Current Issue - St Aloysius

Friday, 19 October The expense is reckoned, the enterprise is begun; it is of God; it cannot be withstood. So the faith Issue 12/30
was planted; so it must be restored. - St Edmund Campion SJ, The Brag, viii (1581)
THE RECTOR
Last Friday night over 800 members of the Aloysian family gathered
in the grounds of the Junior School for the Celebration of a Century –
the 100 th Birthday of Fr Geoff Schneider. There were past students,
staff and parents all eager to wish Fr Schneider a Happy Birthday in his
one hundredth year. It was a
wonderful opportunity to
renew old friendships and make
new ones. Even the weather
was kind to us after a few days
of wind and rain. Father
Schneider was gracious and
humble. Celebrity is not
something that sits comfortably
with him. He entertained us
with his words and his closing
remarks about being
remembered in the Book of Life
– the one the angels keep on
who is in Heaven where we
may all be gathered again
forever - brought a tear to
many an eye. A highlight of the
night was the announcement by
Chris Sheedy (SAC 1988) the Australian representative for the
Guinness Book of Records, that Fr Schneider is the oldest teacher still
actively teaching in the world. May I, on behalf of the Aloysian
community, express my thanks to Murray Happ and the
Development Office for all the many hours spent organising the
night to ensure it was a truly memorable occasion.
In recent weeks we announced the leadership positions in the school.
While it is an honour to be chosen as a leader, it is also a mission.
Honours too readily go no further than the love of self. In the early
5 th Century St Augustine said: The city of the merely human is built on love
of self at the expense of the other, whereas the city of God is built on the love of the
other at the expense of the self. A sense of mission takes us beyond selfadulation
to a place of generosity for others. Such love and service
distinguishes a good leader from a great leader.
During the holidays many were saddened by the tragic news of the
disappearance and death of Irish-born 29 year old, Jill Meagher. She
had gone missing while walking home from drinks, after work, with
friends. It was a short and familiar journey, from the spot in
Brunswick, to her home where her husband was waiting. This is an
area I know well: Fr Chris and I lived just a kilometre from here
when we were doing our theological studies in Melbourne. An ABC
journalist, Jill‟s disappearance was widely reported in the media. She
was an innocent, young, attractive, capable person. She could have
been our friend, mother, sister, daughter or cousin. The attack was so
unprovoked and undeserved and her abduction and death just
dreadfully capricious. Jill‟s death touched people both in Ireland and
Australia. Regrettably incidents like Jill‟s abduction are more common
than we care to think. Her story received more coverage than many
forgotten cases that are just as disturbing.
There was a CCTV snippet of her walking past a shop for wedding
gowns. We later learnt that a man had accosted and snatched her. He
raped and killed her. He then buried her and returned to his normal
life. It was some days before a 41-year-old was identified and
charged. He allegedly was the man we had seen on the CCTV in the
minutes just before the horror that followed. One journalist
described it as the moment before she succumbed to the evil that men do. When
I read that I wanted to say don’t you mean the evil that one man did or that
some men may do?
On Sunday, 30 September just days after her body was found, some
30,000 people gathered in Melbourne in solidarity and sorrow over
her death. It was heartening to see so many men take part. As well as
showing a community‟s outpouring of grief, it was an expression of a
desire that women not live in fear of harassment and violence. It is
said that one in five Australian women has been sexually assaulted.
One in three has been a target of violence; whether it is physical,
verbal or psychological abuse, or more subtle forms of violence such
as threats and controlling behaviour. Unlike Jill‟s situation, this
violence is most often perpetrated by a man the woman knows and
trusts. It is a troubling fact that the vast majority of sexual and
physical assaults take place by someone known to the victim.
A recent survey asked: What do you do on a daily basis to manage your fear
of being sexually assaulted? The results showed a striking gender
difference. Nearly every man was surprised by the question and
basically answered: Nothing. For women, the answers were equally
unanimous, but in their vigilance rather than their apathy. Women
spoke of clutching car keys as a defensive weapon, double checking
that doors are locked, walking in the light, crossing the street when a
stranger approaches, looking for an exit route, holding the phone
ready to dial a friend, hastening their steps when someone is behind
them, and avoiding certain situations - even in public. It is not right
that the prospect of a random attack lies close to the surface for
many women. Woman should feel safe, no matter where they are. A
reporter wrote of the need for women to learn how to protect themselves from
being raped. I wanted to ask isn’t it also about the need for men not to rape?
So much of the discussion focuses on a woman‟s responsibility to
keep herself out of harm‟s way. Shouldn‟t it be more about what we
all, especially men, need to change to ensure all people, especially
women, can enjoy their right to safety? As one message said: Rest in
peace Jill Meagher. I hope your legacy is a society where we teach our sons not to
attack women, not one where we teach our daughters to fear life.
That is why we, as teachers, encourage our students to show respect
and to stand against inequality, why peers refuse to turn a blind eye to
a mate‟s disrespectful behaviour, why parents foster considerateness

and sensitivity in their children‟s relationships, and why a sexist joke
or distasteful remark in the playground has no place. We need to
remind each other that crudity and denigration will not be tolerated –
no matter how innocent and harmless we think it may be. We all
need to examine our sexism and unhealthy patterns of
competiveness. These situations breed violence and harm women.
One of the Year 12 drama presentations at our Valete Assembly last
term addressed the issue that it is all too easy to say boys will be boys.
The performance revealed that such vacuous remarks do little to
enable us to feel with one who is afraid or hurt or distressed. They do
nothing to change the conditions that cause these difficulties and
struggles. We want our young men to have the courage and capacity
to make a difference for the better. Hopefully, but only, if we are all
attentive, our formation at St Aloysius‟ will help us all to be more
understanding and resourceful in making the world a safer and more
respectful place.
Peter Hosking SJ
THE PRINCIPAL
The wonderful celebration of Fr Schneider‟s coming one hundredth
birthday at the cocktail party in the Junior School on Friday night was
truly a celebration of faithfulness – first and foremost, Fr Schneider‟s
own fidelity to his vocation and to his service of the Aloysius
community over so many years. It was also a celebration of
faithfulness of the Aloys community as so many gathered across
many generations to celebrate something of who we are as a school,
and to support the school in providing bursaries for those who could
not otherwise access a Jesuit education.
Appropriately, just the day before the celebration, on 11 October, Pope
Benedict XVI inaugurated a Year of Faith in the Church. 11 October
was chosen as the first day of the Year of Faith, as it marks the fiftieth
anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council and also the
twentieth anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
The upcoming Year of Faith is a “summons to an authentic and renewed
conversion to the Lord, the One Saviour of the world” (Porta Fidei 6). Thus the
Year of Faith is both an opportunity and an invitation for us to
experience a conversion – to renew our discipleship of the Lord, and
enter into a deeper relationship with him. The “door of faith” is opened at
one‟s baptism, but during this year Catholics are called to open it again,
and rediscover and renew their relationship with Christ and his Church.
These lofty sentiments are expressed against the backdrop of an
increasing number of people in Australia, who, along with much of
the Western world, have no experience of religious faith. Increasing
numbers do not identify with any religious community, or, on a
smaller scale, are agnostics or atheists. A recent Pew poll in the
United States found that nearly one in five Americans claim to be
atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular.” This is a significant
increase in what is often regarded as the most religious Western
country. Furthermore, the numbers show that more than one-third of
those aged 18 to 22 are religiously unaffiliated. In Australia, surveys
would show a more pronounced decline, though still better than
those in many European countries.
