St Mary's Cathedral College, Sydney

St Mary's Cathedral College (abbreviated as SMCC) is a Catholic Systemic single sex school for boys, located in the central business district of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Founded in 1824, it is the oldest Catholic school in Australia and among the oldest schools in the country, currently catering for approximately 770 students from Year 3 to Year 12.[2] The College is administered by Sydney Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of Sydney and operates as a systemic school; attached to St Mary's Cathedral. The school is currently the responsibility of the Congregation of Christian Brothers and was the last school in Sydney to be served by Christian Brothers as both principal and deputy principal.

St Mary's Cathedral College
The College from the Domain car park roof
Location
Cathedral Road, Sydney central business district, New South Wales

Australia
Coordinates33°52′17″S 151°12′50″E
Information
TypeIndependent single-sex secondary day school
MottoLatin: Facere Et Docere
(To Do and To Teach)
Religious affiliation(s)Christian Brothers
DenominationRoman Catholicism
Established1824 (1824)
FounderRev. John Therry
Educational authorityNew South Wales Department of Education
OversightArchdiocese of Sydney
HeadmasterMichael Kelleher
Staff~56[1]
Years3-12
GenderBoys
Enrolmentc. 770 (2007[1])
Campus typeInner city
Colour(s)Indigo, cerulean and white    
Websitesmccsydney.nsw.edu.au

History

St Mary's Cathedral College was established in 1824 as an elementary school by the Rev. John Therry. The high school was established in 1828. It is the oldest Catholic school in Australia. St Mary's Cathedral College was conducted by the Christian Brothers and is administered by Sydney Catholic Schools, Eastern Region. The Christian Brothers association with the school dates back to 1911. Catholic education on the same site as St Mary's Cathedral has been continuous since 1824, except during the construction of the existing college buildings and the associated bishop's quarters (1987–1991). Schools on the site have been provided with staff by the Benedictine monks (1824–1882), the Marist Brothers (1883–1910), Sisters of Charity (1883–1967) and the Christian Brothers from 1910. The staff is now composed of Christian Brothers and lay staff.[3]

The replacement of the Marist order by the Christian Brothers in 1911 was controversial. The Marist Brothers had complained to the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal Patrick Francis Moran, about their working and living conditions. The cardinal ordered them to leave the college. He directed the Christian Brothers (under threat of interdict) to take over the college in their place, which they did. The cardinal then granted to the Christian Brothers the requests that the Marist Brothers had been denied.[4] The College celebrated 100 years of Christian Brothers administration in 2011. Beginning in 2016, Michael Kelleher is the school principal alongside the assistant principal, Natalie Devenish.[3]

Co-curricular

The College supports a musical tradition, with close ties to the St Mary's Cathedral Choir, Sydney, and the cathedral liturgies. It also supports sporting sides in all CBSA sports and carnivals. Students at the college have the option to participate in debating, public speaking, mock trial, Duke of Edinburgh Award, and assisting at the Matthew Talbot Hostel in Woolloomooloo.[3]

The school has a Fairtrade program through to Year 10. All students are encouraged to participate in altar serving at the Cathedral and to attend Wednesday morning Mass on a daily basis. Student leadership is of high regard at the college with 12 prefects from Year 12, including a captain and a vice-captain, who are allocated to ministry, administration, house & community and other areas. Additionally, each year group nominates four to five class captains from each different homeroom and two members of the Student Representative Council to represent the form throughout the college.

Annual events
  • College concert at Sydney Town Hall
  • College swimming carnival
  • College athletics carnival
  • Edmund Rice Day
  • CBSA (Christian Brothers Sporting Association) sports and carnivals
  • CCC (Combined Catholic Colleges) carnivals
  • School camps
  • Year 12 retreat
Annual college concert themes
Year Theme Featured repertoire
2016 Myths and legends Phoenix by Luke Byrne

O Fortuna by Carl Orff

We Are The Champions by Queen

Jerusalem by William Blake/Sir Hubert Parry

2017 A night at the opera Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen

Anvil Chorus by Giuseppe Verdi

Non Nobis Domine by Patrick Doyle

2018 North, south, east & west North, South, East & West

A Song of the Open Road by Dan Walker

Ode to Joy (from Ninth Symphony) by Ludwig van Beethoven

2019 Faster higher stronger Waka Waka by Shakira

You'll Never Walk Alone by Rodgers and Hammerstein

UEFA Champions League Anthem by Tony Britten

Eye of the Tiger by Survivor

O God Beyond All Praising arr Robert Hobby

Notable alumni
See also: List of Christian Brothers school alumni

See also

References
  1. "2006 Annual Report" (PDF). Annual Reports. St Mary's Cathedral College. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 28 December 2007.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. St Mary's Cathedral College homepage; accessed 18 September 2014.
  4. Robertson, Paul Malcolm (1996). Nga Parata Karaitiana, The Christian Brothers: A Comparative Study of the Indian and New Zealand Provinces (Master of Arts (Anthropology) thesis). University of Auckland. p. 41. Robertson stated this in describing opposition by the Marist Brothers to the establishment of a Christian Brothers school in Auckland, St Peter's College, Auckland
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