Confessions of a Free Range Prolapsed Catholic

St Mary’s Gateshead opened in 1964.

I retired from the school as a part time member of the religion staff in 2016.

Over the years I held positions of music teacher, Student Coordinator for the first enrolement of boys, Religious studies coordinator, Assistant Principal Dean of Studies, Assistant Principal Dean of Students, Assistant Principal, Ministry Coordinator, Acting Principal and finally part time religion teacher. In 1988 I moved to Pius X High School Adamstown as religion coordinator and later as Dean of Students. I returned to Gateshead in 1995.

Young for my year I turned 13 in August the year the school opened. My best friend left my school at St Joseph’s Merewether to be part of the community of families in the area who had expressed wishes to send their daughters to a catholic, Josephite school closer than Merewether. I remember this.

Belmont and Swansea, Boolaroo, Warners Bay were part of the Sydney Diocese at the time and there was a small secondary school, run by what were referred to at the time, as Brown Josephites.

You may know the story of Mary MacKillop and Father Julian Tenison Woods. Together they did great work until the time came when there was a split between them about who ran the place. Father Tenison Woods came to the Maitland and a Convent was established at Lochinvar. Over the years, the “Black Josephites” who came under the rule of the Bishop, set up high schools at Lochinvar, Merewether and Gateshead, a boarding school for boys at Aberdeen and a boarding school and novitiate for girls at Lochinvar.

Like many people who work together for the greater good, Mary and Julian had a falling out.

It’s a long story…. eventually Mary MacKillop was excommunicated. you can look all that up!

“Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart – our historical timeline”

Here are some things I remember and cherish as thoughts to consider about St Mary’s Gateshead.

I started to teach there in 1977 and I left there, the first time, after a big falling out with the Principal, at the end 1987. I came as a music teacher. There were just over 400 girls as students and not more that 35 staff. Great names from those times were Audrey Steinmetz, head of maths, Roslyn Williams maths teacher, Catherine Beezley, head of English and History, Anna Hill history and English teacher, Joan Mackenzie, French teacher, Sylvia McGinty, pe and sport teacher, Carmel Buller (later Boyko) Textiles teacher.

Every year there was a whole school concert in which every student took part. When I read about the brilliance of the year 12 textiles and design offerings and saw their brilliance I remember Carmel and Sr Ruth Boland who made costumes for every girl in the school. The annual concert was held at The Hunter Theatre in Merewether. When I applied for a job in 1977, I was asked if I felt confident that I could continue the tradition of the annual school concert and I lied and told Father Coolahan that I was sure I could.

Celia Ireland – actress – from the series Wentworth and so many other productions, started her acting at St Mary’s under the direction of Joan Mackenzie. Sophie Lee – from the iconic film The Castle played the euphonium and topped my music elective class, James Joyce was the first male captain after the school became co-ed is the executive editor of ACM, the publisher of the Canberra Times. Christopher Moore is viola player. His current position is creative producer of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s chamber music concerts. The instrument he plays, on loan from an anonymous benefactor was made in 1610 Giovanni Paola Maggina viola.

The Honourable, member for Swansea, Minister for Police and counter terrorism and Minister for the Hunter in New South Wales Yasmin Cately is an ex-student
The Honourable member for Charlestown, minister for Women, Minister for Seniors, Minister for the prevention of Domestic Violence and sexual assault, Jodie Harrison was the mother of students here.
Kirsti Dawes,Australian Paralympic wheelchair racing athlete, winner of three Olympic medals is an ex-student.

The mighty and great from Rugby League from the Knights to The Storm ran around what was then known as the back field. Kieran Knight comes to mind as a brilliant talent and a wonderful young person. Jack Hetherington and I had many a stoush in behaviour management!

Robert Copas a great musician has just been appointed a chaplain at the University of Newcastle. Matthew McLean, a School Leader is now the deputy chief executive at Suicide Prevention Australia.

A student from my first year 10 music class, at a time when I thought I had died and gone to heaven, after finally getting a position in a catholic school, was Elizabeth Butler. Mother of an ex-student, she became the religious Studies Coordinator.

When I hear the phase “standing of the shoulders of those who have gone before us” I think of the people who shaped these people over the last 60 years.