At the beginning of a Year of Faith, it is well to reflect on what may
be behind these trends, especially for our young people. At the Valete
Mass at the end of last Term, I reflected that surveys tell us that up to
90% of students in western societies will cease having any real
connection with their churches within a year of completing high
school – a sobering statistic on Valete. I went on to say:
Am I concerned? Yes, because something I value and love so much
appears to be at risk. Do I feel negative about it? No. I have seen
enough of the group of Seniors before me, and those who have gone before
them, to recognize and affirm the real spirituality of today’s young
people. I do see a genuine search for meaning and for God in their lives,
whether in retreats or immersions or in their relationships or in the quiet
times of their lives. I have seen their generosity in responding to needs,
both in the school and in the community. I have seen their participation
in the Eucharist at the College. I know their capacity for friendship. I
know their creativity and their idealism. And you love and are loved. In
all this I see and trust the unfolding story of God’s Spirit at work in
these young men. May you discern truly God’s spirit in your hearts.
While this is what is in my heart it would be remiss not to look for
explanations for what is occurring. The Pew report, itself, offers
several theories to explain the rise of the religiously unaffiliated.
One theory proposed is that the young adults have grown
disillusioned with organised religion when evangelical Protestant and
Catholic churches became so active in conservative political causes,
like opposition to homosexuality and abortion. The theory fails to
account for the even more precipitous decline of „more liberal‟
churches both here and in the United States. It may be that there is a
deep sense of the Church being out of touch with the modern world,
but I don‟t believe it can be explained simply in terms of liberal and
conservative. Indeed, by many indicators, the younger generation is
more conservative than its parents.
Another theory proposed by the Pew pollsters is that the decline in
engagement with Church merely reflects a broader trend away from
social and community involvement, the phenomenon dubbed “bowling
alone” by Robert D. Putnam, a public policy professor at Harvard
University. There are certainly correlations between what is happening
in church and falling rates of volunteerism and a declining sense of
local community. There is perhaps also some suspicion of commitment
in a time where marriage and family seem so fragile. Even more so, I
suspect there is an individualism to our society that makes it easy to
lose the value of communal associations. The Church, thus, is one such
association that sees a decline in engagement. And for all our
technological advances, people are time-poor, and the changing nature
of the weekend has impacted on Sunday observance. All these
primarily sociological factors have in simple, practical ways, affected
communal expressions of faith, such as going to Mass.
Another explanation offered by the people at Pew is that the United
States is simply following the trend toward secularisation already seen
in many economically developed countries, like Australia and Canada
and some in Europe. Certainly there seems to be an ongoing pressure
to remove religion from the public square and to confine it to the
realm of the purely personal, and this strikes at a Church that is
explicitly communal in nature. The Church, too, has struggled to hit
the right note in engaging in a pluralist society, particularly in areas
connected with sexuality and gender. We need to speak more of
humble service, and of being authentic, rather than being too critical
and too easy in dismissing modern ideas. Paradoxically, it could be
argued that the Church‟s social teachings are more relevant than ever.
Moreover, the crisis in authority which struck Western societies in
the 1960s, at the very time when Vatican II was engaging the Church
with the world, severely affected perceptions of Church authority,
reinforced in recent times by the failures of the church in the sexual
abuse crisis. The distrust of authority, if perceived as imposed and
lacking in inclusion or flexibility, is profound. „To be told‟ has not
been enough for fifty years, and yet sometimes the Church seems not
to get the message, and resorts to edicts and proclamations. We need
to look for where there is common ground, to see what is good first,
before we rush to judgment, and we need to find a new paradigm in
utilising authority.
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It is important that we don‟t become too negative in our assessments.
The Pew report found that even among Americans who claimed no
religion, few qualified as purely secular. Two-thirds of this group still
believe in God, and one-fifth of them pray every day. Only 12
percent of the religiously unaffiliated group of this fifth of the
population claim to be atheists and 17 percent agnostic.
There is genuine interest in the spiritual among the young. Here at
the school, the vitality of the Kairos retreats, Sodality, the Bellarmine
academy, the various immersions, Benenson and Vinnies are but a
few signs that the young are receptive to spiritual ideals and can be
generous in their involvements. While it would be true that this
generation is not overly keen on the values of a routine in the
spiritual life, as perhaps in the way they regard regular attendance at
Sunday Mass, they are very open to events such as World Youth Day.
There is an openness to, and preparedness to undertake, experiences
of faith when they are offered them. We often have waiting lists for
our Kairos retreats. And there is a hunger for identity and a
willingness to embrace symbol and ritual, even traditional ones, that
then can make traditional expressions of faith attractive to many.
It could be argued that those who experienced the „liberation‟ of
Vatican II have been slow and even resistant to accept that new
generations might desire to reconnect with parts of the tradition and
look to more communal expressions of faith, even as their society is
so fragmented and individualistic. And there remains a very strong
interest in the ideals of social justice and a desire to experience forms
of service and connection with those most in need. One of the
strengths, I believe, of the spiritual movement amongst the young is
the rejection of a conflict between an interest in social justice and
traditional expressions of religious identity. I do see signs of new
growth emerging, but I think we should be wary of allowing
conservative or liberal readings to be imposed upon it. The Year of
Faith might allow us to return to the basics, and to reflect carefully
on where and how faith is felt and expressed today.
Back at school, the start of Term is dominated by the
commencement of the HSC examinations. Please keep in your
thoughts and prayers our Year Twelves as they continue their HSC
examinations in these coming weeks.
It was good to see Year 10 at their smartest for their Semi-Formal
function last Saturday. The girls were complimentary about the boys,
and it appeared to be an evening enjoyed by all. My thanks to the
staff and parents who joined us on the boat for the night.
Twenty-four of our budding Year 9 musicians performed at the
Semester Two Year Nine Recital on Tuesday night. It was impressive
to see how the boys presented themselves, and it reflects what has
been a good year for our Year Nines, from their involvement in CAS
leaders‟ camps and Kempsey immersion, to the Science alternate
programme and camps at Colo River and at Gerringong, their
maturity at the Drug Information evening and so on.
Congratulations to James Reid (Year 10) and Conor Wolohan
(Year 10) on their selection in the Australian Under-16 target squad of
46 players for the 2014 World Youth Championships in Water Polo.
Congratulations to the Cadet Unit (pictured above) on their victory in
the CAS Military Skills competition, and to the members of the Unit
who achieved this result: CUO Harrison Pastega (team leader),
SGT William Boyd (2IC), CPL Alex Graham, CPL Chris Ducklin,
CDTs Jack Clarke, Andrew Holland, Harry Laukka, Kiernan
Tafft, James Browning and Sam Janssen. It was the second time
in three years that the Unit has achieved this success.
In Athletics, at the NSW All Schools, Luke Gorman (Year 9),
James McFadden (Year 8) and Gus Whelan (Year 7) all competed.
In impressive times, Luke came second in the 1500m and third in the
800m. James McFadden came seventh in the 800, and ran a PB in the
400m. Gus finished tenth in the 1500m, also with a PB.
In Fencing, congratulations to Lachlan Fitzgerald (Year 11) who
competed in the U23 State Epee championships and came second.
In CAS competition, in Cricket the First XI suffered a heavy defeat at
the hands of Barker, while the 9As had to settle for a draw after just
failing to dismiss Barker. In trial games against Cranbrook in Cricket
and Basketball, honours were fairly evenly shared. The standout
result of the weekend was in the Junior School where the Prep Firsts
Basketballers defeated Cranbrook 86-5 with Harry Lidbetter
(Year 6) scoring an amazing 54 points. In Water Polo trials against
Waverley, the Firsts led the way with a solid 11-7 win.
