Current News
2023/24 Executive Committee
An Annual General Meeting was conducted via Zoom on 27 August 2023. The Holy Cross College Old Boys’ Association was able to elect an Executive Committee
for 2023/24. They are:
John Edwards, Class of 1968, President
Michael Sear, Class of 1976, Vice President
Vincent Barca, Class of 1977, Secretary
Paul Wilson, Class of 1987, Treasurer
Bruno Moscaritolo, Class of 1986, General
Bro. Peter Ryan fsp, Class of 1969, General
Dr. Zachariah Duke, Class of 2005, Old Boys/Alumni Liaison Officer, (Ex-officio)
Br. Paul O’Keefe fsp, Patron & Provincial of the Patrician Brothers In Australia
and Papua New Guinea, (Ex-officio)
Phillip Stewart, Class of 1984 Captain, Holy Cross College Principal, Patron, (Ex-officio)
Old Boys Award - 2023
Jon Brodie
One of the world’s finest water quality scientists, Dr Jon Brodie, has passed away. However, the crucial work he dedicated his life to—which included protecting the Great Barrier Reef—will benefit generations to come.
Dr Brodie was a Professorial Fellow at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (Coral CoE) at James Cook University. Jon attended Holy Cross College in Ryde, NSW between 1960 to 1964.
He made significant contributions to protecting the Great Barrier Reef, leading many research programs that broadened public knowledge and scientific understanding of the Australian icon. In doing so, Dr Brodie was fearless. He often spoke out forcefully and truthfully about environmental issues.
Dr Brodie’s passion for science led him to complete a BSc in Inorganic Chemistry in 1968. He was then an analytical chemist and technical teacher at Newcastle Technical College for many years.
Following the completion of his post-graduate studies, Dr Brodie held many roles including: Chief Research Scientist for the Centre for Tropical Water & Aquatic Ecosystem Research (TropWATER); Director of the Water Quality and Coastal Development Section at the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), and Director of the Institute of Natural Resources at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji.
Dr Brodie was a world authority on water quality: the sources of pollutants in catchments; the transport of pollutants to the marine environment; the dispersal of land-based pollutants in coastal and marine environments, and the effects of terrestrial pollutants on marine ecosystems. He established the TropWATER water quality laboratory that still exists to this day.
Dr Brodie regularly advised Australian governments on policies regarding the management of water quality issues on the Great Barrier Reef.
The Director-General of the QLD Department of Environment and Science recently thanked Dr Brodie for his “leadership in investigating land use impacts on the Reef, and your dedication to water pollution research in the tropical north.” Both efforts produced crucial scientific evidence to support government actions to protect the Great Barrier Reef.
Dr Brodie’s work was fundamental in the development of the Reef Water Quality Protection Plans and Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan. The water quality targets he detailed within these publications guide today’s local land management.
Throughout his career, Dr Brodie published more than 100 peer reviewed articles and more than 300 technical reports, books and book chapters.
He was a giant in his field, widely acknowledged as irreplaceable. His work leaves a deep and enduring impact not only on the thousands of people who had contact with him, but on water quality and reef management all over the world.
Dr Brodie remained central to his field right to his final days, when, in typical fashion, he was working fruitfully on a range of research and policy outputs.
Though Dr Brodie’s valuable legacy remains, his meticulous science, fierce spirit and no-nonsense straight-talking will be sorely missed.
Source: James Cook University Medial Release 10/6/2020
Previous News
Open Day
6 March 2022
Despite the rainy weather, over 300 potential pupils visited the school to inspect the facilities that the school has to offer. Many new pupils and their parents viewed the Old Boys Archival Display and were overwhelmed with the rich history Holy Cross College School has to offer.
PICTURED : School Open Archival Display
St Patrick’s Day Mass and Lunch
13 March 2022
The weather was kinder this year for the annual celebration of the Feast of St Patrick. A Mass was held to support the Brothers of St Patrick with a lunch afterwards at Gladesville Sports. It was great to see Old Boys of the 1980s attend the day for the first time including David Obradovic (Class of 1980), John Newey and Mark Berlage (both class of 1981), Paul Wilson (Class of 1987). The Brothers of St Patrick appreciated the gesture of the Mass and Lunch by the Holy Cross College Old Boys.
PICTURED : St Patrick’s Day Mass Archival Memorabilia as part of the Offertory Gifts.
Holy Cross College Passing Out Parade
22 June 2022
Annual Marching Out Parade: Today our College community got to bid farewell to our fine Year 12 army cadets at the same time as affirming our young men who have served the community with distinction as Holy Cross College Army Cadets. It was a marvellous day and the entire College and Ryde community should be so proud of the leaders the program is producing to be a force for good in the world.
