We offer our young men opportunities to reflect on their lives and make meaning in the light of the Gospel and its call to transformation. These include the following:

Retreats

The St Patrick's retreat program runs across all year levels and is a significant formation experience for all students. The retreats offer students, staff and parents an opportunity to reflect on their own life journey, to greatly strengthen their relationships with others, and to develop their spirituality. These experiences are key to building the community of St Patrick's and are enlightening encounters for all involved.

Year 5 - Callan Retreat

Students reflect on the life of Edmund Rice and how this is relevant to them as students who are now a part of an Edmund Rice School in the Catholic tradition.

Year 6 - Companions on the Journey

In this extremely important year of a young man's development, we reflect upon the student’s shared journey and highlight the importance of their next step into Year 7. There is a focus on the importance of strong and respectful relationships at this stage of their schooling.

Year 7 - Positive Psychology Retreat

This retreat aims to help students grow in their self-awareness, the awareness of the presence of God, their personal gifts and their ability to make sense of, and create their own mark in the world. The retreat aims to assist young men in forming positive and life-giving relationships with significant role models in their lives. Students learn to discover the "face of Jesus" in different aspects of their lives.

Year 8 - Galilee Retreat

This retreat will aim to help students become aware of the sacred nature of their story and that of their friends. The retreat reminds us that we all have 'storms' in our lives; those difficult times – but if faced with courage and the support of a caring community, we can grow stronger.

Year 9 – The Rite Journey Program

Students in Year 9 undertake the Rite Journey Program throughout the entire year. Central to this program are a number of rituals and a retreat experience. The Rite Journey is a unique educational program designed to support the development of Year 9 men to become self-aware, vital, responsible and resilient young adults. 

Year 10 - Micah Retreat

This retreat explores the role each person can play in the wider community, both locally and globally. Students look at the concept of identity and especially so in the challenge of the Prophet Micah: “to act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with your God”. The retreat immerses our young men in the worlds of the other and asks them to think about life from a very different perspective.

Year 11 - Leadership Retreat

Year 11 students attend a Leadership Retreat which aims to strengthen the relationships within the group in preparation for their final year of schooling. This retreat also aims to develop leadership skills within the students and to inspire them to lead the student community with courage, and to lead by example, in the spirit of Jesus Christ and Edmund Rice.

Year 12 - Kairos Retreat

The Kairos Retreat is a key part of our Retreat Program. It is a voluntary retreat and takes place in the students' Senior Year. The retreat is essentially experiential and based upon story telling. Participants on this retreat report it to be among the most significant experiences of their lives.

Prayer

Prayer and liturgy form a significant part of College life. Prayer is part of our daily routine at the College in small groups and in classes. Further to this, each year we celebrate the following occasions:

• Inaugural Mass and Induction of Student Leaders
• Ash Wednesday Liturgy
• Anzac Day Liturgy
• Grandparents' Mass
• St Patrick’s Day Mass
• Feast of Blessed Edmund Rice Mass
• Year 12 Graduation Mass
• Eucharist – Weekly in the Fr Liam Chapel

Sacraments

The College works with local Parish communities to support young men who wish to receive the sacraments of initiation into the Catholic Church.