Chris Middleton SJ
For those who have died:
Oremus
Let us pray
Bill Wood, grandfather of Mitchell Wood (SAC 2012) and
Samuel Wood (SAC 2010)
Robert Fountain, father of Eileen Quinane (SAC staff),
grandfather of Jarvis (Year 9) and Rory (Year 6) Ashcroft
Ask and you shall receive … knock and the door
will be opened unto you.” (Matt 7:7)
If you would like someone to be prayed for by the College community
(even anonymously), please pass the details to the Rector
WHAT’S COMING UP
19 October P&F Class Parents‟ Function
23 October Wind & Brass Showcase
25-27 October Aloys House Play Fest 2012
28 October College Open Day
THE HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL
What a sensational evening Friday was, and a most fitting tribute to a
fine man whom we have all come to admire for all the right reasons.
Fr Schneider was always going be an attractive drawcard for a
fundraising cause, which was indeed a close second purpose of the
evening. When you consider the worthy cause, ie raising funds for
future bursaries, it‟s not surprising that you dug deep and gave so
generously, a characteristic that is so closely associated with the
Aloysian community. The College‟s Development Office is to be
congratulated on producing what I thought was a brilliant confluence
of a very special birthday celebration and a fundraising event for great
cause. It was such a privilege to reconnect with so many young Old
Boys, and the not-so-young Old Boys, along with you and the staff,
both current and past.
The Junior School Music Showcase, the evening before, was another
joyful evening and a most appreciative audience was thoroughly
entertained with an array of talents with performances, ranging from
solo dancers (Max Walburn and Liam McWeeney) to talented
musicians (Curtis Lau, Tom Verschuer and James Armstrong).
The many instrumental ensembles included the Strings orchestra,
Concert Bands 1 & 2, the Guitar ensemble, the Jazz Band, the Rock
Band and of course the accomplished Senior School St Aloysius‟
College Stage Band, directed by Mr Chris Oxley. Choral singing was a
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major contributor on the
night, with items ranging
from the Junior School Choir
to Zipoli Choir and the
highlight, in terms of signing,
the Year 5 & 6 massed choir
with Mr Simon Hyland
(father of Sampson 3.2) who
lent his stage presence that
made us feel that we were at
the Lyric or Capitol Theatre
Sydney, instead of the Great Hall at the College! Thanks to Miss Eliza
Collins, who also put on her dancing shoes for the occasion, and the
non-music staff who assisted with the whole production. Special
thanks, however, must go to our musicians, the tutors – Mrs Virginia
Blunt, Ms Lindy Montgomery, Mr Michael Bell Mr Evan Powis,
Mr Meredith and Mr Koen Van Staade, who were so professionally led
by the Junior School co-ordinator of Music, Mr Jerry Scelzi. Mr Scelzi
had everything organised to the last detail, bearing in mind that he was
to return to work on the morning of the show after a two weeks‟
Ignatian Pilgrimage experience in Spain and Italy. Whereas you could
have expected the boys to be a little rusty with their playing after two
weeks‟ lull, we had every reason to conclude that we should never have
worried, as the boys did us all proud as they sang, danced and played
their musical instruments with gusto.
Looking ahead, the two events that will occupy our minds will be the
Open Day and the Orientation Day. Open Day is being held in the
Junior School on 28 October from 9.30 to 12.30pm. I hope that your
son has brought home a note from me requesting your assistance and
that of your boys. We need as many boys and current parents as
possible to assist with activities and showing our visitors around the
school. I stress that no experience is required, as we are asking you to
be available for a few hours of your Sunday to speak to visitors about
your experiences of this school. You do not need to have all the
answers to their questions, as the boys present can talk to them, as will
the teachers. Please return the note to give us your permission to
participate in some of the activities on the day and, if you are happy to
come along, please contact our new Registrar, Ms Alicia Toogood on
9936 5536. Those parents volunteering to assist as guides on the day in
the Junior School will require to meet me in the library at 9.00am for a
briefing and a „conducted tour‟. The second event, Orientation Day
takes place on 31 October from 8.30am to 12.40pm for boys in Years
3-6 (Year 6 boys who will be going Year 7 for the morning in the
Senior School). Parental assistance is not required for this day and the
boys will informed of the activities and other details. Students will be
placed in their tentative classes for 2013 for the day.
We have had a few concerns from parents about boys, particularly in
Year 6, spending inappropriate and inordinate amounts of time at
home playing with each on the computer and online games, such
games as “Minecraft”. Can I ask you to monitor this closely, as it
interferes with the daily routines and other priorities, such as
completion of homework, daily chores and responsibilities that you
would expect them to fulfil at home. I have heard that there have been
some instances where boys have invited each other play at the crack of
dawn (6.00am!) – a most inconvenient time from a family perspective!
Our congratulations this week go to the following boys who are
celebrating their birthdays:
15 October Nicholas Powell 20 October Alexander Rozenauers
16 October Dylan Connaghan 21 October William Tapia-Sealey
18 October Lachlan Sanderson
Martin Lobo
THE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE
Charles Laukka, James Armstrong, Curtis
Lau & Tom Verschuer ... a few of the stars at
the Music Showcase
The Celebration of a Century – The 100 th Birthday of Father
Geoff Schneider SJ: Last Friday night, 815 members of the Aloysian
Family gathered for The Celebration of Century – the 100 th Birthday of
Father Schneider SJ, and what a night it was!
Guests at the event covered every part of the Aloysian Family – past
and current staff members, Old Boys from the 1950s through to
recent years, past parents from the 1960s through to the parents of
the Class of 2011 and of course, current parents. We even had a
number of parents whose sons will commence their Aloysian
Education in 2013!
Father Schneider was overwhelmed with the evening and the smile is
still broad on his face.
In the lead up to the event, I teased the Aloysian Family about an
announcement that was being made on the night. The big news that
was announced on the night is that Father Schneider was presented
with a Guinness World Record as the Oldest Teacher still Teaching
in the world. The award was presented by Old Boy of the College,
Chris Sheedy (SAC 1988), who is the Australian and Pacific
Representative of Guinness World Records. On the night, Chris
commented that this was the first time in his 13 years of service to
Guinness that he has been able to make a presentation to someone
with whom he had a personal connection. Father Schneider taught
Chris when he was in the Junior School.
Funds raised on the night have been directed to the College Bursary
Fund (at Father Schneider‟s insistence!). We are yet to finalise the
result, but it looks like we have raised well over $100,000.
The Celebration of a Century was a great success and everyone had a
great night. I would especially like to acknowledge the following
people who made the celebration possible:
• Sincere thanks to those who donated items for the live and silent
auctions, and to all the guests who attended on the night and
bought thousands of raffle tickets and bid actively on the live and
silent auctions. Thanks also to those people who were unable to
attend, but made a donation to the Bursary Fund in lieu of
attendance. Donations to the Bursary Fund from those who either
attended or gave in lieu of attendance totaled more than $32,000.
• To our corporate sponsors who supplied all the beverages
(alcoholic and non-alcoholic) for free, to the providores who
donated over 40% of the food served on the night, your generous
support enabled us to maximise the profit from the event.
• Thanks to Father Hosking SJ and Father Middleton SJ for their
support of the celebration and to Mr Lobo, Mr El-Khoury and all
the staff and students of the Junior School who put up with the
interruption to their normal routine.
