On February 12th, St John’s College celebrated its largest intake of First-Year Students in recent memory with our annual Matriculation Day. This cherished tradition serves as an induction into the rich history and vibrant community of our College.

Under the glow of the sun and surrounded by the historic sandstone of the College, our new students were warmly welcomed into College life. Each student had the opportunity to personally meet the Rector in the Rector’s office, receive their academic gowns, and sign the College Register in the presence of the Vice-Rector.

Thereafter the Matriculation Chapel Service took place in the College Chapel. During this solemn service, blessings were bestowed upon the new members of the St John’s community by College Council Member Fr Richard Waddell. The service, attended by parents, students, and staff of the College, served as an introduction for our new students to the spiritual guidance and support provided by the College since its foundation. A real sense of reverence and unity permeated the Chapel as Fr Waddell gave a poignant and heartfelt blessing:

Go forth into the College and the University in peace. Be of good courage. Hold fast that which is good. Render to no one evil for evil. Strengthen the fainthearted. Support the weak. Help the afflicted. Show love to everyone. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit; and the blessing of almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.

Proceedings then moved to the College Quadrangle, where the Rector called a convocation and opened the Matriculation Ceremony. Addressing the assembly of students, parents, staff, and College Council members, the Rector declared:

I admit each of you, whose names shall hereafter be read out, as a member of the College of St John the Evangelist, and I direct that your name be entered on the roll of members.  

You are bound to observe all of the statutes, by-laws and rules of the College, and the lawful directions of the College officers.

Each of the 118 First-Year Students were then invited up to the dais, where they were presented to the convocation by the Rector and inducted into the St John’s College Community.

The Chairman of Council, Mr John Coorey, then addressed the convocation, reminding our First-Year Students of the expectation to actively participate in community life and to seize the opportunities presented to them. 

Following the Matriculation Ceremony, students, parents, and guests were invited to enjoy pre-dinner drinks before entering the formal Dining Hall for the Matriculation Dinner. 

During the dinner, our new students were welcomed by the 2024 House Presidents Anna Garnsey and Oscar Crowe, who encouraged them to strive for excellence and empower each other to flourish. In the golden light of the setting sun, the Rector addressed the Hall and spoke of the indelible link each student now forms between the College, the University, and one another:

St John’s is an institution onto which we are all grafted. It is a body of people as much as it is a body of brick and stone. It is a College of faith and memory — of learning and culture. It is a place where exceptional people, both young and young at heart, come together to flourish in each other’s company. The enduring presence of St John’s within the University of Sydney is a testament to the idea that to be educated is not merely to ‘swallow knowledge’ or to 'get a job', but as John Henry Newman put it, to be formed into a human being of virtue and excellence.

In his closing remarks, the Rector solidified the expectations, both his own and those of the individuals who have contributed to bringing the First Years to where they are today:

To be a Johnny is indeed to stand on the shoulders of giants. We bear a humbling weight of expectation, a reminder of our responsibility to honour St John’s, our parents, and our society, including the weakest and most vulnerable among us. Nisi Dominus Frustra. Welcome to St John’s College!