The college promotes the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church, basing itself on the four pillars of faith, excellence, tradition and joy. The patron of the college, Paul Bird, Bishop of Ballarat, presides over the major college Masses along with other priests (including former students of St Patrick's).
History
The college was originally called Holy Ghost College, which was started in 1888 and administered by the Holy Ghost Fathers. Also in 1888, St Alipius' Primary School was established by the Christian Brothers.[2] However, after a promising start, the senior school closed due to the Holy Ghost Fathers' departure for France. The Bishop of Ballarat at the time, James Moore, contacted the Provincial of the Christian Brothers in Australia, Brother Patrick Ambrose Treacy, to take over the running of the school. The new college opened its doors on 24 January 1893, as St Patrick's College. Four Christian Brothers were on the initial staff, with the Brother J. L. Ryan as the founding headmaster.
In 1924 St Patrick's Christian Brother's boys' primary school was built in Drummond Street South.[3] This school and St Alipius were operated by the Christian Brothers at St Patrick's College but both became systemic parish schools in the 1980s. St Patrick's College now no longer has a junior school attached to it and students commence at Year 7 having completed their primary education elsewhere.
The school gradually grew in stature and size to become not only the largest Catholic school in Ballarat, but one of the leading Catholic schools in Victoria. The college, under the governance of the Christian Brothers, grew from its first enrolment of 36 students in 1893 to 168 in 1902. The school's academic record was first class even in its infancy, with the 1893 dux of the college, Sir Hugh Devine, becoming a world-famous surgeon. The school has grown immensely in the past 100 years, with over 1,000 boys enrolled.
The college, in 1933, completed the construction of the Brother's residence, a large imposing red-brick building, still dominating the facade of the school. A memorial chapel was constructed in 1954 and dedicated to the memory of St Patrick's Old Collegians who died during the First and Second World Wars. This large Romanesque chapel still holds pride of place at the front of the school and is the centre of the school's spirituality. The college has over 300 graduates who have been ordained priests, a record in Australia. Over 60 graduates have entered into religious life.
In 1966, the W.T. O'Malley Wing was completed in dedication to Brother William Theodore O'Malley, who was not only deputy headmaster of the college for 30 years, but taught there for over 40 years. He is remembered as one of the greatest brothers to grace St Patrick's College, with many Old Collegians dedicating their successes to his tuition. In 1976 the J.L. Kelty Resource Centre was opened. It is dedicated to Brother Justin Linus Kelty, a former headmaster, who led the college in the 1960s.
In 1979, the college completed the W.T. O'Malley Sports Centre, which was officially opened by former students and Brownlow Medal winners John James and Brian Gleeson.
In 2004, the college officially opened the W.J. Wilding Wing, which now houses the senior school. The building was named in honour of Brother William Wilding, a former headmaster of the college in the early 1980s who oversaw the completion of the Dr Spring Administration Wing.
Peter Casey succeeded L. B. Collins in 2002 in 2002, becoming the school's first lay headmaster. John S. Crowley became St. Patrick's second lay headmaster in 2015.
Between 1953 and 1983 a number of students who attended St Patrick's College made allegations that they were sexually assaulted.[5] Some of these cases were litigated and the offenders found guilty.[6] A Christian Brother who lived at St Patrick's College in the early 1970s was subsequently convicted of child sexual offences related to activities at a branch school.[6]
The royal commission's final report about Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat was released on 6 December.[9] The commission found that:
"Many children, mainly boys, said they were sexually abused at St Alipius and/or St Patrick's College."[10] Most allegations at St Patrick's College related to Ted Dowlan who taught there from 1973 to 1975.
Headmasters
The following individuals have served as headmasters of St Patrick's College:[citation needed]
Founding headmaster, who set the foundations of the college and led it during its formative years.
Keniry
Bro. E. F. Keniry c.f.c.
Headmaster from 1912 to 1915 and 1920–1924, who ran the college throughout the first part of the war and was a driving force behind establishing the Old Collegians Association.
Headmaster from 1910 to 1912, Nunan put into effect the completion of the development plan and expanded the curriculum.
Galvin
Bro. T. B. Galvin c.f.c.
Headmaster from 1925 to 1926, Galvin was not only a man of great wit but is remembered as an academic and a brother who had a large influence over the boys at the time.
This article's list of alumni may not follow Wikipedia's verifiability policy. Please improve this article by removing names that do not have independent reliable sources showing they merit inclusion in this article AND are alumni, or by incorporating the relevant publications into the body of the article through appropriate citations.(July 2021)
Arts, media, and entertainment
Paul Bongiorno – chief political reporter with the Ten Network
Raimond Gaita – author and Professor of Moral Philosophy at King's College London
Bernard Heinze – professor of music and director of the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music and 1974 Australian of the Year
George Helon – Australian author and businessman who received the Freedom of the City of London in 2016