• I am always reluctant to single out particular people, but I would
like to thank four mothers who tirelessly devoted themselves to
helping with the organisation of the event. They volunteered their
time for the past few months and effectively worked full-time for
the two weeks leading up to the event – to Mesdames Merin Boyd,
Jill Jenkins, Liz Laukka and Jacqueline Stene, my sincere thanks!
• Many thanks to Mr Peter Brennan (current parent) taking
hundreds of photos on the night, thus ensuring that this historic
event is recorded for the College Archives, and to Mr David
Hegarty for producing the wonderful tribute video that was
shown on the night. We are looking at producing DVD copies of
the video, along with copies of the various media stories that
have covered Father‟s birthday (Channel 9, ABC TV, Al Jazeera,
BBC, The Mosman Daily, The Australian, The Catholic Weekly, et al)
that will be offered to the Aloysian Family as a keep-sake
memento of the event.
• Many thanks to our talented Old Boy musicians – Jeremy Curtin
(SAC 2003 and current staff) - vocals, Michael Curtin (SAC 2008)
– vocals, Allister Haire (SAC 2008) – keyboard, Peter Edmonds
(SAC 2000) – double bass and Tim Geldens (SAC 2010) – drums,
for the wonderful music they performed. They certainly added to
the party atmosphere!
• There was one current student who attended the event, albeit in a
professional capacity – Daniel McCreton (Year 11) worked
tirelessly, under the guidance of Mr Toby Sewell (current parent),
who is the Director of Lighting at the Sydney Opera House, to
design and install the lighting for the celebration. Toby was
unable to attend the event as he was working, but Daniel very
kindly offered to run the lighting and sound panel for the event.
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• Thanks to Messers Andrew Baxter, Brian Hartley, Steve Renwick
and John Dickson from the College Property and Maintenance
Office, Gordon Morris from the College Print Room and John
Micken from the College IT Department, for their logistical
support in the lead up to the event and on the night itself.
• I would also like to thank Melinda Meyer, James Halliday, Sandra
Favaloro and Lana Huntley from the College Development
Office, Sarah-Jane McCreton (Father Rector‟s PA), Michele
Curtin (from the Richie Fernando Centre) and Alicia Toogood
(the College Registrar) who worked tirelessly in the lead up to the
event, and to our Gap Students David Seed, Peter McCreevy and
Oliver Glen for their help.
• To Stephanie Donovan (past parent), who prepared and ordered
all the food and managed to make sure everyone was well fed and
watered, our sincere thanks.
Finally thank you to the „Birthday Boy‟, Father Schneider for allowing
us to share his milestone birthday. May your service to the College
continue for many years to come and may the Good Lord continue
to bless you always.
There are still a number of silent auction items that need to be
collected. We will contact the successful bidders for payment and ask
that you collect the items from the College this week.
If anyone found a gold signet ring on the night, could they please
contact the Development Office.
Father Schneider SJ Socks: To coincide with Father Schneider‟s
100 th birthday, we thought it would be a bit of fun to come up with a
memento that the boys could wear to feel a part of this significant
birthday. Given father‟s great love of walking, we have produced a
limited number of rugby/football socks featuring the College boater
band. Weaved onto the sole of each sock are the words Father
Schneider SJ 100 th Birthday. These socks are $20 per pair and are made
in the following sizes:
• Size 3-8 to suit most boys in Years 3-6
• Size 8-11 to suit most boys in Years 6-10
• Size 12 plus – to suit most boys in Year 10 and above and all
adults.
The socks are available for purchase at the Junior School Reception
and the Senior School Reception and samples of the socks are on
display in these locations. Please send in $20 (per pair) in cash in an
envelope marked Father Schneider SJ Socks. The socks will be given to
your son on receipt of the funds.
The Junior School will be holding a special day in late Term 4 to
acknowledge Father‟s birthday, when all boys will be encouraged to
wear a pair of Father Schneider SJ Socks – please stay tuned to The
Gonzagan for further details.
Upcoming Reunions: The following Aloysian Reunions will be held
in coming weeks. If you know of an Old Boy of the College or future
parent (or even a person who may be interested in sending their
son(s) to the College) who lives in the region, please contact me so
we can ensure an invitation is sent to them, as not all Old Boys and
prospective parents have their overseas address listed on the College
database and, unless we know they are located in the region where
the reunion will be held, an invitation will not be sent:
• 2 November – Singapore Reunion
• 10 November – UK/Europe Reunion
• 16 November – Hong Kong Reunion
2012 New Years’ Eve: Tickets for the annual New Years‟ Eve Family
Picnic on the roofs of the College have gone on sale. Tickets are $250
for a family (parent[s] and their children only) or $60 for an individual.
The event is a BYO picnic and is a family friendly event. Full details of
the event can be found at www.trybooking.com/16476. Please note
that tickets can only be purchased online. Tickets will be available until
5.00pm on 28 December – unless sold out prior. Funds raised from
this annual event will be directed to the College Bursary Fund. Further
details of this event can be found in this edition.
Many thanks for your ongoing support of the College and all our boys!
Murray Happ (SAC 1985)
Director of Development (9936 5561 / Murray.Happ@staloysius.nsw.edu.au)
CAPTAIN’S COLUMN
Last Friday night, the Aloysius‟ First V travelled across the Harbour
into the Eastern Suburbs. Due in part to the apparent rise in
occurrence of injuries requiring emergency anesthesia and operation
on buses travelling to and from the Rose bay region, the expectations
of crowd numbers weren‟t exactly set high. To the great surprise of
many, we had a bigger turnout then Cranbrook, made even sweeter
by our decisive 3 dunks to 0 win over the „Brooky boys‟.
As typically „Aloys‟ as this sounds, the real delight in the crowd
wasn‟t found on the scoreboard (maybe because the scoreboard was
less than flattering), but rather in the ranks of the Blue & Gold army,
led more than capably by Bryan Jordan.
The school spirit of Aloysius‟ is something that you do not fully
appreciate until you‟re getting closer to wearing the uniform for the
last time. It sets us apart from all others. But what creates such a
vibrant and positive environment? It is the commitment to
generosity, from the staff, the students and the wider Aloysian
community. And, in return, I would like to think every other Aloysian
gives generously, of their time, of their gifts and their talents, to
cultivate a community that has honestly shaped my life.
So, now the leadership team of 2013 has been announced, it is our
time to give something tangible back to a community to which we
owe a great deal. That is our goal. To leave a mark, to give something
back. The way I see it, leadership is a privilege, and I am privileged to
have such an honour entrusted to me; but, at the same time, as much
of a privilege that it is, leadership is defined by responsibility. And it
is this responsibility that the class of 2013 wish to honour.
2012 was a history-making year in so many ways. Knox at Knox, the
grand slam of Jesuit cups, Knox at Aloys, 5 th place at athletics and the
Gentlemen‟s XI undefeated 2012 season. The class of 2012 must be
congratulated for a fine year, and on the impact that they have had on
the Aloysian community. As they go into their HSC, we wish them all
the best of luck. As for 2013, the plan is to make it an even more
memorable year than last … watch this space.
Tim Russell
Captain 2013
CURRICULUM NEWS
JUNIOR SCHOOL LIBRARY
Once again an enormous „thank you‟ to boys and parents for their
sterling efforts and support of the Readathon in Term 3. The Jesuit
Mission will be coming to the Junior School in the near future to be
presented with their cheque for just over $16,500.