AWARDS PRESENTATION
CUO OF THE CADET UNIT
Presented for outstanding leadership of the HCCACU SUO Lorenzo Pavan
THE PLATOON SHIELD
Awarded to the most consistent and well drilled platoon Platoon 1 - CUO Max PAANANEN
HOLY CROSS COLLEGE SENIOR CADET TROPHY
Awarded to the most exemplary Senior Non-Commissioned Officer WO2 Chris Cagica
ALOYSIUS SHIELD
Awarded to the most exemplary Junior Non-Commissioned Officer WO2 Kaito Saliba
CUO “JOSEPH GO” SHIELD
Awarded to the most proficient Cadets in their speciality - Medic LCPL Euan Davidson
Signals - CPL Luke Connor
Logistics - LCPL Finton Cottrell
MAYOR OF RYDE TROPHY FOR THE BEST DRESSED CADET
Awarded to the best presented Cadet in every aspect - LCPL Ben Thomas
CAPTAIN PHILLIP HALTER MEMORIAL TROPHY
Awarded to the most outstanding HCCAAC Cadet - SGT Mikhail Dragun.
Special mention to the members from Ryde Ex Services club and Mayor of Ryde Jordan Lane for attending today and making it that much more special.
REVIEWING OFFICER LIEUTENANT COLONEL CRAIG DELANEY
PICTURED : Holy Crosss Collefge CAdet Passing Out Parade Program
Old Boy Award - 2022
Brian 0’Connor AM
This year's recipient of the Holy Cross College Old Boys Community Award was Brian Joseph O'Connor AM who went to the school as a boarder between 1943 and 1948.
Brian commented that he loved studying and once learnt Latin from the daily mass missal during his school days. The Brothers were most impressed by his initiative; he had an alternative motive of replying to his school mates in Latin "esse tecum" or "be on with you" if he wasn't interested in what they had to say.
When Brian went to Holy Cross College and his mother made a school blazer for him because during WWII things were tight. Today the blazer has been framed and proudly displayed in the College.
Brian had many highlights going back to Yass after his boarding days. In particular, Brian received a Queen's Commendation for bravery in 1957 for rescuing four passengers from drowning in a vehicle that crashed through the railing on Pearce’s Bridge into the flooded Yass River below in 1956.
Brian was a fearsome rugby league player at Holy Cross and represented the Metropolitan Combined Catholic Schools representative team in 1947. Brian was a prop forward for Yass that won the local division competition in 1954 and 1956. After his playing rugby league career, Brian took up refereeing in the district.
Brian came to fame by preventing fuel from a leaking rolled tanker into the Yass township water supply in 1989 and set up a disaster recovery process for fuel tankers in the Canberra region. Brian was invited by the Chinese Government to talk on material safety matters in 2005.
Brian served on the local council for 13 years assisting constituents with local government matters in the Yass area including committees for Aged Care Services, Disability Access, Landscape and was on committees representing Yass on regional bodies.
Brian was honoured as Yass Citizen of the Year in 2009
Brian worked for 63 years in Yass and survived 2 heart attacks and 4 cancer scares.
Brian was awarded an Australian Medal (AM) in 2016 for his services to the local community.
Brian celebrates his 91st birthday soon and is sharp as a tack.
Brian O'Connor is truly a worthy winner of the Holy Cross Old Boys Community award for 2022.
2020/21 Executive Committee
An Annual General Meeting was conducted via Zoom instead of the usual face to face meeting on 1st November 2020. The Holy Cross College Old Boys’ Association was able to elect an Executive Committee
for 2020/21. They are:
Michael Sear, Class of 1976, President
Vacant, Vice President
Robert Moscato, Class of 1987, Secretary
Patrick Harsas, Class of 1986, Treasurer
Bruno Moscaritolo, Class of 1986, General
Mark Bambagiotti, Class of 1991, General
Ray Guff, Class of 1978, General
Tim White, Class of 1999, General (resigned)
Dr. Zachariah Duke, Class of 2005, Old Boys/Alumni Liaison Officer, (Ex-officio)
Br. Paul O’Keefe fsp, Patron & Provincial of the Patrician Brothers In Australia
and Papua New Guinea, (Ex-officio)
Phillip Stewart, Class of 1984 Captain, Holy Cross College Principal, Patron, (Ex-officio)
COVID19 Restrictions 2020-21
The Holy Cross College Old Boys’ Association has been restricted in organising events for the first nine months of the financial year 2020/2021 due to the ongoing Coronavirus 2019 Pandemic.
