Aloysiad 15-12 2006.indd - St Aloysius

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from the senior school Ms Amasi winning French class And finally to keep up the tradition that our Year 8 boys have started, Ms Amasi’s class of Year 8 boys came equal first in the Alliance Française Song Competition where they sang and danced to a French song called Ensemble. This is the third year in a row that our boys have topped this Competition. The boys involved were; Samuel Burrett, Kieran Chowdry, Michael de Gail, James De Lucia, Andrew Devaraj, Logan Grisaffe, Mitchell Hockey, Mitchell Hodson- Tooth, Dominic Malouf, James May, William Nelson, Benjamin Patterson, Samuel Payne, Dominic Quattroville, Joseph Riordan, Thomas Ruehl, Jeremy Sweeney, William Thompson, Matthew Ticehurst, Benjamin Tully and Samuel Wood. Having been so successful at the Alliance Française Competitions, we are still waiting to hear the results of the Lire en Fête Competition for Years 9 and 10 in which our boys had to write the opening chapter of a science fiction novel in French. And to cap off the year, our Year 9 – 11 boys who sat the National ACER Examinations in French did the College proud, with ninety three percent of Year 11 achieving at least one Distinction, many achieving two distinctions, and sixty seven percent of Years 9 and 10 boys achieving at Simon Danieletto and Jacques McElhone - French drama St Aloysius’ College A Jesuit School for Boys _ Founded 1879 least one distinction, many achieving two distinctions and others being placed in the top ten percent of candidates in Australia and New Zealand. Our congratulations to all of our students for their efforts and valuable contributions to the French speaking community of NSW. Mrs Karen Downes Head of Languages All Saints and All Souls Day The All Saints Day and All Souls Day student Mass was a very memorable experience for a number of reasons. Firstly sixteen Eucharistic Ministers were installed during the Mass. Fr Ross Jones SJ blessed them in an appropriate ceremony that saw the students pledge to be a Eucharistic Minister. These students all from Year 11, were Jacques McElhone, Alex Duncan, Chris Almeida, Thomas Hogan, Mark Slaven, Sidney Hioe, Daniel Yee, Declan Byrne, Troy Abolakian, Christian McMahon, Tim Telan, Alex Koumarelas, Tom Kelly, Richard Alessi, Thomas Chan, Mark McKibbin. It is wonderful to see that we have so many of our students willing to display their faith and be willing to share the body of Christ with their fellow students and Staff. The second inspirational part of the Mass that was so inspiring was the creative music. A group of Year 10 musicians and choristers performed You Raise Me Up and The Power of Your Love. This complimented the other songs played and there is always a smile from the congregation with the playing of one of Fr Middleton’s SJ favourite songs, When the Saints Go Marching In as the recessional music. Perhaps though, the most moving experience was the reflection by Declan Byrne, who is the Prefect for Pastoral Care. His insights show maturity beyond his years, and gives us much hope for the future where we know we have such outstanding faith filled students in our presence. His reflection follows: “The Beatitudes essentially are a list of characteristics exhibited by a person who is deemed blessed by God. Pure of heart, peacemaker, gentle and poor in spirit are a few of the traits mentioned that are central to living out our faith. Possibly the most important line in this passage is “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.” Basically, be happy and grateful and you shall go to heaven; so simple in words, yet so difficult in action. As today we celebrate All Saints Day it is evident that these saints are the most obvious examples of people in our world who have lived out the above qualities. Saint is such a broad term. Our stained glass window to the left conveys some of the canonised saints our school feels epitomise what we hope and strive to be like. Yet these saints represent in fact only a small amount of all the saints. Not only is everyone in heaven a saint, but all Christians form “the communion of Saints”. It’s a term thrown around a l o y s i a d / p a g e 1 8
a lot but each one of you may have someone you consider a saint, an unofficial saint. Whether the person is alive or dead, related or just a good friend or even just someone you have heard of or seen, these people are saints. They are saints because you feel they exemplify the qualities that you deem to be a saint. Our Richie Fernando Centre was named after a man who lived out his faith like a saint. Richie Fernando died at the mere age of twenty six, ten years ago this month. After becoming a Jesuit he was sent to Cambodia for his Regency, a journey he would take which is considered central to the Jesuit formation. There he worked for the Jesuit Refugee Service, at a school for the victims of land mines. There, these people came maimed by bullets and mines, scarred by hunger and plagued by disease, fighting simply for hope. He spent years there helping others. Helping others rebuild their own lives, helping others to learn a trade so they could work and make money but most importantly, Richie Fernando helped liberate others and free them for the future. One day Richie came to this school, like any other day, ready and willing to serve and to learn. That same day a boy came to school, distressed and prepared to kill everyone in the school. In the panic Richie not only managed to usher a class out of the building but raced back into the building to try and convince Sarom not to kill himself. Sarom declared he did not want to kill Richie, but in Richie’s desperation to save him he held Sarom. As the grenade fell to the ground he