This week, all boys in the Junior School have received their poetry
booklet and have the task of selecting a poem for recital by heart. The
theme for Year 3 is humour and the poems for Year 4 are based on the
four elements of Fire, Water, Earth and Wind. Year 5 students have a
selection of narrative poems embedded in our history and early
connection with the „bush‟ or „outback‟, as it is often referred to. Please
feel free to assist your son in his choice and practice of his chosen
poem. Criteria for marking will be appropriate use of tone, volume, clarity,
pause, pace, rhythm and timing for effect. Each student will recite his poem by
heart in front of his class and teacher; those who engage the audience
best will shortlisted to be able to compete in the final for prizes and
places. Year 6 classes are attempting various classic poems to be
performed as a class recital, with various sound and visual effects and
individual parts to be learnt. The poems are The Man from Snowy River,
The Highwayman, Jabberwocky and The Charge of the Light Brigade.
Last week a small number of boys from Years 5 & 6 were lucky
enough to be chosen to attend a Maths Workshop at Loreto. It was a
program based on a series called Maths by Mail put out by the
Weizmann Institute. It was a challenge for both boys and teachers! It
was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Caroline Byrne
Teacher Librarian
5

SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
RACI Australian National Chemistry Quiz Results: The RACI
Chemistry Quiz is a chemistry competition that draws almost 115,000
entries from every state in Australia, as well as about a dozen
countries from South-east Asia and the Pacific. This year, 146
students Years 9, 10 & 11 participated, with about 60% received a
Credit certificate or better. Twenty-five boys achieved High
Distinction certificates, forty-two boys received a Distinction and
twenty-two boys received a Credit. These certificates were handed
out at the end of last term. Congratulations to all boys who
participated in this competition!
Certificates were awarded to the following boys:
Year 9: High Distinction Certificate to: Liam Burke, Kevin
Chan, Matthew Fadhil, Alex Keogh, Julian Sheldon, James
Tian and Alexander Tonkin
Distinction Certificates to: Andrew Lee, Samuel
Carmichael, Christopher Ducklin, Peter Dougherty, Patrick
Doyle, William Halliday, Matthew Hayes, Campbell
Hudson, Kenneth Leung, Edward Moult, Thomas Nowlan,
Connor O‟Shea, Ben Potter, Justin Shaw and Jonathan
Tandjung
Credit Certificates to: Jakov Delic, Daniel Fane, Jack
Gilroy, Liam Irving, Matthew Kell, Dominic McNally,
Alexander Walker, Alex White, Harry Wigney and Xavier
Gould
Year 10: High Distinction Certificates to: Benjamin Chambers,
Miles Collins, Tom Mendes, Callum Ryan, Bryan Soepardi,
Garen Tcharlassian and Tom Wells
Distinction Certificates to: Michael Bounds, Lachlan
Brimson, Isaac Chia, James Dainton, Matthew Fisher,
James Goodman, Timothy Hughes, Daniel Kelly, Tobias
Lewis, Theodore Ott, Martin Pacak, William Ridley, Hugh
Riisfeldt, James Sindone, George Stylianakis and Patrick
Sunderland
Credit Certificates to: Daniel Collins, Michael D‟Souza,
Edward Dennett, Joshua Felipe, Alexander Feltham, James
Holloway, Elliot Knox, Tom Raeside and Zachariah Reisch
Year 11: High Distinction Certificate to: Caspar Blattman, Henry
Clarke, Oliver Gibson, Cameron May, Daniel McAdams,
Kieran McAdams, Carl Mouatt, Joel Patniotis, Timothy
Spooner, Zachary Sweeney and Stan Zovko
Distinction Certificates to: Harrison Boudakin, Lachlan
Boyle, Padraic Daly, Edward Halliday, Patrick Hart, Yanni
Mechtler, Zac Mytkowski, Tim Robinson, Jack Sinclair,
Oliver Telan and Christopher Walker
Credit Certificates to: Michael Cheng, Matthew Crott and
Jackson Scott
Justin Varjavandi
CAREERS
For the latest Careers information, please go to the Careers section
on Manresa.
Deirdre Agnew
Careers Counsellor (deirdre.agnew@staloysius.nsw.edu.au)
My usual days at the College are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
PASTORAL NEWS
THE DIRECTOR OF PASTORAL SERVICES
During the sermon on Sunday, in my local Parish, our Parish Priest
informed us that Pope Benedict XVI has declared the year beginning
11 October 2012 to 24 November 2013 as the Year of Faith. We are
barely half way through the Australian Bishop‟s endeavour the Year of
Grace! Despite this overlap, there can be no doubt that there is a close
link between grace and faith. It can
be argued that, without God‟s grace,
a faith may not exist in the first
place. Alternatively, as our faith
grows, we become more aware of
God‟s presence and God‟s graces in
our life. So, why are we celebrating
the Year of Faith? In a society that is
becoming more secular and more
materialistic, we want to be
reminded of the importance of faith
and God in our lives. We want to be
reminded about the significance of
trying to put into practice Christ-like values. Last Friday night was an
amazing celebration of Fr Schneider‟s 100 birthday. No one better
typifies a greater role model of someone with an extraordinarily
strong faith. Fr Schneider‟s example reminds us that, in our busy
schedules, we need to pray and strengthen our faith, particularly in
this upcoming Year of Faith.
O God our Father,
in Jesus you call all Christian families and homes
to be signs of living faith.
By the light of the Holy Spirit,
lead us to be thankful for the gift of faith,
and by that gift
may we grow in our relationship with Jesus, your Son,
and be confident witnesses to Christian hope and joy
to all we meet.
In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Tutor Groups: As mentioned in last week‟s Gonzagan, James Mullan
has been appointed the Prefect for Tutor Groups. He has already
come up with a few new initiatives that he hopes to implement in the
coming weeks. Details will soon appear in The Gonzagan outlining our
annual Christmas Hamper Appeal for Ailsa Gillett‟s Life for Koori Kids.
This year James is exploring new ways of collecting as many goods as
possible for such a worthwhile cause. I applaud James for his
enthusiasm in his new role.
Year 6 Parent/Son Drug Education Evening: All parents, by now,
should have received a letter via their son, concerning this important
evening. A reminder that all students are expected to wear their school
uniform. The evening begins at 7.30pm in the Bellarmino (in Wyalla)
on 29 October. Expected finishing time is 8.45 pm.
Philippines Immersion: Last Friday, the Aloysian
December/January Philippines Immersion group joined their
Riverview counterparts for a casual get-together here at the College.
They played basketball, discussed fundraising activities and shared
pizza. It was a great way for the Immersionistas to get to know each
other better. In the next few weeks, the December and
December/January Philippines Immersion groups will meet to help
prepare for their immersions.
Chris Gould
THE COLLEGE COMMUNITY
THE PARENTS’ & FRIENDS’ ASSOCIATION
As we enter the final term of the year, please take the time to spare a
thought for our Year 12 students and their families as they
commence the HSC exams. This can be a particularly stressful time
for them. For those parents requiring further support and possibly
some advice, I found the following information on the HSC online
website particularly useful (http://hsc.csu.edu.au/for_parents/).
Prepared by Richard Cracknell, a Counsellor and District Guidance
Officer from Inverell in northern NSW, the article stresses that the
most obvious form of support parents can offer are the practical,
physical things, like providing good, balanced meals. I particularly
liked the following reflection from Mr Cracknell:
6

“Parents of Year 12: Don‟t feel too badly when you forget not to
nag, when you get picky, and complain bitterly that your child has the
time to attend the eighteenth birthday party of every Year 12 student
but doesn‟t have time to help with the washing up. As parents, we are
only human and because we can‟t help being over-involved, we also
feel the pressure of Year 12 from time to time. Year 12 students:
Try to understand when we behave in a less than supportive and
encouraging way. Chances are that it stems from the fact that, as your
parents, we care too much.”
