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probably used, is Luigi. In 1585, at the age of 17, he gave up his inheritance and joined the Society of Jesus. In 1591 plague broke out in Rome, and rather than leave, Aloysius stayed to look after the sick but contracted the plague and died at the age of 23. His love of study and his self-less acts in looking after the sick, resulted in his canonisation in 1726 when he became the Patron Saint for young students and Christian youth. The story of St Aloysius is one that has resonated through every year of our 135 years of history. Our second act of founding actually occurred in 1886 when Mother Xavier Fallon, with five other Sisters of Mercy, established the first Convent of Mercy in North Melbourne, in a terrace house on Flemington Road, just opposite what is now the Royal Children’s Hospital. In 1887, in response to parent requests to provide a “Select Day School for Young Ladies”, the Sisters started to teach French, Singing and Drawing to a few students – this was the very first class of our school. In 1890 the sisters moved to this present site and provided primary and secondary coeducation.

Sister Gonzaga, who was Principal from 1920-1924, had a major influence on the growth and direction of the school. She changed the name to St Aloysius College, after her own patron saint and adopted his motto ‘Strive for Higher Things’ and primary classes were phased out in 1952 to cater for a rapidly growing secondary sector. And then we have a third act of founding, or perhaps more accurately, we can call it a re-founding. As I just mentioned, in the first few years of our 135 years, our college was coeducational and in 2023 we in fact return to our beginnings. This refounding will bring with it new stories, just as each of us here today has our individual experiences of St Aloysius College, a full spectrum of life, when combined, we form a tapestry of stories that is beautiful, inspirational and challenging. This is what St Aloysius Day is all about – combining our unique stories into one rich tapestry, one of 135 years of history and one with such an exciting future. Please enjoy this edition of Always Aloysius