From the Principal
Vale Brother Bernie Crawford
This week the College is made aware of the passing of Brother Bernie Crawford. Br. Bernie passed away peacefully at the age of 99 at Helena Place Holy Spirit Home in Carseldine. Br. Bernie was both a Christian Brother and educator at Parade College Melbourne, St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace and was a Principal at St Laurence’s College between 1959 and 1962. Our thoughts and prayers remain with Brothers Bernie and his family. May he rest in Peace.
College Captain announcement
On Tuesday this week, I was fortunate to be able to announce the 2025 College Captains. While the leadership process continues for our current Year 11 students, the first piece of the appointment puzzle is the announcement of the College Captain and two College Vice-Captains. It is with great excitement that I can announce to the community the following appointments:
College Captain 2025 - Luca Ellero
College Vice-Captain 2025 - Billy Rowan
College Vice-Captain 2025 - Charles Taylor
I thank the families of these young men for allowing them to accept these leadership roles and know that they will lead our student body from a position of compassionate presence. I look forward to further announcements regarding other leadership roles in the coming weeks.
Sony Camp
While the next few weeks are a very important time in the College academic calendar, it’s important to recognise that life at Lauries also continued through the recent holidays. Over the break, our staff and students were involved in number of representative events for the College.
Beginning with Sony Camp, I must acknowledge the work of Mr Paul Corfield, Mr James Mendoza and Ms Kerri-Anne O’Neill, in conjunction with our student volunteers, to provide assistance and care for families requiring respite. In a partnership with Loreto College and the Sony Foundation, the Identity Team worked with students of St Laurence’s College to provide a unique overnight experience for those attending the camp. This volunteer work reflects the heart of our touchstones of Justice and Solidarity and Gospel Spirituality, and I commend all those involved. I also thank Loreto College for their partnership and ongoing commitment to this project.
Ignite Youth Conference
Following the Sony Camp, the College was honoured to host the 24th Annual Brisbane Ignite Youth Conference. The Ignite Youth Conference is dedicated to gathering, raising and developing the younger generation of Catholics. Supported by Archbishop Coleridge, the College hosted this event for the second year running and looks forward to partnering with the Ignite Youth Conference into the future.
Sport and music successes
Simultaneously, only an hour's drive away on the Gold Coast, our athletes experienced significant success. The U14 Futsal team became State Champions, winning their final by 9 goals to 0. Meanwhile, our Open Basketball team was victorious in their division of the CBSQ Championships, beating Iona College in the finals. We also had 66 boys and girls participate in the Manchester City Football School Holiday Clinic and a host of our music students were performing the Mozart Requiem at QPAC in front of 1,300 people.
I thank all the staff and students who generously gave of their time over the holidays. Lauries is clearly alive in our broader community.
Year 12 External Exams
As mentioned earlier in this newsletter, the next few weeks are an important time for our Year 12 students. Regardless of their academic pathway, Year 12 students are preparing for external exams, course completions and life beyond the hill. While the recent mock exams will provide important feedback and guidance for our ATAR focused students, it is an important time to remind families that the College has support services in place to assist students in Year 12 (and all students) with the complexities of the coming weeks. Counsellors, Career Counsellors, Heads of House and Heads of Studies are all available to assist students with both personal and academic support during this time. These services can be accessed by contacting your relevant Head of House or the Pastoral Precinct at the College.
4 October (today) is the Feast Day of St Francis. In 2013, when Cardinal Bergoglio stepped out onto the balcony of St Peter’s as Pope, few expected that the Jesuit would choose the name Francis for his pontificate, in honour of the Saint of Assisi. Along with this gesture, Pope Francis has also shown the values of the patron saint, such as closeness to the poor, the importance of our common home and an understanding of ecology. All values that resonate with a community founded in the Edmund Rice tradition.
On his feast day, I leave you with the Peace Prayer of St Francis and ask you to pray for our Year 12 students as they journey through their final weeks of schooling.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Live Jesus in our hearts,
Forever.
MR BEN LOWRIE
College Principal