On Friday night, we will pause to thank the various Year Co-ordinators
and others who have contributed to the success of the many P&F
activities conducted this year. A great deal has been done and achieved.
This is our way to acknowledge that your contributions are greatly
appreciated and play an important part in building the College
Community, while also making Aloysius‟ such a welcoming school.
Something to ponder from Albert Einstein: “Do not worry about your
difficulties in Mathematics. I can assure you mine are still greater.”
Bryan Jenkins
President
DIARY DATES
The following functions are scheduled shortly:
19 October P&F Class Parents‟ Function: 7.00pm [College Oval]
26 October Morning Tea for Teachers and Staff [Lawrence
Campbell Senior Common Room]
28 October College Open Day: Junior School – 9.30am-
12.30pm, Senior School – 10.30am-1.00pm
CONTACT DETAILS
Chairman Phillip Cornwell 0414 223 765
President Bryan Jenkins 0414 355 255
Vice-President Merin Boyd 0419 969 111
Vice-President/Pastoral Care Michael Morgan 0419 679 591
Secretaries Ann & Alex Paton 0412 250 551
Assistant Secretary Jacqui Stene 0408 969 766
Treasurers Cate & Greg Russell 0405 100 463
Assistant Treasurers Marie and Chris D‟Cruz 0413 255 400
Logistics Co-ordinator (JS) Jo Marchione 0488 230 198
Logistics Co-ordinator (SS) Catherine Verschuer 0404 050 673
Oval Canteen Co-ordinator Bruno Moscaritolo 0414 365 511
Prayer Group Co-ordinator Edwin Lapitan 0410 463 517
THE SENIOR SCHOOL CANTEEN
The following parents have kindly offered their services in the Senior
School Canteen for the week commencing 22 October:
Monday Jane Brennan, Rosie Morgan, Sella Stuntz, Ioana
Voyage
Tuesday Catherine Franklin, Lynda Lee, Rina Moore
Wednesday Carolyn Tonkin, Cheryl McEvoy, Lisa Rush
Thursday
Friday
Nadia Lorenzutta
Canteen Manager
Deb Jansson, Anne Rowbotham, Mami Tsang
Anita Lyons, Paula Nicholson, Joanne Pastega, Sarah
Trigg
THE UNIFORM SHOP
The Uniform Shop operates Tuesday and Friday from 8:00am to
3:00pm during school term.
Delivery to Junior School: Orders can be made by email, phone
(from 9.00-11:30am) or leaving a message on our answering machine.
Items will be delivered to the Reception at Junior School for collection
before lunch. Please inform your son to collect from Reception.
Bob Stewart Credit Accounts: I urge that, if you have not yet
opened a Credit Account with Bob Stewart, kindly please do so; as it
helps to process transactions much faster and gets the boys back to
their classes. For more information, please go on to the College
website, under Uniform Shop, to download the form. If you do not
wish to open a Credit Account, please obtain a form of payment for
your son to make a purchase.
* If you would like to send your son to the shop for a uniform
purchase, we are happy to fit him for your convenience. We accept
cash, cheques (payable to “Bob Stewart Pty Ltd”), credit cards,
EFTPOS or Bob Stewart Credit Account.*
Irene Lau
Supervisor (staloysius@bobstewart.com.au /9955 4193)
CO-CURRICULAR NEWS
THE DIRECTOR OF CO-CURRICULA
Unfortunately, rain throughout the week prevented any play in two of
our four cricket matches against Barker College last Saturday. Both
the 10As and 2nds did not take the field in their games. The 1sts
faced another tough day at Barker. Defending only 86 runs, the team
had Barker in early trouble at 3/15, with Michael Garnon and Will
Calov bowling well. But a solid partnership saw the home team pass
our score and declare at 7/196. In reply in the second innings, we
were bowled out for 109 runs, just one run short of making Barker
bat again. Jack Thomas and Declan Creek showed glimpses of batting
form, but on this occasion they did not receive much support from
the others. Still, the 1sts are a much better team than they showed
against Barker and they are hoping to perform much better this week
against Waverley College, who also lost to Knox on the weekend.
In the only other two-day started from the previous week, the 9As
had a draw in their fixture. The As scored 9/167 runs and had Barker
8/106 but, unfortunately, could not get the last two wickets. James
Frederickson kept well behind the wickets, taking two important
catches and affecting one run out. John McNally bowled
economically for his three wickets.
In other trial matches against Cranbrook, the 3rds had a convincing
nine-wicket win. Cranbrook was bowled out for 109 runs, with Tim
Russell claiming 2/4 off three overs. Both Tim O‟Grady and Matt
Tarlinton scored 31 not out respectively in their winning run chase.
Cranbrook won the 10B game by four wickets. The 8As scored only
86 runs to Cranbrook‟s 115 runs in their match. Lachlan Mars took
2/9 in the bowling. However, the 8Bs had a solid seven wicket win.
The Bs dismissed Cranbrook for 81 runs. Zac O‟Farrell took 3/19
off five overs on his debut. Mackenzie Long scored 39 valuable runs
for the team.
In basketball, the 1sts and 2nds played on both Friday night against
the Cranbrook School and against Old Boy teams on Saturday as part
of the season‟s launch. Both the 1sts and 2nds lost to Cranbrook on
the opening night of their new gym. The 1sts went down 48-57 but
were locked up at 42-42 at three quarter time. Australian U19 rep
Fabijan Krslovic did not play the last quarter, nor the game against
the Old Boys. The 2nds began slowly, but put in an improved
second-half performance against Cranbrook to lose 32-56. On
Saturday, both the 1sts and 2nds lost to two very talented Old Boy‟s
teams. Robbie Joannides played well in both 1sts matches. Our under
age A and B teams played Cranbrook in trial games on Saturday. Our
best performing teams included the 9As (40-28) and 8As (55-31) who
ran out winners. The 10As suffered a close 30-38 loss.
Water polo teams played Waverley College last weekend in trial
games. The 1sts won 11-7 against very strong competition. It augurs
well for another successful season ahead for the 1sts. Winners on the
day included the 2nds (11-6), 16As (14-3) and 16Bs (7-2). Both 14s‟
teams lost their games.
Tennis and volleyball had internals last Saturday. Whilst on volleyball,
congratulations to both Tim Spooner, who has now been appointed
as 1sts Captain, and Fred Giannone, who is Vice-Captain for this
coming season.
7

Last Friday at line up, I announced newly created leadership positions
in Music. Congratulations to the following students on their
appointments:
Captain of Choir
Daniel Verschuer
Senior Chorister
Oliver Gibson
Captain of Orchestra
Marco De Vera
Concert Master of the Orchestra Michael Cheng
Captain of Band
Matthew Crott
Concert Master of the Band Liam Roberts
Congratulations to all those cadets who were involved in the CAS
Cadets Milskills Competition at Holsworthy on Saturday. The team,
comprising of CUO Harrison Pastega, 21C and SGT William Boyd,
CPL‟s Chris Ducklin and Alex Graham, and Cadets Jack Clarke,
Andrew Holland, Harry Laukka, Kiernan Taft, James Browning and
Sam Janssen, won the competition in convincing style.
