When the Fifth International Conference of Servite Schools concluded in Italy in September, WA Principal Philip Cox was convinced his college in Tuart Hill was one of the world leaders in integrating the Servite charisms and values into college life.
Mr Cox was one of four staff members from Servite College to attend the conference in the town of Masano, which drew together 52 representatives from 11 countries, to discuss, exchange and share various aspects of the Servite tradition.
The 2011 Conference focused on three of the eight Servite values – Compassion for the Poor, Service and Marian Identity, with all Perth representatives delivering presentations to the larger group.
The five other values: Evangelisation, Universality, Holistic Education, Community and Openness and Respect, will be the focus of the next Conference in Omaha, Nebraska in 2014.
Mr Cox, along with Mr Ryan Wiles, Head of Religious Education and Fra Gilbert, College Chaplain, explained to participants how the Australian Servite college had developed their Service Learning Programme.
Their presentation included DVD recordings of Year 12 students who provided their views on the current curriculum.
The other member of the Perth quartet, College President Fra Ross, delivered one of the main talks at the Conference on Marian Identity.
During the conference, representatives from the Servite schools also met to discuss and organise exchange programmes involving staff, students and ideas.
The Servite Order began in 1233 in Florence and friars and sisters are now present in every continent, working in schools, hospitals and a range of mission activities. Servite friars arrived in Australia in the mid-50s in response to a call from the Bishop of Perth.