St Mary's Cathedral College, Sydney

St Mary's Cathedral College (SMCC) is a systemic Catholic secondary day 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; it is attached to St Mary's Cathedral. It serves as the choir school for the cathedral, and the choristers of St Mary's Cathedral Choir are drawn from the college. From 1910 until 2016 the college was the responsibility of the Congregation of Christian Brothers and was latterly administered via Edmund Rice Education Australia. It was the last school in Sydney to be served by Christian Brothers as both principal and deputy principal.

St Mary's Cathedral College
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
TypeSystemic secondary day school
MottoLatin: Facere et Docere
(To Do and To Teach)
Religious affiliation(s)Catholicism
DenominationCongregation of Christian Brothers (since 1910)
Established1824 (1824)
FounderJohn Therry
Educational authorityNew South Wales Department of Education
OversightArchdiocese of Sydney
TrustEdmund Rice Education Australia
HeadmasterKerrie McDiarmid
Staffc. 56[1]
Years offered3-12
GenderBoys
Enrolmentc. 770 (2007[1])
Campus typeInner city
Colour(s)Indigo, cerulean and white
   
Websitewww.smccsydney.catholic.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. The school 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.[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. Christian Brother administration of the college ended in 2016 after 105 years.

Co-curricular

The college supports a musical tradition, with close ties to the St Mary's Cathedral Choir, Sydney, and the cathedral liturgies. A music captain is voted in annually to support the music coordinator with music-related activities in the college. It also supports sporting sides in all representative Northeast Conference seasonal/gala day sports and carnivals. At the conclusion of 2021, it was announced by Sydney Catholic Schools that the CBSA (Christian Brothers Sports Association) which the college was involved in for several years would come to a close, creating a new Northeast Conference that the college competes in since 2022. 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 weekly basis. Student leadership is of high regard at the college with 11 prefects from Year 12, including a captain and a vice-captain, and other roles dedicated to ministry, administration, and sports houses. Additionally, each year group nominates four to five class captains from each homeroom and two members of the Student Representative Council to represent the form throughout the college.

Principals
  • Brother David Standen (2000 — 2010)
  • Michael Kelleher (2016 — 2022)
  • Kerrie McDiarmid (2023 — present)

Annual events
  • College Concert at Sydney Town Hall
  • College Swimming Carnival
  • College Athletics Carnival
  • Edmund Rice Day
  • Northeast conference seasonal/gala day sports and carnivals
  • CCC (Combined Catholic Colleges) carnivals
  • School camps
  • Year 11/12 Prefect retreat
  • Year 12 retreat
Annual college concert themes
Year Theme Featured repertoire
2016Myths and legends
2017A night at the opera
2018North, 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
2019Faster higher stronger
2021Odyssey
2023 Australian made

Notable 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. "SMCC". Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
  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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