Greetings from St Bede’s College.

I hope your families are wintering well, and the inevitable ailments are not affecting you too much. There are a number in the community who continue to succumb to a quite virulent flu this winter.

Over the last week, a number of our sports teams have performed outstandingly. Last Friday night our 1st XI Hockey team took on a highly rated and unbeaten St Andrew’s team. Our team, less fancied and definitely the underdogs, played outstandingly and came away with a creditable 2-2 draw, which was an excellent result. On Tuesday night our top basketball team played a Cashmere High team that have swept all before them, dominating the local competition. Once again, our team pushed the high flying Cashmere team to the limit and only lost by the narrowest of margins.

Our 1st XV Rugby team continue to perform well, and on Saturday beat Christ’s College for the first time in four years, and then on Wednesday in Wellington, overcame a 17-point deficit at half time to beat St Pat’s Silverstream, 27-17. Hockey was added to that exchange this year and they had a comfortable victory as well.

These are very good results, considering all the coaches of our teams are volunteers, all have jobs, and commit hours a week into coaching our teams, often against bigger schools with sports’ programmes that are far better resourced at their disposal. Therefore, these results are even more creditable.

The Junior and Senior Choirs performed in the Big Sing last Friday night. For the first time in eight years the event came back to the Town Hall, which has been restored to its prime after the earthquake. It was a great thrill for over 65 of our boys to perform in this impressive venue.

We have been advised that the rolling regional strikes planned for next week have been called off so it will be the usual classes and timetable for all students.

During the term, fifty-seven boys are participating in the Sacramental Programme. Eleven are being baptised and welcomed into the Catholic faith from a different faith. Twenty-two are receiving their first Holy Communion, and fifty-five are receiving Confirmation.

The evening of Wednesday 26 June is the date for the baptisms, and the others will receive their sacraments in the College Mass the next day at 9.30am. Any parents who wish to attend are most welcome.

Until next week.

Justin Boyle