St Bede's College, Christchurch
Encyclopedia
St. Bede's College is a Roman Catholic day
Day school
A day school—as opposed to a boarding school—is an institution where children are given educational instruction during the day and after which children/teens return to their homes...

 and boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...

 in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...

, New Zealand for boys aged 13 (Year 9) to 18 (Year 13). St. Bede's is the oldest Roman Catholic Boys' College in New Zealand's South Island. It is also the only Catholic day and boarding college for boys in New Zealand's South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...

. Students at St Bede's are colloquially known as Bedeans. St Bede's College was founded in 1911 by the Marists
Society of Mary (Marists)
The Society of Mary , is a Roman Catholic religious congregation or order, founded by Father Jean-Claude Colin and a group of other seminarians in France in 1816...

, a religious congregation
Roman Catholic religious order
Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular ; monastics ; mendicants Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular (canons and canonesses regular...

 founded in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....

, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 in 1816.

The current Rector of the college (as of 2009), Mr Justin Boyle has been Rector since 2002. He was previously the first lay Principal of St. Kevin's College, Oamaru
St. Kevin's College, Oamaru
St Kevin's College in Oamaru, New Zealand was founded in 1927. It is a Catholic school run by the Christian Brothers and Dominican Sisters for boaders and day students...

 and left at the end of 2001 to become the first lay Rector of St Bede's.

St. Bede

The College bears the name of The Venerable Bede (AD 673-735) an English Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...

 Monk, Scholar, and Saint. Widely regarded as the Father of English History, Bede is most famous for his Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum
Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum
The Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum is a work in Latin by Bede on the history of the Christian Churches in England, and of England generally; its main focus is on the conflict between Roman and Celtic Christianity.It is considered to be one of the most important original references on...

, recognized as the first ecclesiastical history of Britain. During his time, Bede was regarded as the finest scholar in Europe. His shrine is at Jarrow
Jarrow
Jarrow is a town in Tyne and Wear, England, located on the River Tyne, with a population of 27,526. From the middle of the 19th century until 1935, Jarrow was a centre for shipbuilding, and was the starting point of the Jarrow March against unemployment in 1936.-Foundation:The Angles re-occupied...

, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

.

Philosophy and Marist Tradition

The College is renowned for its high academic standards, proud sporting heritage and the distinctive educational philosophy of the Marist tradition. From its beginnings, St. Bede's College has taught its students by observing a tradition that combines Marian and apostolic elements. For the most part of the previous century, the College had residential Marist Priests and Brothers as teaching staff. There is still a significant Marist presence at the College.

The College Mission is To help each boy develop fully by Faith and by Works.

History of Foundation

The Society of Mary is a Religious congregation founded in 1816 in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....

, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 at the time of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...

 by Father Jean-Claude Colin
Jean-Claude Colin
The Venerable Jean-Claude Colin, S.M. was a French priest who became the founder of the Society of Mary ....

 (1790–1875) and twelve colleagues, including Marcellin Joseph Benoît Champagnat
Marcellin Champagnat
Saint Marcellin Joseph Benedict Champagnat was born in Rozet, village of Marlhes, near St. Etienne , France...

, future Founder of the Marist Brothers
Marist Brothers
The Marist Brothers, or Little Brothers of Mary, are a Catholic religious order of brothers and affiliated lay people. The order was founded in France, at La Valla-en-Gier near Lyon in 1817 by Saint Marcellin Champagnat, a young French priest of the Society of Mary...

, and Father (later Bishop) Jean Baptiste François Pompallier
Jean Baptiste Pompallier
Jean Baptiste François Pompallier was the first vicar apostolic to visit New Zealand. He was born in Lyon, France. He became the first Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland.-Appointment and voyage:...

, first bishop of the Roman Catholic Church in New Zealand.

