Parramatta Marist began as a school established by Fr. John Therry in Hunter Street Parramatta in 1820, under the direction of Mr. George Morley. The school was transferred to the site of the present junior school in 1837 and entrusted to the care of the Marist Brothers in 1875. This makes Parramatta Marist the oldest Catholic school in Australia. A list of Headmasters from the time of Mr. Morley to the present is situated in the reception foyer at the school.
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| The first three Brothers in 1875 took over a small School of 32 pupils, a number that would grow to over 100 within 12 months. Parramatta was still in many ways a small rural town, and the Brothers were accommodated on a 23-acre farm at North Parramatta, the income from which helped to finance the School. Conditions at the School were less than adequate, and the early Brothers worked hard to develop the scholastic, sporting and cultural achievements of their students, often with very few resources. |
The 1880’s were important years for Marist. In 1888, a new monastery was built next to the school and in 1889 a new headmaster, a Frenchman by the name of Brother Claudius, took over the school. During his time enrolments increased to over 250, the first Senior Classes were presented for public examinations with notable success, facilities were expanded, extra classes were organized at night and on weekends, competitive sports were promoted vigorously-with next-door neighbors The King’s school being the chief opponents in cricket, rugby and athletics. The school began to flourish. |
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Developments continued in the new century. In 1918, the original stone building was demolished and replaced with the building that housed the Junior School until 1994. During the 1920’s and 1930’s numbers continued to grow, placing more pressure on classroom accommodation. The 1940’s and 1950’s saw the growth and consolidation of the secondary school, and a fine record of scholastic and sporting success. |
Despite the new erection of a new wing in 1956, the School in the early 1960’s was at breaking point. Enrolment was over 1000, with classes having to be taught in the Parish Hall, which had been sub-divided, on verandahs, at St. Vincent Boy’s Home, and even under an oak tree in the school grounds. The decision was taken to move the secondary classes to Westmead and leave only the primary classes at the Parramatta site.
In 1966 the first stage of the buildings on the new Westmead campus was opened, and most classes transferred. Further buildings were completed: the Monastery in 1968, the Swimming Pool in 1968, the Library in 1971, the Senior Block in 1973, the Arts and Techniques Centre in 1982, the Administration Block in 1984. Meanwhile the fields and grounds were developed. In 1993 the Morley Centre was opened as a new multi-purpose facility. In 2001 the new Science Building was opened. The School continues in 2003 in its 183rd year.
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Saint Marcellin Champagnat Founder of the Marist Brothers 1789-1840
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| Three years before Father John Therry and George Morley opened a school in Parramatta in 1820, Marcellin Champagnat, a newly-ordained priest in rural France, had gathered a small group of volunteers to live in a community dedicated to Mary and to the education of young people. This small group became the Marist Brothers. After arriving in Sydney in 1872, the Brothers accepted responsibility for the Catholic School at Parramatta in 1875.
Marcellin Champagnat was born on 20 May 1789 in the hamlet of LeRosey, near Marhles, a small town in the Lyons area of Southern France. He was the ninth of ten children born to Jean-Baptiste and Marie-Therese Champagnat. Jean-Baptiste was a respected farmer in the area, a ‘moderate’ revolutionary and major of Marhles. Young Marcellin worked with his father, who taught him to farm, to build in stone and to work with wood. Jean-Baptiste died when Marcellin was fourteen.
Two women influenced young Marcellin – his mother, Marie-Therese, who took care of the family’s education and spiritual formation, and his aunt, Louise, a Sister of St Joseph who had been driven from her convent during the revolution. |
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Marcellin had no intention of becoming a priest. Just before his father died a young priest looking for candidates for the seminary visited the Champagnat home at the suggestion of the parish priest. The idea appealed to Marcellin and he decided to go to the seminary. Marcellin was described at this time as a raw-boned country lad, not overly literate but well-skilled as a handyman and well-schooled in religious practice.
He commenced his seminary formation at Verrieres in November 1805. Coming from rural France he spoke a local dialect and, with very little formal education, he found classes difficult. At the end of his first year, with poor academic results and a reputation for breaking the seminary rules, Marcellin was asked not to return to the seminary.
With his mother Marcellin made a pilgrimage to the shrine of St Francis Regis to ask for help with his studies for the priesthood. When he returned to the seminary for his second year, Marcellin put more effort into his studies and his academic results improved and there was a slight improvement in his behavior.
This improvement continued, especially after the death of his friend, Denys Duplay, in 1807, and the direction given to him by his mentor, Father Linossier.
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1810 was another important year for Marcellin. His mother died and he met Jean-Claude Courville. The death of his mother encouraged him in his studies. Courville was the initial inspiration behind the Society of Mary, or Marist, that Marcellin was later to join.
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| Marcellin was 24 when he entered the major seminary of St Iraneus at Lyons in 1813.
On 22 July 1816 Marcellin was ordained to the priesthood. The next morning, 23 July, the aspiring Marists – eight newly-ordained priests and four seminarians – made a pilgrimage to the church of Our Lady of Fourviere. Here they renewed their pledge to establish the Society of Mary and to dedicate their lives to Mary. The Marist family traces its origins to this event, to what is now known as the Fourviere Pledge.
The young priests, full of enthusiasm, were sent to distant parishes. Father Marcellin Champagnat was sent to the parish of LaValla as the assistant priest. Marcellin traveled the parish on foot, visiting the numerous hamlets, meeting and ministering to the people. One day in late October 1816, Marcellin was called to a distant village to attend a dying youth, Jean-Baptiste Montagne. Marcellin was surprised to find the seventeen-year-old knew nothing about God and his faith. This was the spark that set Marcellin on the path of establishing his part of the Marist project – the Marist Brothers. |
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