Valedictory Address

After five years at Trinity College, there are certain things that truly represent what it is to be a member of this fine school.

The Celtic Cross that reminds us of the history and traditions of Trinity; our famous victory rumbles after sporting triumph; the Trinity colours worn proudly by students and supporters alike and then there is the symbol that stands out for me as the image I associate with being a TC student – the three crowns on our school crest. The crowns stand of course for the Holy Trinity, but they also mean so much more. A crown is an emblem of victory and this year has certainly seen Trinity crowned as the winners of many prestigious events.

In so many arenas, Trinity excelled – from the outstanding efforts of our rowers taking out both the Hamer and Challenge Cups, to the unbeaten Cross Country and First XVIII football teams and of course our unforgettable win at the Athletics Carnival. Then there were the exceptional performances of our music students, individuals and ensembles winning praise and accolades. The College even collected the esteemed Zenith Award for the most outstanding school at the Catholic School’s Performing Arts Festival.

But what has made all of this year’s triumphs so much more rewarding is the way that we behaved in the wake of our successes. Every Trinity student wore their emblem of victory, their ‘crowns’ with humility and temperance. However, it was not only in the high moments that I witnessed the strength of character present amongst the TC student body. Even on the occasions when we were soundly beaten, we held our heads high. We carried with us – even in defeat – an innate sense of pride in our conduct and the way we pursued our goals. A crown is also defined as something that rewards or consummates effort. I believe that the successes we have attained this year as a school are a just reward for the years we have spent giving our all. Words cannot say how much I admire the endeavour and heart of Trinity College students. Sometimes a crown can be a sign of struggle, and of standing up for what you believe in. Jesus was forced to wear a crown of thorns during the last hours of his life. He refused to give in; he wore his faith and his burden with amazing fortitude and courage. At Trinity, we are always taught to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, to be selfless and unafraid in the face of adversity. One man who loved God and was a true disciple of Jesus Christ was Blessed Edmund Rice. He too wore his own crown of thorns and endured his own hardships. As young men of Trinity, the example set by Brother Rice means that we are capable of anything we set our minds to.

But of course we cannot do it alone. There are so many people that help us to realise our dreams. The Trinity staff have guided us through many trials and supported us in our quest to be all that we can be. Thank you for your belief in us. I thank my family for being my rock and a constant source of inspiration; for encouraging me to work hard; for believing in my ability to achieve my dreams; for teaching me to see the value of every person and for giving me the opportunity to attend a school that has moulded me into the young man I am. All Trinity students will always share the unbreakable bond of having attended this exceptional school. Year 12s have experienced the highs and endured the lows – together. A force to be reckoned with, we have written our page in Trinity history and I feel nothing but the utmost pride at being immortalised with a group of gentlemen as fine as you – the class of 2004. Crowns are usually worn by kings, by those in power. But with power comes a responsibility to think of others. The original motto of the Christian Brothers College was Viriliter Age meaning ‘strive manfully’. At Trinity we are always encouraged to follow this motto and strive to be men for others. With our education at Trinity behind us, the young men who will be graduating at the end of this year have been imbued with a power that comes from knowledge and experience. Each of us has the opportunity to wear that unseen crown every day for the rest of our lives. To be noble defenders of the rights of all people; to be humble in victory and gracious in defeat; to be unafraid to stand up for what is good and honourable in the world. This is what Trinity has taught me, that as young men of this college, we have been given the gift of power. The power to step out into the world confident in our abilities to overcome any challenge, the power to recognise the beauty and value of every human being…and most importantly the power to make a difference.

David Rossbach Head Prefect

David Rossbach

Head Prefect

Speech Night

Speech Night

Guest Speaker Address

We have begun a very vigorous investigation of the possibility of opening a community of Brothers and an educational project in the Philippines. It is a country of enormous needs – one example of need being that there are an estimated ten million primary children and many more teenagers not able to attend school. Over the next few years we would also hope to strengthen our small but significant presence in East Timor and to strengthen our work in Papua New Guinea which, despite the lack of media attention, is also in a very fragile and vulnerable state. Independent of that, in November 2000, the four Christian Brothers Provinces of Australia, commenced working jointly to plan for the future governance and ownership of 38 Christian Brother schools in Australia. If our planning is successful, by 2008 our Christian Brother schools, now more often called, Catholic Schools in the Edmund Rice Tradition, will be governed by a new Church approved body which will have links to the Christian Brothers, but we, the Christian Brothers, will not govern the schools in the way we do now. We are doing this for three reasons. The first reason is to protect and develop education in the Edmund Rice way at Trinity College and the other thirty-seven Colleges around Australia. You need have no fears about the future of the College. It will continue in a way that is based on the great traditions of the past while at the same time responding to the changing needs of young men in our society. The second reason is to free the Christian Brothers individually and as an organisation to be in these Australian schools or not in them - in the light of needs here and elsewhere, and of the skills and interests of the Brothers concerned. The third reason is that this new structure will allow the opening of new schools in the Edmund Rice tradition now and in the future. In fact there is likely to be an opening of new schools in WA and in Queensland in the next three to five years. The Charter is a document which is to inspire the schools, to challenge them and is the benchmark against which they can be measured as effective Edmund Rice schools. I would like you to share a little of the energy behind the Charter. But be careful…Edmund’s story and the spirit of the Charter

may change your life! Edmund Rice, a married man and then a Christian Brother, was a follower of Jesus…. And Jesus taught us how God looks at the world; at people….he invites us to do the same, to look at the world, and at people, with the eyes of God. The Charter helps us to learn how to do that. What sort of place could Trinity be, could Perth, WA, Australia be if we really did that, if we really looked at the world with the eyes of God – how would (Br) Kevin P. Ryan Australia relate to East Timor, to refugees, how would we trust and relate to each other in our families? How would we write the history of this country, what would we dream about for our future if we looked at the world the way God does? Maybe we would be less concerned about the security of this country, our own economic well being and more keen to serve each other and the world. We would make decisions as individuals and as a country that would be based on what is best for those who face the greatest difficulties in our family, our society, both here and around the world. Trinity College helps the students of this College to learn about and do something about looking at the world with God’s eyes. Your Christian Service program helps you in smaller, then bigger ways, to learn how to DO things about these and similar matters (your hands). Your Religious Education program and your other courses help you to understand what Jesus did and said and why (the head). Your campus ministry and reflection, prayer and religious celebration times let your hearts and spirits draw life and God together (the heart). Hands, head and heart. I have a challenge to you who are students. I dream of Trinity College having among its ex-students not perfect people, not nice so called normal people……but creative, crazy, imaginative, risk taking Spirit filled people who will give everything for a more just, peace filled world …someone who will look at and live in the world like Jesus and Edmund did. That will demand people with well educated and formed minds, with hearts touched by the love and power of God, and people with skilful hands. When Trinity College has produced a few more of those kinds of people I will know that I have done my job as leader of the Christian Brothers, that Trinity College is living the Edmund Rice Charter and that the College Board, Peter Bothe and all the staff are doing their job.

Speech Night