The canonical approbation of the Society of Mary was given by Pope Gregory XVI
Pope Gregory XVI
Pope Gregory XVI , born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari, named Mauro as a member of the religious order of the Camaldolese, was Pope of the Catholic Church from 1831 to 1846...

 in 1836. Fr Jean-Claude Colin had a close association with Pompallier who accompanied the French Marist Missionaries to New Zealand. The Society of Mary became involved in missionary work and teaching, work that was very similar to the missions of the Jesuits, but which had a distinctive Marian approach. The first recorded Catholic school in New Zealand was established in Auckland in 1841 by Fr. Petitjean, SM (Society of Mary).

Before 1877, education in New Zealand was a provincial jurisdiction, with many schools being established by churches or private funding. With the Education Act 1877, the New Zealand Government centralised control through twelve regional education boards to introduce free, compulsory and secular education. Schools intending to teach religious instruction could not receive Government assistance. The Society of Mary continued to build the foundations for a Catholic System of Education, sourcing religious teachers from Ireland, Europe and Australia. In 1885, the Society of Mary established St. Patrick's College in Cambridge Terrace, Wellington. St. Patrick's College was the first Catholic College for Boys in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

.

St. Bede's College, Christchurch was established in 1911 at the request of Bishop John Joseph Grimes S.M.
John Grimes (New Zealand bishop)
John Joseph Grimes was the first Roman Catholic bishop of Christchurch, New Zealand. He was appointed on 13 May 1887 and died in office on 15 March 1915.-References:...

, and the first Catholic Bishop of Christchurch. The Society owned St. Bede's College. The school was originally located along Ferry Road but it outgrew its facilities. The college had the option of purchasing the current site or that of St. Andrew's College, Christchurch in Merivale
Merivale
Merivale is a suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand, north of the city centre. Its boundaries are defined by Statistics New Zealand as being Heaton Street to the north, Papanui Road to the east, Harper and Bealey Avenues to the south and Rossall Sreet to the west, although Real Estate advertising...

. Some say that the choice made was a fine decision because due to the land being cheaper, the college was able to build magnificent stone buildings to accommodate the monks and to accommodate lessons. The chapel was originally used as a gym but with the building of Chanel Hall, it became obsolete and so was converted to a chapel. The chapel contains the Board of Honour, honouring Bedeans who fought and died for their country in both world wars.

The College was moved in 1920 to its present site on 220,000 square meters of fields and trees at the northern entrance to the city. The original buildings of St. Bede's were magnificent in old design but unfortunately, most of them had to be demolished in 1981 due to new earthquake safety requirements. However the Chapel and half of Marist House remain standing. Over the years, buildings have continued to be added to the College, including the Alistair Macdonald Centre for the Performing Arts, Jarrow (a senior boarding dorm) as well as a new gymnasium. The chapel is described as the heart of the school. In addition to the surface buildings, the school has a number of tunnels and bomb shelters under the school, built for evacuation purposes.

The House System

A House system was instituted at St. Bede's College, with every student allocated to a House. The House system has several functions including administrative. Each House is named for a distinguished person associated with the College and its name. There are five Houses. These are:
  • Benedict, yellow house, named for St. Benedict, Founder of the Benedictine Order at Monte Cassino of which Bede was a member. Benedict has won the house points shield (Burger Shield) from 2003-2010. Renowned for the motto, "pure gold".
  • Colin, light blue house, named for Jean-Claude Colin, Founder of the Society of Mary in Lyon, France.
  • McCarthy, green house, named for Major, Rt. Hon. Sir Thaddeus McCarthy, Alumnus, Jurist and the College's first Knight.
  • Mannix, dark blue house, named for Fr. John Mannix, SM, Seventh Rector of the College and first Old Boy to become Rector.
  • Redwood, maroon house, named for Francis M. Redwood, SM, Archbishop of Wellington, who successfully sourced Religious Teaching Orders from France, Ireland, and Australia, after the passage of the Education Act, 1877. He also served on the Senate of the University of New Zealand for more than 25 years.

