House Structure
Students are welcomed into one of our six pastoral communities, called Houses, which are each named after a patron linked to our Catholic Brigidine tradition or our local Australian story – St. Brigid, St. Patrick, Caroline Chisholm, Pastor Sir Doug Nicholls, Mother Benedict Moore and Bishop Daniel Delany.
Each House consists of Learning Mentor (LM) Groups that include a mix of students from different year levels within their House to provide cross-age peer mentoring. Since our transition to a multi campus College in July 2023, our Learning Mentor Groups have consisted of the year level groups located on each campus. By 2025, our LM groups will consist of Year 10-12 students at our Brigidine Campus, and Year 7-9 students at our Kildare Campus.
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Learning Mentor Groups meet every morning to enhance student confidence, understanding and belonging.
Learning Mentor time is incredibly valuable, enabling the development of robust and powerful relationships between the LM staff member and students that support their development, learning and growth.
Our Learning Mentors are pivotal to the pastoral care program at St Joseph’s College; supporting and guiding students on their intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual journey. They liaise with teachers, support staff and parents to enhance communication and ensure optimal outcomes for our students.
Welcome to Brigid House
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St. Brigid was born in 451 and died in 525, and is known for her protection of Ireland and many particular groups including cattle farmers, sailors, mistreated children and women, the poor and even scholars. In ancient Irish mythology, Brigid was a fire goddess and today her canonization is celebrated with a perpetual flame and together with Nano Nagle’s lantern, is captured in our Kildare Ministries logo and school crest. Her monastery in Kildare became known as an important centre of hospitality, culture, education, healing and worship in Ireland and beyond until the suppression of abbeys in the 16th century. St. Brigid of Kildare bridges and integrates the ancient Celtic spirituality and Christianity.
In Brigid House we strive to live by five of Brigid’s values including being; a model of equality, a peacemaker, hospitable to others, a friend to the poor and protectors of the Earth’s environment. And of course, we wear our yellow colours with pride.
Throughout the year, Brigid House students are further supported by a wonderful team of Learning Mentors. Students meet with them each morning for school and community notices, prayer and fellowship.
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TRACEY PEARSON
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LES BUTLER
Brigid House Leaders
Brigidine Campus:
Tracey Pearson tpearson@sje.vic.edu.au
Kildare Campus:
Les Butler
Junior Leaders
Charlotte Wilson
Ted Limbrick
Middle Leader
Michaela Williams
Senior Leaders
Alyssa Morphett
Harry Limbrick
House Patron: St. Brigid
Welcome to Chisholm House
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Many people think that if Australia was to have a second canonised saint, Caroline Chisholm may well be the best qualified for this honour. We are proud and thrilled to have Caroline as our patron in Chisholm House. Caroline is remembered for being a progressive 19th-century English humanitarian who had a strong interest and drive in improving the lives and welfare of women and emigrants.
Caroline was the youngest child of a wealthy family from England. As a young girl, her father took in a severely injured soldier and he was very keen for her to show the soldier great respect and obligation as he had fought for them. There is little doubt that this is where a young Caroline established her sense of responsibility for others.
Caroline married, and with her husband moved to India in 1833. Upon arrival she became very aware of the poor state that the wives and daughters of the British soldiers were living in. She approached the Governor of Madras about establishing a school for the women.
A deeply religious woman, Caroline found a great strength in reading the scriptures.
“For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.”
(Matt 25:35,36)
Caroline Chisholm took these words of our Lord seriously and devoted her entire adult life to helping those who could not help themselves. She became known as the “Emigrant’s Friend” even in her own day. Thousands of emigrants owed their new lives to her.
In 1838, the Chisholm family moved to Sydney in the colony of New South Wales. She established employment agencies in rural centres for single women.
With St Joseph’s being a Kildare Ministries school and all of us being very aware of the terrific work that the Brigidine sisters do with women and refugees – it’s very appropriate that Caroline be a patron of one of our houses.
Caroline Chisholm’s story deserves to be taught to all as a shining example of four key attributes that we will work as a Chisholm community.
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Faith
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Strong family values
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Determination in the face of opposition
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Love for justice
STUART TAYLOR
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BRONWYN CHATFIELD
Chisholm House Leaders
Brigidine Campus:
Stuart Taylor
Kildare Campus:
Bronwyn Chatfield bchatfield@sje.vic.edu.au
Junior Leaders
Damien Whyte
Molly Webb
Middle Leader
Jaxon Hogan
Senior Leaders
Molly McLeod
Olivia Batchelor
House Patron: Caroline Chisholm
Motto – “To serve justly and impartially.”
Welcome to Delany House
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Bishop Daniel Delany was born in Ireland in the 18th century at a time when the Irish were in the midst of English occupation. The Catholic religion was outlawed and so at 16 years of age, when Daniel decided to become a priest, he studied in France. Upon his return, he began focusing on the Catholic education for young people as he believed they were the future of the Church in Ireland. He also placed strong emphasis on the power of education, establishing several schools. He founded the Brigidine Sisters in 1807. In 1886, a group of Brigidine Sisters travelled to Echuca to establish both St Joseph’s and St Mary’s schools.
