FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Farewell to the Senior Class of 2023
On Thursday evening, the College celebrated with the families of our Seniors for their final Mass and Graduation Ceremony in ERPAC. On Wednesday, we also conducted the final retreat for the Seniors at Runcorn. In particular, I thank Paul Corfield, David Knight, the Pastoral team and Will Pike for coordinating these events.
On Thursday, Bishop Tim Norton joined us for Mass and the leaving ceremonies. It was a tremendous evening. It was heartening to hear of the passion that our students and staff have for this College.
A Catholic Education in the Edmund Rice Tradition is one that aims to be transformational. It is an education where young people are challenged to develop their talents to serve others.
As a College Community we wish the Seniors of 2023 well and we offer every blessing as they move from our gates. I leave with a Poem from Rudyard Kipling
IF
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!
MR CHRIS LEADBETTER
College Principal