Boarding Houses

The Boarding Houses are for boarding pupils and are located on the College grounds. These are:
  • Grimes, named for John Joseph Grimes, SM, the first Roman Catholic Bishop of Christchurch (1888). Bishop Grimes oversaw the completion of construction in 1905 of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament
    Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch
    The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, located in the city centre of Christchurch, New Zealand, commonly known as the Christchurch Basilica, is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Christchurch and seat of the Bishop of Christchurch...

    , designed by Francis Petre
    Francis Petre
    Francis William "Frank" Petre was a prominent New Zealand-born architect based in Dunedin. He was an able exponent of the Gothic revival style, one of its best practitioners in New Zealand. He followed the Roman Church's initiative to build Catholic places of worship in Anglo-Saxon countries in...

    .
  • Jarrow, named for the English town of Jarrow, on the River Tyne, and the Monastery where St. Bede spent most of his life.
  • Durham, named for Durham Cathedral, England, where the remains of St. Bede were entombed after being taken from Jarrow circa 1020.

Notable alumni

St. Bede's College Old Boys are notably represented in the New Zealand Parliament in the House of Representatives
New Zealand House of Representatives
The New Zealand House of Representatives is the sole chamber of the legislature of New Zealand. The House and the Queen of New Zealand form the New Zealand Parliament....

. They accounted for the greatest number of alumni of any New Zealand College to sit in the Legislature of New Zealand's 47th and 48th Parliaments. In the current Parliament (the 49th Parliament) the National-led Government includes three Ministers of the Crown who are St. Bede's College Old Boys:
  • Hon Gerry Brownlee
    Gerry Brownlee
    Gerard Anthony "Gerry" Brownlee is a New Zealand politician. He served from 17 November 2003 to 27 November 2006 as deputy-leader of the National Party – during that period the second-largest party in the New Zealand Parliament, and thus forming the core of the Opposition...

     is Minister for Economic Development, Minister of Energy and Resources, Leader of the House and Associate Minister for the Rugby World Cup.
  • Hon David Carter
    David Carter (politician)
    David Cunningham Carter is a New Zealand politician, currently a government cabinet minister. He is a member of the National Party.-Early life:...

     is Minister of Agriculture, Minister for Biosecurity and Minister of Forestry.
  • Hon Peter Dunne
    Peter Dunne
    Peter Dunne is a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament who leads the United Future political party. He has served as a Cabinet minister in governments dominated by the centre-left Labour Party as well as by the centre-right National Party...

    , who is leader of the United Future Party and its sole MP (for the electorate of Ōhariu), is a Minister outside cabinet with the portfolios of Minister of Revenue and Associate Minister of Health. Dunne was also Minister of Revenue under the Labour-led Government in the 48th Parliament.


In the Opposition, the Hon Clayton Cosgrove
Clayton Cosgrove
Clayton James Cosgrove is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of the Labour Party.-Early life:Cosgrove was born in Nelson, New Zealand. He received a BA, in American Studies and Political Science, from the University of Canterbury in 1992 and received an MBA in 1996...

 and the Hon Damien O'Connor
Damien O'Connor
Damien Peter O'Connor is a New Zealand politician from the West Coast of the South Island. He is a member of the Labour Party and a Member of Parliament.-Early years:...

, Labour MPs and both former cabinet ministers, are St Bede's College old boys.

Other distinguished Old Bedians include:
  • Rt Hon Sir Thaddeus McCarthy
    Thaddeus McCarthy (jurist)
    Sir Thaddeus Pearcey McCarthy, ONZ, KBE was a New Zealand jurist.McCarthy was educated at St Bede's College, Christchurch, and then studied law at Victoria University College, New Zealand and graduated in 1928. He was admitted as a solicitor only in 1929, completed an LLM degree , and in 1931 was...

    , ONZ, KBE, a former President of the Court of Appeal of New Zealand
    Court of Appeal of New Zealand
    The Court of Appeal of New Zealand, located in Wellington, is New Zealand’s principal intermediate appellate court. In practice, most appeals are resolved at this intermediate appellate level, rather than in the Supreme Court...

