Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Nudgee College and Australian media honour top achiever Sean Dorney

byMark Bowling
10 December 2018 - Updated on 1 April 2021
Reading Time: 3 mins read
AA

Boarders: Sean and Pauline Dorney with a group of Nudgee College boarders from Papua New Guinea.

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Boarders: Sean and Pauline Dorney with a group of Nudgee College boarders from Papua New Guinea.

ACCLAIMED foreign correspondent Sean Dorney remains firmly in the limelight, picking up two major awards recently despite his daily struggle with motor neurone disease.

Diagnosed with the debilitating disease last year and with specialists predicting two years to live, Mr Dorney now finds himself growing weaker, with even simple movements requiring energy-sapping effort.

He returned to his old school Brisbane’s St Joseph’s Nudgee College on November 27 to receive a Signum Fidei award – the highest honour that can be conferred on a college old boy.

“It doesn’t matter if you weren’t the best at school, find what you’re good at and when you do, never give up,” Mr Dorney told students and college guests during a heartfelt luncheon acceptance speech.

A few days earlier, Mr Dorney stood on stage in front of Australia’s media elite at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre to receive a gong at the prestigious annual Walkley Awards for journalism.

He was recognised for his Outstanding Contribution to Journalism during a 40-year career as a Papua New Guinea correspondent and then Pacific correspondent for the ABC in which he was “feted, honoured, detained, shot at and deported”.

“Dorney’s personal history is as interwoven with Papua New Guinea as his professional career,” the Walkley Foundation said.

“For many listeners in remote areas, Dorney was the voice, the very embodiment, of Australia. 

“And he ‘planted the seed’ for a generation of journalists, not just in PNG but across the region.”

Sean Dorney reporting in PNG
Sean Dorney: Out and about as an ABC journalist in PNG in 1989.

Although restricted in his movements, Mr Dorney, was eager to return to Nudgee College accompanied by his wife Pauline, to reconnect with the school where he was a senior in 1968, and that his three brothers also attended.

Related Stories

Perpetrators use threats of domestic violence covered in the media to terrorise partners

Anzac Day trekkers tackle Kokoda trail in honour of legendary journalist Sean Dorney

Experts helping to battle the negative impacts of social media on vulnerable young people

“It came out of the blue. And I was quite chuffed,” Mr Dorney said of the Signum Fidei award.

“One of the things Nudgee taught me was to be humble. 

“Because I didn’t have a great deal of success academically or sports-wise at Nudgee.

“In my last year there I was halfback for the Fifth’s.”

He went on to play rugby league during his years in PNG and even captained the national team, the Kumuls.

“What you do at school isn’t everything – after you leave school if you keep going and keep trying,” he said.

“Don’t be upset by any failures you might have because if you keep going and find something you can really do – like I managed to do in journalism – then you can have a great career.”

Mr Dorney still lives by the creed of “keep going”.  

Sean Dorney with a huli wigman in PNG
Unforgettable sights: Sean Dorney with a huli wigman in PNG: “The country is just so diverse and fascinating.”

He has volunteered for research into motor neurone disease, and regularly attends Brisbane’s Wesley Hospital for infusions of Privigen, a drug aimed at boosting antibodies and reducing the rate of deterioration of the nervous system.

“I am feeling weaker and weaker… but one of the things my neurologist is pleased about is that there hasn’t been any deterioration of my voice,” Mr Dorney said.

A second Signum Fidei was awarded to Oblate Father John Sherman, an old boy from 1954, who is based in Melbourne and will receive his award at the annual St Joseph’s Day Mass next March.

ShareTweet
Previous Post

Tamlin Hall’s journey of hope: St Rita’s College student recovering from rare cancer

Next Post

For Sr Elisabeth Keane pastoral ministry is all about ‘the caring, compassionate face of Christ’

Mark Bowling

Mark is the joint winner of the Australian Variety Club 2000 Heart Award for his radio news reporting in East Timor, and has also won a Walkley award, Australia’s most-respected journalism award. Mark is the author of ‘Running Amok’ that chronicles his time as a foreign correspondent juggling news deadlines and the demands of being a husband and father. Mark is married with four children.

Related Posts

Perpetrators use threats of domestic violence covered in the media to terrorise partners
QLD

Perpetrators use threats of domestic violence covered in the media to terrorise partners

26 May 2021
News

Anzac Day trekkers tackle Kokoda trail in honour of legendary journalist Sean Dorney

25 April 2019 - Updated on 1 April 2021
News

Experts helping to battle the negative impacts of social media on vulnerable young people

4 April 2019 - Updated on 1 April 2021
Next Post

For Sr Elisabeth Keane pastoral ministry is all about ‘the caring, compassionate face of Christ’

Cooking up a fresh start – New bakery offering refugee chef a chance to begin again

Archbishop Philip Wilson’s conviction for concealing child sexual abuse quashed

Popular News

  • Plenary Council assembly reaches decision day about the Church role of women

    Vote over role of women disrupts Plenary Council assembly

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Plenary Council assembly reaches decision day about the Church role of women

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Plans for indigenous elements, memorials to trauma, to complement Catholic liturgy

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Mass with signs of indigenous respect launch historic Plenary Council assembly

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Called to share the message of Jesus at mission school

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Caritas Australia Richard Landels

‘We must act now’ – Caritas Australia chief says Ethiopian food crisis is acute

by Hannah Kennelly
6 July 2022
0

RITAS Australia chief executive officer Kirsty Robertson has called for an immediate response for ugent famine prevention...

Plenary Council assembly reaches decision day about the Church role of women

Vote over role of women disrupts Plenary Council assembly

6 July 2022
Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk.

Pope Francis condemns Independence Day parade attack and calls for end of violence

6 July 2022
Plenary Council assembly reaches decision day about the Church role of women

Plenary Council assembly reaches decision day about the Church role of women

6 July 2022
‘For the moment, no,’ – Pope Francis dismisses resignation rumours in wide-ranging interview

‘For the moment, no,’ – Pope Francis dismisses resignation rumours in wide-ranging interview

5 July 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping