Kearnan College

HOUSE SYSTEM

DETERMINATION

EXCELLENCE

KELLY

Father Stephen Kelly was born in Ireland and moved to Pemberton in 1952 where he established a school for the Sisters of the Sacred Heart. He spent the majority of his servitude residing and supporting communities of the South West. In 1970, Fr Kelly was appointed Parish Priest of Manjimup.

Fr Kelly represents the virtue of determination through his tenacious dedication towards building the foundations of Kearnan College and supporting the construction of nearby Parish facilities. When he had the Northcliffe Church erected it was well noted that he brought parishioners together during difficult times and allowed the community to believe that nothing was impossible. He was able to establish the only co-educational Catholic High School in WA in 1972, which is now known as Kearnan College.

Fr Kelly fostered a sterling community spirit that prided itself on excellence. He was able to provide a first-class holistic education that allowed students to attend Kearnan College from Kindergarten to Year 12. Fr Kelly was a visionary who continually strived to ensure that the education and facilities of Kearnan College and the Manjimup Parish provided were of the highest calibre.

The Kelly House emblem represents people coming together in face of a common goal in Christ.

MACKILLOP

Saint Mary MacKillop was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1842. She was the eldest child of a large family of poor Scottish migrants. She worked as a teacher in Victoria and was invited by Father Julian Woods to establish a school to educate the poor in his parish in South Australia. Her life was committed to God’s will and under Fr Wood’s spiritual direction she founded the Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart in 1866 and took over Catholic Education in Busselton in 1922 after the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions. Her canonisation took place in 2010, making her our first Australian saint.

St Mary MacKillop respected the right of all children to access education. We remember her devotion to the vulnerable, the poor, the voiceless as well as for her ground-breaking work as an educator and a founder of Catholic education institutions.

According to St Mary MacKillop, true humility is inspired by charity and thoughtfulness towards others. It is the antidote to both self-importance and self-esteem.

As an Australian Saint, St Mary Mackillop is depicted on her banner against a Golden Wattle background. The simple shape of a joyous child in her robes represents her devotion to educating rural children.

HUMILITY

RESPECT

LOYALTY

FAITH

ROONEY

Father Patrick Rooney was born in 1935 beneath the Karri canopy of Northcliffe and never lost his love for nature. Loyal to his fellow man, Fr Pat decided as a young boarder at Kearnan College that there had to be a better way of living in the world. Dedicated to promoting peace after World War Two, Fr Rooney’s faith journey aided in Catholic churches being built in Esperance and Australind.

A steward of the Church, Fr Pat demonstrated his loyalty and faith in providing a strong spiritual education to all children in his community, both Catholic and non-Catholic.

Fr Pat sees us all as custodians of the environment and has personified loyalty to God’s garden by re-establishing native flora to Church land wherever he went. The Rooney banner depicts spirit through nature and the tall trees of the South West. The dove above the tree illustrates Fr Pat’s peace through faith.

MCCORMACK

Sister Irene McCormack grew up on a Wheatbelt farm in Western Australia and belonged to the order begun by Mother Mary MacKillop, the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart. She was a much-loved teacher and Principal at Kearnan College and was called by the Holy Spirit in 1987 to serve the poor in Peru. The “Shining Path” guerrillas took Sr Irene’s life in May 1991, along with four significant villagers. She had been feeding the village poor and educating the children in the tiny town of Huahuasi (WAHOOWASI) in Peru.

The emblem that has been chosen shows a symbolic story of her life. The red and white of the banner depicts her love for South Fremantle Football Club. Red also represents the blood of martyrs of which Sr Irene was one. The four rocks represent the four men who stood their ground and were murdered with her. The chalice represents Christ of whom she became an example as well as the fountain where she died.

The virtues selected are honour and fortitude. Honour refers to the quality of knowing and doing what is morally right and is reflected through Sr Irene’s life and her persistence to help others. Sr Irene showed courage in the face of adversity throughout her work in Peru and hence the value of fortitude has also been selected.