    .
  • Rt Hon Dr Frederick Vaka'uta Sevele
    Feleti Sevele
    Feleti Vakaʻuta Sevele , styled Lord Sevele of Vailahi was the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga from 30 March 2006 to 22 December 2010.-Early life:Sevele was born in Ma’ufanga, Nuku’alofa...

    , Prime Minister of Tonga
    Prime Minister of Tonga
    This is a list of Prime Ministers of Tonga from the establishment of that office in 1876 until the present day.-List of Premiers/Prime Ministers of Tonga :-External links:*...

    , is also an Old Boy; a long-term advocate of increased democracy for Tonga's citizens, Dr Sevele is the first non-aristocratic Tongan citizen to be appointed Prime Minister of the Kingdom
  • Anote Tong
    Anote Tong
    Anote Tong is an I-Kiribati politician with Chinese heritage. He is the current President of Kiribati. He won the election in July 2003 with a slim plurality of votes cast against his brother, Dr. Harry Tong and the private lawyer Banuera Berina...

    , the president of Kiribati
    Kiribati
    Kiribati , officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island nation located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean. The permanent population exceeds just over 100,000 , and is composed of 32 atolls and one raised coral island, dispersed over 3.5 million square kilometres, straddling the...



Four Bishops of Christchurch and more than 180 priests attended St Bede's. The four bishops are: Brian Ashby
Brian Ashby
Brian Patrick Ashby, CBE was the fifth Catholic Bishop of Christchurch, New Zealand. He was appointed by Pope Paul VI on 11 July 1964, resigned the see on 4 July 1985, and died on 5 June 1988...

, John Basil Meeking
John Basil Meeking
John Basil Meeking is the Bishop Emeritus of Christchurch, New Zealand and was the 7th Bishop of that see ....

, John Cunneen
John Jerome Cunneen
John Jerome Cunneen was a New Zealand prelate who served as the eighth Bishop of Christchurch from 1995 until 2007. He was succeeded as Bishop by Barry Philip Jones.-Death:Cunneen died on 9 November 2010 at the age of 78...

 and Barry Jones.

Associations

St. Bede's retains a special tradition of academic, cultural and sporting fixtures with St. Patrick's College, Wellington
St. Patrick's College, Wellington
- History :Founded by Archbishop Francis Redwood SM, St Patrick's opened on June 1, 1885 with nine day-boys and twelve boarders.The College represents one of the earliest educational establishments of the Society of Mary the religious congregation whose members accompanied Bishop Jean Baptiste...

 and St. Patrick's College, Silverstream
St. Patrick's College, Silverstream
St Patrick's College is an Integrated Catholic boys' day and boarding Secondary School located in Silverstream, Upper Hutt, New Zealand. It was established by the Society of Mary in 1931 when the original St Patrick's College, Wellington was intended to be moved to a larger site more suited to a...

. St Bede's played St Pat's Town in rugby from the 1920s until the early 1970s when it was dropped due to financial reasons. This was for the Holley Shield and the series between the two colleges stood at St Bede's 24, St Pat's Town 20, with one draw. The game against Silverstream had not been played since the Second World War until it was revived in the 1990s. Today, all three Colleges are part of the legacy of the Society of Mary in New Zealand.

Effects of the Canterbury Earthquake

As a result of the severe 2011 Canterbury Earthquake on February 22, the school was fortunately spared, although the school was shut until March 14 to undergo building inspections. Sister school Marian College in Shirley, Christchurch was not so fortunate, being severely damaged. Marian College is an all-girls school, and it was decided to share facilities with St. Bedes. The boys from St. Bedes attended school using a "morning timetable" up until 13:00, with the girls continuing on in the afternoon and evening. The 100th year anniversary of St. Bedes College, due to take place at the end of May 2011, was also postponed as a result of the earthquake.
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