Brother Pat Farewell

At a special senior assembly on

Tuesday 6 August 2002, the Trinity Secondary School extended its best wishes to Br Pat O’Doherty on his retirement. This was a momentous occasion as Br Pat had served young people for over fifty years as a Christian Brother.

At the assembly, Head Prefect Matthew Spencer presented Br Pat with a return ticket to Ireland and wished him “bon voyage” on behalf of the students for a well earned holiday.

Br Pat has been a member of the Trinity community for the past nineteen years – in a variety of roles. For the past nine years Br Pat has worked in the area of pastoral support for students, leaving his position as a maths teacher and concentrating on helping to develop a new Campus Ministry program at the College.

One of the important projects that Br Pat worked tirelessly at developing was the wonderful Christian Service Program for all Year 11 students. At the end of the First Term each year, all Year 11 students were allocated placements in institutions throughout the community, where they worked to care for people in circumstances of need. This work required extensive preparation and debriefing.

Br Pat also led six groups of senior students on a biennial Pilgrimage through India where they were able to live with and work for a time with very disadvantaged groups of people. This has been a wonderful experience for the boys concerned – an experience which will remain with them for the rest of their lives.

Earlier in the year Br Pat was able to welcome Mrs Marya Stewart to Trinity and handover to her the responsibility for the developing Christian Service Program at Trinity. Br Pat also passed on to Br Rob Callen responsibility for Campus Ministry in general and the India Pilgrimages in particular. Much of Br Pat’s early working life was spent caring for young students in orphanages run by the Brothers. In these years Br Pat earned a reputation as an able and very caring teacher and administrator. In all these years Br Pat’s life was one of service. At Trinity Br Pat constantly urged students to live out the gospel message by following the ideals of Edmund Rice for them “to be men for others”. He also urged students to show daily the qualities of “courtesy, commitment and service”. These qualities have now become enshrined in the culture of Trinity and have become an ideal for students to work towards.

At the assembly farewelling Br Pat, the Principal advised students that Br Pat was retiring at the age of seventy seven –over a decade later than most people retire.

“This is a momentous decision for Br Pat – as helping young boys has been a lifetime’s work,” he said. “And it is also a momentous occasion for us, as this week will close the chapter on a wonderful working life.”

The story is related of some Year 10 students at a sporting fixture one Saturday morning. Anew student asked his friends “Who’s that guy over there?” The reply came back “That’s Br Pat. He’s a legend.”

So, Br Pat – teacher, friend, helper, mentor and legend –we thank you for your devoted life and work for us. We have been inspired by your faithfulness, your integrity and your commitment to your life of service.

And now we wish you every happiness in the next stage of your life.

Mr Tony Curtis Principal