Celebrating our Patron Saint

Every year on March 17, St Patrick’s Day is celebrated as the celebration of Ireland’s Patron Saint. When St Patrick’s College, Wellington, was founded, it was the Irish Catholics in New Zealand who really pushed for a Catholic Secondary School for Boys and fundraised for the building. This is why we are named after the Irish Patron Saint despite technically being a French Order.
The statue in front of the College that now points to the old College was paid for by Irish Catholic migrants. It was commissioned in France and shipped to New Zealand to stand above the entrance of the original school.
We celebrate St Patrick’s Day as our “Founders Day”. We also use it to celebrate our multicultural and diverse community, so the Prayers of the Faithful are said in different languages- always starting with Gaelic.
The College traditionally travels to St Mary of the Angels in Wellington City for our St Patrick’s Day service. The Church has been there since 1874, so we have a close connection with the Church. Traditionally, the whole school would march from the ‘Old School’ at Basin Reserve down Cambridge Terrace, through Courtney Place, and along Manners Street, singing “Oh when the saints…” as they went. Now, we just bus.
The College staff and students always make the day fun with a traditional green ice block served as we show our appreciation to our Patron Saint.