shielded Sarom from the blast and in turn he was killed. Sarom survived but Richie Fernando died saving another, he died living out his faith, he died a saint. He rejoiced, was glad and was grateful and we believe was rewarded with eternal life in heaven. The story of Leila is one filled with heartache, tears and happiness. Leila is from Iran, a country where people are not free to do what they want. In escaping this situation in search of a new life, she ended up in Australia, seven months pregnant, very sick, yet hopeful of a new start. From the shores of Australia she was put in Villawood Detention Centre. I would like to quickly read a small excerpt from her story. “Villawood is like a jail. It’s not good for family. There’s nothing to do there. I was eighteen months in Detention... Whenever I talk about detention I cry... When Sara was 10 months old, I started crying every night. My body was always cold, I couldn’t eat and I had headaches all the time. One day I had an appointment with the doctor... The nurse told me the doctor was too busy... I got so angry, I started screaming. I didn’t eat for nine days. Then they took me to hospital. When I got my visa I was in Bankstown hospital... I screamed. I was so happy... My family in Iran are always asking when I’ll come and visit them. I say I can’t come and you can’t come. I can’t explain to them the system... When I told my mother she couldn’t visit me she started crying. If I go back to Iran, I don’t know what will happen to me. I’d be very scared. Maybe I would be in jail forever... I like it here. I have freedom. My daughter will be able to study what she likes.” Leila’s unselfish nature and care for her family in particular her daughter’s wellbeing are traits worthy of sainthood. She was persecuted in the cause of right, she is poor in spirit and she is pure in heart. Saints are people who are not only proud of their faith but are ready and willing to display it. In 2008 World Youth Day comes to Sydney, a period of time where young people from all around the world gather here in our city to profess their faith and pray together. It was launched last Tuesday at All Saints Church at Liverpool and the current Year 9’s will be heavily involved in this event. Last year Andrew Haylen (SAC 2006) and Tom Haremza (SAC 2006) ventured to Germany for World Youth Day and the celebrations. In less than two years it will be here in our own backyard. These canonised and unofficial saints are recognised so as we can use them as models. We are inspired by them, by their hearts and their work and we use these saints as guides for our own lives. As we celebrate All Saints Day it is vital we remember All Souls Day that is celebrated tomorrow. Many of us in this Chapel today have lost people close to us, people we consider saints. These people who have passed away were people we trusted, people we talked to, people we asked things of and people we were grateful for. So why not pray to them? Instead of speaking to them face to face, try speaking to them through prayer. We know that they will care, because they are our saints.” Debating in 2006 There is no doubt that in very recent years our duty to speak on a very wide range of issues has become clear. To witness, therefore, the excellence with which our seventy odd debaters have persevered on both the personal and competitive levels, has been a privilege. To stand and debate, often complex issues, in front of a critical audience of coaches, parents and teachers, is daunting to say the least. I would like therefore to extend my thanks to these boys. The depth of talent that became evident as the season progressed was very impressive. The most glittering of victories was of course our four CAS titles – the Firsts, Seconds, 10Bs and 7Bs, truly an outstanding achievement. In the ISDA competition our Firsts, Seconds and Thirds all reached the grand-finals with our 8Bs making the semi-finals of the CSDA competition. It’s been many years since the College has experienced such an array of wins. Special mention must be made of the First III and their bringing home of the Father Charles McDonald SJ Cup. The debate on the night was reminiscent of many of the great debates that we have seen between St Aloysius’ and Riverview over the years. A similar standard was evident when our 1st III flew to Adelaide for the Australian Jesuit Schools Debating Championships and were undefeated, going down to Riverview in the grand-final. Later in the year, CAS selections saw four of our boys making the eight available positions, yet another St Aloysius’ College A Jesuit School for Boys _ Founded 1879 a l o y s i a d / p a g e 1 9
Page 1 and 2: ALOYSIAD The Magazine of St Aloysiu
Page 3 and 4: Guimerá was determined that no for
Page 5 and 6: demanding of all involved. Both rig
Page 7 and 8: Estelle and Sasha Conoplia (SAC 199
Page 9 and 10: with different hands-on experiments
Page 11 and 12: from the deputy principal As a staf
Page 13 and 14: Tournament Of Minds NSW State Champ
Page 15 and 16: These skills, capacities and unders
Page 17: Ms Carmel Amasi and the Year 8 winn
Page 21 and 22: using aboriginal picture art and th
Page 23 and 24: if-you-can-catch-the-red-back-spide
Page 25 and 26: Student Achievements (in other spor
Page 27 and 28: Volleyball The College is fielding
Page 29 and 30: Bouris, Mark Dietz, Mark Sindone, M
Page 31 and 32: cadets A Bridge to Nowhere... As I
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Page 35 and 36: Julius Caesar - Year 10 Co-curricul
Page 37 and 38: from the registrar Another busy yea
Page 39 and 40: From the Property Manager The Prope
Page 41 and 42: from SACOBU The Gonzaga Society Mem
Page 43 and 44: Daniel Gardon has completed Medical

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