ST Columban’s College, Caboolture, has reconnected with its past after signing on as an associate school of Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA).
EREA national director Christian Brother Paul Oakley and EREA Council president Chris Smith welcomed the college back into the Edmund Rice family at a special assembly attended by the whole school and parents and friends.
Deputy principal Frank McCullagh previously told those assembled that sometimes, through circumstances beyond our control, good friends lost contact.
“Over the years, through circumstances, we lost contact with our Edmund Rice tradition,” he said.
“Today marks an historical moment in the life of our college where we have reconnected with our precious past, where we embrace our connection with a truly great figure and where we undertake to live out his message of justice, compassion and love.”
The Christian Brothers, founded by Edmund Rice in Ireland in 1808, established St Columban’s College in Albion, Brisbane, in 1928.
However, the Brothers handed over the running of the college to Brisbane Catholic Education Office in 1985, before the college was moved to Caboolture in 1995 and became co-educational.
As an EREA associate member the college community can participate in formation and other programs offered by EREA and have access to any publications and resources.
Principal Ann Rebgetz said it was an historic occasion for the college as it honoured the past and the present, and gave the college a great strength for the future because it deepened the college’s mission and identification as a Catholic school.
“The legacy of the Christian Brothers in the college is immense and this richness of the past was honoured and captured for posterity in this momentous occasion,” she said.
Meanwhile, St Mary’s College, Toowoomba, has also become an Edmund Rice associate school.
On May 9, Br Oakley presented the college with its membership as an associate school of EREA.
College captain Ben Choice, vice-captain Tom Weir and principal Michael Newman accepted the honour and pledged to ensure that the Edmund Rice charism and spirit remained authentically alive and vibrant at St Mary’s College.
Former St Mary’s College teacher Br Vic Larkin and former student Br Jim D’Arcy joined staff and students during the college Mass to mark the occasion.