Unfortunately, many events like Maroon and Gold Annual Reunion, Year 12 BBQ Breakfast and Graduation Day, and Annual Prize giving could not be held.
Open Day
7 March 2021
The Old Boys Association assisted in promoting Holy Cross College to prospective students with its Archival and Memorial Display. Presented by our Archivist, Dr Zachariah Duke, the display features class photos from the last 130 years. The display reveals the school’s history through school clothing, video story, annuals and the Big Books of the school register of students from 1891.
Please join us in the Flexible Learning Precinct to view the 130 years of rich history at Holy Cross College at Ryde.
PICTURED : Holy Cross Blazer of the Winning 1965 6st 7lbs State Knockout Rugby League Team on Display.
St. Patrick’s Day
14 March 2021
This year’s St Patrick’s Day once again provided the day with overcast and rain. The annual St Patrick’s Day Mass was conducted at the War Memorial Chapel followed by luncheon at Gladesville Sporties.
The Mass was attended by 30 to 40 friends of Holy Cross College. A significant contingent of Patrician Brothers accepted the invitation attend this Holiest of feast day’s on the Patrician Brothers calendar. Eminent Patrician Brothers, Peter Ryan and Paul O’Keeffe, attended the day. They were alongside Brothers Patrick, Aegeus, Philip, Stephen, Thomas, Matthew, and John who traveled from near and far to join the celebration.
Patrician Brothers’ Fairfield Old Boy, Father Greg Morgan, celebrated the Mass as Parish Priest from St Charles, Borromeo. Sibling Deacons, Daniel and Stephen Drum, also participated in the service and luncheon. Later in May, the two deacons were ordained at St Mary’s Cathedral Sydney. They are the first brothers to be ordained at St Mary’s Cathedral on the same day.
The choir for the Mass was supported by organist Ivan Petch, with John Smolders from Newcastle to sing together with Peter Edwards and John Golding. This year was the first St Patrick’s Day Mass without Brother Mark Ryan, who sadly passed away on 21 February 2021.
Two notable Old Boys attended the Mass and luncheon: Dr Samiul Sorrenti, an Orthopaedic Surgeon caught up Brother Peter Ryan from class of 1969 and old boy and boarder Andrew Newey (son of Mrs Newey, a long term employee of the College) with his wife, Angela. They had a great day conversing stories of his days at the school.
The Holy Cross College Old Boys’ Association wishes to thank those who attended the Mass and luncheon in honour of St Patrick, who was the inspiration for Bishop Delany setting up the Patrician Brothers order in 1808.
PICTURED : St Patrick’s Day Mass Archival Memorabilia as part of the Offertory Gifts.
Footy Under Lights
26 May 2021
The annual NRL Schoolboy Cup at the College was again a big event with the biggest crowd to date. The cup match saw Holy Cross Rugby league First Grade Team match it against mighty rivals Patrician Brothers’ Fairfield. It has been 40 years since the Maroon and Gold defeated Fairfield Pats at Leichhardt Oval for the Commonweath Bank Schooboy Cup.
A big crowd from Patrician Brothers’ Fairfield journeyed to Ryde for the match. The visitors brought their hunger and the Old Boys Association adequately supported them with a sausage sizzle BBQ and drinks.
Holy Cross led 18-14 with 90 seconds to go, when Fairfield Pats crashed over the near the posts and kicked the conversion. The visitors erupted with joy knocking off their foe in the dying seconds. The final score 18-20 to the visitors.
PICTURED : Holy Cross Old Boys on the Game Night BBQ and Canteen.
Mark Bambagiotti, Patrick Harsas, Lindsay Mar, Ray Guff, Michael Sear, Zachariah Duke, (back row) Robert Moscato and Bruno Moscaritolo (kneeing).
Cadet Passing Out Parade
23 June 2021
The Holy Cross College’s Cadet Passing Out Parade is the final event of the 20/21 financial year. It was the first parade in 47 years after the cadets were abandoned in 1974. The resurrection of the cadets at Holy Cross College in 2020 has seen the cadet unit grow to 73 cadets organised in four platoons.
The passing out parade was witnessed by senior Patrician Brothers Peter Ryan and Paul O’Keefe and honoured with Brigadier Peter Connor OAM and Principal Phillip Stewart. Principal Stewart addressed the assembly of distinguished guests, parents, old boys, and cadets.