The science and engineering challenge was a big event in my later years as Assistant Principal. The extraordinary thing about that was the driving force behind it. Shane Abell, science teacher, Kerry Whalley, Science Co-ordinator and Bill Gudgeon grounds person. I cannot remember how many times the team won the national championship. Sadly, Kerry Whalley died recently. He was a simply amazing fellow. We didn’t always got on – but that doesn’t mean respect was missing!

The first lay principal of St Mary’s was Helene Hemphill. When she arrived on staff, as assistant principal, it was an all girls’ school of about 500 with four classes in each year and the Principal at the time was Sr Virginia Bourke, a powerhouse of thought, compassion, and organization. By the time I left here in 1988, it was fully co-ed with up to 9 streams of classes in each year. There were two major building programs. Larry Keating arrived as assistant principal in 1987. Helene used to joke that the only brass plaque that commemorated her principalship during a building project had been erected outside the girl’s toilets. Helene was a genius!

Other religious orders were significant presences in the school too. Sr Barbara Walsh a Good Shepherd sister arrived having completed her work in Pentridge Prison in Melbourne. She knew Chopper Reid who used to check with her about attendance number at Mass and told her he’d round people up if necessary. She and two other Sisters of Good shepherd occupied a house at the back of the backfield. Sr Ann Thomson, a member of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy in Australia followed Sr Barbara.

I could go on and on and on. This place formed me and challenged me and nearly, but not quite, broke me.

At Helene Hemphill’s funeral, she died on September 7th, Larry Keating spoke about her. He told the story of St Mary’s Motto “Ready to Serve” it being the only English motto in the high schools of the diocese. The original design came from Sr Dorothy Woodward, another one who taught there. Helene’s contribution to Catholic Education in this Diocese remains legendary. My son Joseph cared for Helene who suffered from dementia.

One day, a whole load of brand new stationery arrived at the school. Boxes of paper and envelopes and the new school Crest designed by the Director of Catholic Schools to become our new motto and crest. Helene Hemphill sent the new stationary back. In the main meeting room at the schools office, lined up in the conference room were the high school crests on the wall – all except St Mary’s and it never went up and it never changed.

I don’t remember the year but the “Ready to Serve Café” came into being. The year 6 class at St Pius X Windale had topped the diocese in the NAPLAN test. The Principal at the time, arranged a meeting with Larry and me to meet the mothers and grandmothers who wanted their children to attend school until the HSC. One of the things provided by the principal, Ray Hanley and the Grandmother who ran the canteen was breakfast each morning. We agreed to continue that and with the help of information from Sanitarium we trained volunteers – student and staff to provide breakfast each day in what was then the new home science block. Because we were not a state school we were not entitled to sponsorship so everything, bread, milk, jam, butter, vegemite, was provided by members of staff. The local St Vincent de Paul Society provided fruit.

I noted with interest that there was a Bernasconi in the leadership team for 2025. I remember Josie and her husband .They were stalwarts of the parents and friends association. I remember Jenny as one of my music students who performed brilliantly, re-enacting the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from Fantasia with three other students in the school concert held at the Griffith Duncan Theatre! They brought the house down! A great generational contribution and legacy to this place continues!

And my final ex-student reference is to Luke Evans. Luke’s mother Kath Evans was the miracle that resulted in the canonization of Australia’s first Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop. Her Canonisation in Rome took place on October 17th, 2010. The school held a walkathon to raise money to sponsor one member of the Sisters of St Joseph to attend the canonization.

iPads were announced and unveiled in Australia on January 10th 2010. The student who raised the money in sponsorship received an iPad. Digital cameras were just starting to become cheaper and a number of them were on offer as well. The student who won, whose name I do not remember, did all sorts of things to get sponsorship from door knocking to standing outside the St Vincent de Paul shop at Belmont while his mother was dropping off donations. Quite an enterprising young man – and we hit our target which I can’t remember, but I think might have been $10,000!

And now, this beautiful place, still ready to serve, still providing for the needs of the hope for the future from years 7 to 12 which was a dream and almost a pilgrimage journey for Larry Keating.

It is my great hope that the story of this place, the diversity of this place, its inclusion of all and its history will be held in sacred space with love and gratitude.