Patrick’s College Australia, historically known as St Patrick’s Business College, is forging ahead with a renaissance of its Irish Catholic roots.
On 9 October the college re-vamped with a return to the original Catholic coat of arms along with a Catholic ceremonial blessing of the premises by Fr Philip Watkins SSS of St Peter Julian’s Church in Haymarket.
“We dedicate this building to the education of all people so that they may open their hearts and minds to learning so that human dignity may be embraced and respected as Christ taught,” said Fr Watkins as he blessed the premises with holy water.
As Australia’s oldest secretarial college Patrick’s College was established by the Sisters of Mercy in 1923 to help disadvantaged young Catholic women gain skills for professional employment.
Since then, the college has trained over the century countless young women and men to be Sydney’s most sought-after personal assistants, executive assistants, legal secretaries, administrative assistants and office managers.
There are high hopes for the future of the college helping young Australians during the COVID-19 recession as the college has a very high employment rate.
While Patrick’s College is no longer officially under the Church, the soul of the college still holds a strong Catholic ethos of social justice through helping young Australians gain employment. St Patrick’s Day is also still celebrated as a focal point of celebration at the college.
Principal Dominic Buchta spoke to The Catholic Weekly on the similar social realities of the origins of the college during the interwar period and the Great Depression back then and the COVID-19 recession today.
“We are turning back the clock to reaffirm our heritage moving forward,” Said Principal Buchta.
helping young women gain employment and we are continuing this mission
“There is a lot of correlation between what is happening then and what is happening now. The Sister’s were helping young women gain employment and we are continuing this mission. It’s a pleasure and honour to be part of it.”
Patrick’s College is located at Level 7, 451 Pitt Street in Sydney – a minute’s walk from Central station. For more information visit www.pca.edu.au.
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