established St Patrick’s College at York St and in 1958 opened this campus here at Prospect. And we express our gratitude to the Sisters of St Joseph who established St Thomas More’s in 1938.”
Sacred Heart and St Thomas More’s joined forces to form Marion College in 1978.
Christian Brother, Br Clem Barrett, now of Melbourne, was the first principal of the co-educational college which was known as Marion-St Patricks for a time and had an initial enrolment of around 850 students.
He remembered those early days at the 40th anniversary event, saying: “It was exciting and challenging. Lots of community support made it positive and successful.”