In Delany House, staff and students strive to emulate the values of Daniel Delany by showing excellence, humility and everyday goodness in their academic and personal lives.
Throughout the year, Delany House students are further supported by a wonderful team of Learning Mentors. Students meet with them each morning for school and community notices, prayer and fellowship.
SARAH MAI
CARRI CARTER
Delany House Leaders
Brigidine Campus:
Sarah Mai
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Kildare Campus:
Carri Carter
Junior Leaders
Matilda Smith
Maggie Oliver
Middle Leader
Lacey Smith
Senior Leaders
Holly Chadwick
Mia Aston
House Patron: Bishop Daniel Delany
Welcome to Moore House
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Mother Moore had a great love of teaching, a sense of compassion and humour, and was very considerate of others. She allowed the small children to play with her rosary beads while she asked questions to check their knowledge.
When Mother Moore was sent to the new foundation at Mentone, she was said to be very sad to leave Echuca (1905).
She became ill, but continued teaching the children until she was too weak to do so.
Her final whispered advice to the Sisters caring for her were; ‘Love one another, stick together, help one another.’
Mother Benedict Moore
Born: Tullow, Ireland, 1850
Professed: 20 December 1870 in Tullow, Ireland
Died: 26 November 1913 in Mentone, aged 66
JENNA LAUGHLIN
ANGELA BOURKE
KAINE ANDERSON
Moore House Leaders
Brigidine Campus
Jenna Laughlin & Angela Bourke jlaughlin@sje.vic.edu.au and abourke@sje.vic.edu.au
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Kildare Campus:
Kaine Anderson kanderson@sje.vic.edu.au
Ashlyn Carter
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Nate Smith
Junior Leaders
Middle Leader
Daniel Adriaans
Senior Leaders
House Patron: Mother Benedict Moore
Abby Larkin
Olivia Mathers
Welcome to Nicholls House
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Pastor Sir Douglas Nicholls was a prominent Aboriginal Australian who was born at Cummeragunja reserve. He was a Yorta Yorta man who achieved many great things throughout his life.
Doug was an extremely generous man who fought for all to have equal rights in our society. Throughout his life, he broke many barriers that existed for Aboriginal people and received many accolades for his work – not that this was a motivation for his selfless crusade.
Pastor Sir Douglas Nicholls was a gifted athlete who competed in amateur boxing, athletics and football. He was the first Aboriginal man to play in the VFL where he played for Fitzroy for a number of years, and in 1934 came third in the Brownlow medal count. He also made the Victorian Interstate team.
Doug was the first Aboriginal man to be recognised as Australian Father of the Year, Knighted by the Queen, and a Governor of South Australia.
He did hours of unpaid work with the Fitzroy police, as well as in his role as a Christian Minister later in his life. All his work was focused on helping to support others around him to lead fulfilling lives.
These are just some of the qualities we hope to highlight as a benchmark for the students of Nicholls House. The Nicholls House chosen charity is the ‘Opening the Doors Foundation.’ This charity aims to support the educational disadvantages that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families face.
HELEN FONTANA
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DAVID ARMFIELD
Gus Arthurson
Jye Blachford
Junior Leaders
Senior Leaders
Amy Parker
Hunter Wileman
Nicholls House Leaders
Brigidine Campus:
Helen Fontana
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Kildare Campus:
David Armfield
Middle Leader
Addyson Beriman
House Patron: Pastor Sir Douglas Nicholls (1906 – 1988)
Welcome to Patrick House
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Inspired by our patron, Patrick House encourages every student to develop an intrinsic and determined desire to learn and to share their gifts generously to improve the lives of others.
Saint Patrick of Ireland is perhaps one of the world’s best known saints. His early life was not one of particular privilege (though born into a wealthy family, he was kidnapped by pirates at age 14 and sold into slavery), nor was it marked by goodliness. Despite this, he was instrumental in bringing Christianity to pagan Ireland; working tirelessly to develop churches and schools.He often used shamrocks to explain the miracle of the Holy Trinity and for this reason the symbol is closely associated with his ministry.
Saint Patrick spread Christianity throughout Ireland for 40 years. During this time, he worked many miracles and wrote of his love for God in confessions. After years of living in poverty, travelling and enduring much suffering, he died at Saul, where he had built his first church. St Patrick’s date of passing is listed as March 17, though the year of his death is disputed as either 461 or 463.
BIANCA D'SOUZA
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ADAM BRADY
Patrick House Leaders
Brigidine Campus;
Bianca D'Souza
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Kildare Campus:
Adam Brady
Junior Leaders
Lily Dunham
Milly Morley
Middle Leader
Eden Thomson
Senior Leaders
Kaitlyn Davidson
Abbey Stobaus
House Patron: Saint Patrick (387- 461/3 AD)