In athletic news, outstanding Year 9 athlete Luke Gorman performed
magnificently at NSW All Schools on the weekend in both his 800m
and 1500m events. Luke lowered his school record time in both
events, by running 2.04.23 in the 800m to come third whilst, in the
1500m, Luke ran 4.15.04 to finish second. Luke‟s time in the 1500
was fourteen seconds faster that what he ran when he won the CAS
1500m, only one month ago!! James McFadden also competed in the
14 years 800m and finished seventh in the final. Gus Whelan finished
tenth in the 13 years 1500m but ran a personal best time of 4.45.01.
Whilst on running, summer athletics has commenced for any boys
wishing to take part. Students can choose to do this as their summer
choice, or at least train part time, along with doing their other
summer sport. Trainings presently are at school on Tuesday and
Thursday afternoons. Information on Saturday competition will be
published as soon as more details are confirmed.
Lachlan Fitzgerald competed in the U23 NSW Fencing Epée
Championships last weekend and came second. This is a notable
achievement, considering Lachlan was competing against much older
opposition.
This Saturday, our two-day cricket teams play Waverley College, with
the 1sts away again at Queen Park. All other cricket, basketball,
tennis and volleyball teams will be playing Barker College. In water
polo, our teams are taking on various CAS teams this week at Knox
and Scots. Details of all fixtures appear elsewhere in the newsletter
and on Manresa. Tae Kwon Do resumes in the Old Gym at 8.30am
on Saturday morning.
Paul Rowland
THE JUNIOR SCHOOL SPORTSMASTER
Swimming Carnival 2013 Event Selection
Reminder: For parents of Years 3, 4 & 5 – This is
the final reminder for you to go online and nominate
your son‟s events for next year‟s swimming carnival,
taking place on 31 January. These events are listed in
the Google Doc link on the Sport tab on Manresa.
Please go through with your son what events he should swim in on
the day, noting that there will be no changes allowed after Term 4
ends this year. There is no restriction to the number of events that
your son can enter. When he has selected his events, go to Manresa
and select the 2013 Swimming Carnival Event Selection link (top
right of the screen).
Age Group: (age as at 31 December 2013, ie your son will swim in
the age group that he turns in the year 2013) For example if your son
is 11 now but turns 12 in December his age group will the 12 years.
Congratulations to Harry Hertz (Year 6) who has
been named Captain of Junior School Water Polo.
Harry was selected by his three coaches as a student
who has been consistent to his training, a role model
for those around him as well as someone who can
lead the four teams this term. As this year was the
first year water polo was played in the Junior School in our Saturday
competition, Harry is the inaugural Captain of the sport.
Round 7 OPPONENT RESULT
JUNIOR SCHOOL CRICKET
6A Traditional
140-98
6B Super 8 Newington
Washed out
6C Super 8
Washed out
5A Traditional Tudor House Win by 5 wickets
5B Super 8 Coogee 89-45
5C Super 8 Newington 110-40
4A Traditional Grammar Loss by 4 wickets
4B Super 8
Win
Tudor House
4B Super 8
Loss
3A Super 8 Newington Washed out
JUNIOR SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Prep A
86-5
Prep B 65-18
Prep C 25-16
Cranbrook
Prep D 24-4
Prep E 14-13
Prep F 46-10
Year 3 & 4 A
16-30
Kings
Year 3 & 4 B 9-6
JUNIOR SCHOOL TENNIS
Prep A
10-24
Scots
Prep B 9-25
Prep C
24-10
St Patricks
Prep D 21-13
SAC TENNIS
SAC 1 25-11
SAC 2 17-31
SAC 3 24-12
SAC 4 10-26
JUNIOR SCHOOL WATER POLO
Gonzaga
11-7
Scots
Rangers 4-4
Water Rats
Anacondas
Internal
Trevor Dunne
BASKETBALL
We are looking forward to the first round of CAS this weekend.
There has been some movement of players between teams this week,
so boys have been asked to check the lists carefully. Coaches will
continue to look to move players between teams to encourage boys
to play in the highest team possible.
The Tom Doolan Old Boys’
Game: We have an outstanding
pedigree of players who have
adorned the 1st V uniform over
the years, so it comes as no
surprise that our Old Boys‟ team
looks more like a semiprofessional
outfit than a group
of guys yearning for a fitness
session. Spearheaded by Old
Boys Captain Tom Wright, who
is currently training with the
Sydney Kings, and well
supported by a who‟s who of
CAS and CIS representatives of
recent years, the Old Boys raced
away to an early lead. The 1st V
Conor Noone in flight for the Old Boys
played a much-improved second half, but the damage had already
been done. The Old Boys came out 30-point victors, in a spectacular
manner, with some wonderfully entertaining basketball. This event
has become one of the highlights on our calendar and holds a very
special place in our hearts. It was a memorable occasion played in the
spirit and character of Tom Doolan.
8

For a few years now, the 2nds basketball had played against an Old
Boys‟ squad that boasted a selection of the best 2nds players from
past years. This years Old Boys‟ team was strengthened by a number
of old 1sts players and posed a difficult challenge for the current
2nds. The game started off rather slow, as both teams attempted to
find their rhythm, however it was the Old Boys 2nds who pulled
away with a narrow lead in the first half. The second half saw a more
free-flowing game, as the 2nds looked to open the court up with a
variety of full-court presses and zone defences. However, the Old
Boys proved to be too good, coming away with the win.
Thanks to the Old Boys for taking part and the parents, friends, Old
Boys and current students who made the atmosphere so special. We
look forward to and even bigger crowd next year.
Aloys First V and Old Boys First V
a strong Barker side this week. The 17-man squad of the 10Bs fought
valiantly in their trial against Cranbrook and showed a consistent
dedication to employing their new plays despite the losing scoreline.
Alec Diamond and Joel Vozzo led the team in scoring, while Ben
Harte and Eric Stene were tenacious in their on-ball defence. The
team‟s attitude towards play and growing confidence bodes well for
next round.
The 9As had an outstanding win against Cranbrook. The win was
particularly pleasing, as they lost both games to Cranbrook last
season. It was the first opportunity for the team to use the various
offensive and defensive plays they have been practising at training
over several weeks. The defensive press was especially effective,
leading to many turnovers and easy baskets. All players contributed
to the win. Special mention must go to Harrison Kain (16 points) and
John Lidbetter (11 points) who were the leading scorers; but the
efforts of Peter Sleiman, Alex Robinson, Jeremy Sweeney and Alex
Dong also deserve recognition for their outstanding work on both
ends of the court. A close first half for the 9Bs showed they have the
potential to be competitive. Missed shots and mental lapses of
defence cost them the game in the 2nd half, but there are positives to
build on. Will Denny led all scorers, as well as stamped his authority
at the defensive end with key blocks. Special mention to George
Barry who played exceptional basketball at the point guard position,
despite it being his first-ever game.
A very strong 8As’ team result, with seven players getting on the
scoreboard. The team was led by a powerful performance from Simon
Rahme with 17 points, but the victory came from and aggressive and
relentless defence. Special mention goes to Pat Coleman who continues
to improve at a great pace and provided eight important points.
Overall, it was the team performance that was most pleasing. The 8Bs
had a strong start to the season, with solid fundamentals, however a
soft physical presence on court allowed Cranbrook to take the game.
The trial really gave our team an insight into what we‟ll be capable of
for the season, and we look very promising. A push for a controlled
movement of the ball up the court in training this week will put us in
good form for Round 1 this Saturday.
