Thank you Brother Colin!

For the teachers’ professional development at the start of the year, Brother Colin Divane, for many years a familiar figure around the school, was invited to return to the College and speak about the history of the Marist Brothers in Auckland, and especially their part in the life of St Paul’s over the years.

Colin is a Ponsonby local. From the school grounds you can still see the house where he grew up in the 1930s. By the 1940s he was going to school in Vermont St, where the Columba Centre now stands. He told us about Bishop Pompallier bringing the Marist Brothers to New Zealand in the 19th century – only two brothers came initially, but many more followed and they spread throughout the motu.

Colin described the life of the teaching brothers at St Paul’s in the early years of the College. There were stories of hard work and dedication to the care of the young men entrusted to them by the local families. There were great tales of prowess at rugby and cricket. He passed around some photographs that he had found of the original Marist Brothers’ primary school in Pitt Street, as well as of the old buildings at St Paul’s, most of them now gone.

The staff – especially the newcomers – gained a valuable understanding of the proud traditions of St Paul’s College, and of the significance of the Marist character. We thank Brother Colin very much for everything he brings to the life of the college. It was a wonderful start to the school year.

We hope to see much more of Brother Colin over the course of the year.