Special thanks to Brother Patrick Lovegrove and Mr John McCabe for welcoming back two former Officers of the Holy Cross College cadets from the 1960s and 1970s.
The Holy Cross College Old Boys Association also thanks school principal, Phillip Stewart, for the invitation to the Holy Cross College Passing Out Parade.
PICTURED : Invitation to the Holy Cross College Cadet Unit Passing Out Parade 2021.
Association Foundation Day
14 July 1907
The Holy Cross College Old Boys’ Union (HCCOBU) was founded on Sunday, 14 July 1907 at the College. Brother Boniface Carroll was the inaugural President, Mr J. Watson as Vice President, Mr W. O'Brien as Secretary, and Dr A. Gillespie as Treasurer.
Approximately forty students gathered to form the HCCOBU.
Holy Cross College was a residential school during their early years. The boarders were a close knit social group and the formation of an Old Boys' Union was a mere formality.
Happy 114th anniversary to your Holy Cross College Old Boys' Association!
PICTURED : 1908 Old Boys Reunion featuring Executive Committee.
![HEYDON George Aloysius Makinson NRS9873_2_720_[304].jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/610fb433043e7f1bf09328aa/1633831852513-6YCYRS3L38UGZRH242DX/HEYDON+George+Aloysius+Makinson+NRS9873_2_720_%5B304%5D.jpg)
Old Boy Award
Dr George Aloysius Makinson Heydon (pictured)
Every year, the College celebrates community awards on the Feast of the Cross on 14 September.
This year, due to COVID restrictions within the school, a virtual ceremony was conducted. Principal Philip Stewart announced the Holy Cross College Old Boy Award to Dr George Heydon.
George was born in 1881 in Gladesville. He was one of the early students to attend the College in the 1890s. George completed his time at Holy Cross College in 1898, before travelling to England to continue further academic studies at Downside College Somerset England between 1900-1902. Whilst at Downside, George was awarded the Gregorian Medal three years in a row.
George completed a Bachelor of Arts in 1903 at The University of Cambridge and continued further medical studies at The University of Sydney in 1908.
Before the outbreak of World War I, George worked at St Vincent’s Hospital at Darlinghurst, Lewisham Hospital, and Coast Hospital (now Prince Henry Hospital) at Little Bay.
At the outbreak of war, George enlisted in 1915 and served to 1919. He was initially assigned to Egypt and Gallipoli as a Regimental Medical Officer with the 19th Battalion. On 8 November 1915, George was transferred to the 8th Battalion to serve at Gallipoli, Egypt, and France, where he was wounded at Pozieres on 12 August 1916. After recovering, George chose to return to service and was further wounded on 20 September 1917 at Menin Road, France. George continued to serve in the 2nd and 3rd Australian Field Ambulance, until the unit was demobilised in England on 24 August 1920.
George received a Military Cross for medical efforts under fire at Pozieres.
Throughout 1920, George completed two diplomas at the University of Cambridge undertaking studies in Public Health and Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
George returned to Australia in 1921 and worked as a Parasitologist with the Commonwealth Health Department (CHD).
George continued working for the CHD in Rabaul, Papua New Guinea between 1921-1925 with reliable assistant and confidant Mr A. J. Bearup. They returned to Australia in 1925, with George specialising as a Parasitologist and educator at the Institute of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in Townsville, Queensland until 1930. Their work in treating Malaria in Rabaul, and Northern Queensland would be of great benefit in future years.
George returned to Sydney University in 1930 to 1946 as lecturer. In 1934, George travelled back to Papua New Guinea at Mt Hagen and Kainantu in the highlands. Whilst there, he studied infection with protozoan and helminth parasites and to determine, by use of skin tests, the degree of exposure of the population to bacterial infections such as tuberculosis, diphtheria and scarlet fever.
In 1935, George learnt to fly aeroplanes and the following year learnt gliding, which was then a pioneer hobby in Australia.
When World War II broke out, George was too old to re-enlist, as he was 58 years of age. George was noted for flying across Sydney Harbour for searchlight and anti-aircraft practice for the Australian Imperial Army. George’s work in Papua New Guinea and North Queensland helped save thousands of Australian fighters in World War II.
George retired in 1946 aged 65, and passed away in 1963 aged 82.
Clive Backhouse, Dr Heydon’s successor at Sydney University, and Sir Edward Ford, Director of the school in 1963 commented in an obituary; “George Heydon was a rare personality, rich in scientific and humanistic attributes, mingled with little eccentricities and lovable traits peculiarly his own.”
Dr. George Aloysius Makinson Heydon is a worthy winner of the 2021 Old Boys Award.