Aloys Second V and Old Boys Second V
Cranbrook Trials: Aloys 1st V @ Cranbrook – Friday night games
always provide an exhilarating atmosphere; so it was with great
excitement that we travelled to Cranbrook last Friday. The Blue and
Gold Army came to support in great numbers, providing an
unforgettable experience for our players. Truly a tremendous
environment to play in, so well done and thank you to all those who
attended. Cranbrook won the game in a tightly contested match that we
lead for most of. As a trial, we were able to explore and expand on
parts of our game that will hold us in good stead for Round 1 of CAS.
In particular, well done to Alex Walker in Year 9 and Jordan Hookway
in Year 10 who were both elevated to the starting five for the game.
Aloys 2nd V @ Cranbrook – A tough trial game for the 2nds
basketball saw Cranbrook gain a large lead in the first half. However,
once the boys settled into the flow of the game, they started to
reduce the margin. Michael Bounds top scored with 14 points and
Liam Ebbs had a number of assists to help ease the scoreline.
However, the margin proved to be too great in the end.
The 10As had a narrow loss to Cranbrook, fighting hard until the end
of the game. After a slow start and dropping to as much as a 12 point
deficit, strong offence from Tom Dunlop and Sam Lawson helped
bring the game back to two points with six minutes to go. However,
Cranbrook proved too strong and came out eventual winners. The
boys have trained well all pre-season and are well prepared to take on
The Blue and Gold Army in Action at Cranbrook on Friday night.
Greg Duggan
Master-in-Charge
ATHLETICS
Despite the CAS Championships being over, Athletics
at the school is still continuing, with Summer Athletics
beginning this term. The school, in association with
UTS Norths, is now is providing the option of boys of
doing Athletics as a summer sport activity. Some boys
have already stated they will be participating in
Summer Athletics and some in conjunction with their normal cocurricular
sport. It is hoped that the school will be better prepared for
future Track & Field Championships, as we are trying to build upon
the success we gained at this year‟s CAS championships.
Boys involved in Summer Athletics will have the opportunity to train
twice a week at school and on Saturdays, at Rotary Field and other
venues around Sydney to be announced in the next few weeks. The
9

School will pay the $55 membership fee for every athlete, but boys
will be required to get the UTS Norths singlet (approximately $40).
Special congratulations to Luke Gorman (pictured below) who broke
his personal bests and school records in competing at the NSW All
Schools‟ Championships held at Homebush last week, in the 14 yrs
800m (3 rd place 2.04.23) and 1500m (2 nd place 4.15). He broke his
1500m CAS record incredibly by nine seconds. Congratulations, too,
to James McFadden who also made the final of the 800m and placed
a very creditable 7 th in a time of 2.14.30. More information will be
provided in future weeks of other performers from the College.
Swimming Dates Term 4
Week 4
1 November
2 November
Swim Breakfast: 7.45am
St Patrick‟s Invitation Carnival: 7.00pm
[Drummoyne Pool]
Week 5
9 November St Aloysius‟ Invitational Carnival: 7.00pm [North
Sydney Pool]
Week 6
16 November CAS Invitation Carnival – Time Trial Event:
Approx 6.00pm [SOPAC]
Week 8
27 November St Aloysius‟ College Senior Swimming Carnival:
8.45am [SOPAC]
Danae Craig (Danae.Craig@staloysius.nsw.edu.au)
Master-in-Charge
DRAMA
1,200 secondary school athletes competed on Sydney Olympic Park
Athletic Centre from 13-16 October for the SKINS NSW All
Schools‟ Track & Field Championships – the State championships
for secondary school athletes. The event incorporated athletes from
all sectors of the school system, including Government, Catholic and
Independent, and has a long and rich history in NSW, being a
breeding ground for many of NSW‟s best athletes, including Matt
Shirvington, Melinda Gainsford-Taylor, Jana Rawlinson and current
stars Dani Samuels, Fabrice Lapiere, Ryan Gregson and Joel Milburn.
It is hoped in the future we will be able to get more boys to compete
at this important track & field championship, in order to further
improve our competitiveness against other CAS schools.
Chris Saltos
Master-in-Charge Track & Field
SWIMMING
The 2012/2013 Swim Season has officially begun,
with the swim team enjoying a Big Breakfast at
school last Thursday. Term 4 trainings will be run by
Head Coach Graeme Brewer and Old Boys Chris
Chan and Luke Veverka, on Tuesday, Thursday and
Friday mornings from 6.00-7.45am and Friday afternoon from 3.30-
5.00pm in Dalton Pool.
The Captains for 2012/2013 were announced at a College Assembly
last week. Congratulations to Captain Liam Thomson and Vice-
Captains Andre Anderson, Matthew Flaherty and Jackson Scott. All
boys have made outstanding contributions to swimming in their time
at the College and we wish them the best of luck in their final season
of swimming.
The College Swim Team will compete in three Carnivals during Term
4, one of which the College will be hosting. Further information
regarding these carnivals can be found in the Swimming co-curricula
section of Manresa.
The St Aloysius‟ College Invitational Carnival will be held at North
Sydney Pool on 11 November at 7.00pm. All Senior School
swimmers are expected to attend to represent their school. Year 6
boys are also invited to attend, to compete in the 13 years/under and
time trials on the night. The carnival is an excellent opportunity for
boys to work on their racing technique and to record some times.
This is the Annual Carnival hosted by the College and we rely on
parents to assist with time keeping for the carnival to run smoothly.
Please contact me by email to offer your assistance.
Theatresports: The Intermediate Theatresports team have been
chosen to compete in the 2012 Cranston Cup. Cranston Cup is an
improvisation competition which is for the best improvisors in NSW.
The event has been running since the early 1990s and has produced
many performers who now work in film and television. It is an honour
that the Aloys‟ team have been invited to perform in the senior section
of this competition, against former winners of the prestigious event.
The show is on at the Factory Theatre, 105 Victoria Road Marrickville,
on 21 October, starting at 5.00pm. The Cranston Cup is always a funfilled
evening, so please come along and support the boys as they
compete against some of NSW‟s best performers.
Drama Celebration: The annual St Aloysius‟ College Drama
Celebration will be held on 9 November on the College roof. This
year the theme is „masquerade ball‟ and invitations extend to all
students involved in curricular or co-curricular Drama events and
their family. Tickets are available via trybooking:
http://www.trybooking.com/Booking/BookingEventSummary.aspx
?eid=32641&bof=1.
House Plays: The House Play Festival is on Friday and Saturday
evening, starting at 7.30pm. Any remaining tickets will be available at
the door each evening, otherwise tickets are available through
trybooking:
http://www.trybooking.com/Booking/BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=
35177&bof=1.
Heidi Quinn
Head of Drama
THE BELLARMINE ACADEMY
Fides et ratio
An Invitation to all Current Year 10
Students: The Academy will meet twice a
term next year in Terms 1, 2 and 3. The
meetings will start at 5.30pm and will
conclude by 8.00pm on a weeknight.
While meetings occur in the evenings, we
endeavour to avoid dates that are close to
assessment tasks or school excursions.
Our initial meeting, and the only one for
this year, is on 2 November,
commencing at 5.30pm and concluding
at 8.00pm, in the Juana Mateo Room. The guest speaker for this
introductory evening will be Mr Robert Anderson, from the School
of Philosophy and Theology at the University of Notre Dame. His
topic for the evening will be “Why be logical?” This should be of
particular interest to students about to embark upon their HSC
studies, and its numerous associated essays and other measures of
understanding. Do join us!
Magar Etmekdjian (Magar.Etmekdjian@staloysius.nsw.edu.au)
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SENIOR SCHOOL SPORTS FIXTURES
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