THE St Alexis osm Building and St John Porro osm Library at Servite College in Tuart Hill were officially opened and blessed on 18 February, the Feast of St Alexis.
The event was marked by a full school Mass in the school gym during which new student leaders and Eucharistic Ministers were blessed and received their badges of office from college Chaplain Fr Gilbert Raj and President Fra Chris Ross, with visitors from Servite College’s brother school Servite High School in Anaheim, USA, chaplain Fra Ed Penonzek and president Peter Bowen, plus the Servite’s Australian Provincial Delegate in attendance.
Two former students who were present at the college’s opening in February 1958 were also present, including the City of Stirling’s John Italiano.
Also in attendance were a number of our Perth diocesan clergy, representatives from the Servite nuns in Perth, former College Council members who had done much of the ground work that led to the building being conceived and built, many of the former winners of the St Philip’s Medallion and the parents who had donated directly to the Building Fund.
Fra Ross explained the history of the College starting with the first building in 1957. The only reminder of this first building is the terrazzo crest that is now inside the main entry to the St Alexis building.
Fra Mackle read a letter from the Provincial in Chicago before Perth Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton blessed the building.
The crosses in the library were also blessed, which are now in each classroom and were made by College students last year.
A $1.6 million grant from the Federal Government enabled the college to build the shade area and refurbish all our old rooms.
The Federal Government also contributed nearly $400,000 towards the St Alexis Building.
The remaining $6.5 million cost of the St Alexis Building has been partially paid for by college parents from its reserves and new parents will repay the remainder of the bank loan over the next 25 years.