Marist College Rosalie Old Boys Association

Today we received our 499th. vote for the Hall of Fame. Would you like to be the 500th. or even the 1000th. I ist isnot beyonds hte realms of possiblility.
The link has not changed.
https://rosalieoldboys.com.au/hall-of-fame/

I thought you loyal Old Boy's would like an update on the Hall of Fame voting.

After todays polling six of the eight candidates are closely locked in a tussle for the two spots. A couple of votes could make all the difference to them.

Also there are only a few classes who have not submitted a vote. The earliest votes came from a 1956 cohort. The cohorts who have not submitted a vote are 1973, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

I think the amount of interest in this has been amazing. We still have September tp go before the polls close but to helps us please submit your votes early.

A reminder that the Hall of Fame voting link is:

Hall of Fame In 2025, MROBA established a Hall of Fame to recognise Old Boys whose achievements have brought honour to themselves, Marist College Rosalie, and the wider school community. It is the highest distinction an Old Boy can receive, recognising achievement, character,…

This evening while you are getting ready to work out how much you get to keep of your hard earned money this week or month give yourself a moment ot recall your memory if I have cast my vote for The MROBA Hall of Fame candidates.

A big thank you to those who have voted for the Hall of Fame so far. It is overwhelmingly pleasing to see so much support for this. The challenge with it was limiting the number of candidates to eight.

We intend to have a good number by the time we reach the Centenary celebrations of our school in 2029.

Marist Schools Australia have agreed to hang a plaque of each inductee in The Rosalie Room of The Marist Schools Australia.
I think we are going to have problems limiting the inductees to two this year but on the balance of probability there might be some ties for the wo places.

Keep those votes coming. The link is as follows: -

https://rosalieoldboys.com.au/hall-of-fame/

It is with great sadness that we received a message of the passing into eternal life of one of our Old Boys who was a cohort of 1977. The details of Joe's service can be seen on the attached photo.

An email will be sent to all members of his cohort and others in the adjacent years.

Good morning Fellow rosa Old Boys, I thought you might like and update on the Hall of Fame voting. I can inform you that the it is an interesting exercise analysing the votes that have come in so far. We have recorded 442 votes with still all of September ot go before Voting closes.

The oldest class who have vote are a some guys from 1957 and before that we have very few members on the database and many may not be in the bet of help or not with us anymore.

The only classes from 1956 who have not have a single voter send in a vote are as follows. 1969. 1970, 1973, 1979, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999 and finally 2002 through to 2008 when the school closed.

Those numbers above could tell a story. I do not have all of the enrolments for every year but I am wondering if the enrolment numbers started declining as far back as the 1990's and it was the beginning of the end for Rosa.

We have had difficulty engaging with guys from that era and they rarely respond to any type of communication. I would love ot hear from any guys from the 1990's until the school closed and perhaps have coffee with some to understand how we could engage and hear their Rosalie story.

Putting all that aside a big thank you to those members who follow us on Facebook and submitted a vote. We hope as many of your as possible can come to the AGM on 31st. October for the announcement and even have a drink and some food with each other.

Keeping the Rosa Spirit Alive
A reflection on heritage, service, and the future of the Marist Rosalie Old Boys’ community

Over recent weeks, I have been reflecting on the Marist Rosalie page and on the enormous amount of work our committee quietly undertakes to keep the Spirit of Rosa alive. Every post, photograph, story, event notice, and update is part of a wider effort to preserve the history, friendships, and heritage of the school we all share.

The response online shows that people are still interested. In the past four weeks alone, our pages have received 4,350 views, with many more visiting our website. The likes, ticks, comments, and occasional hearts are appreciated, because they remind us that the name Marist Rosalie still means something to many people.
Yet online encouragement, while welcome, is not the same as active participation. The real strength of any old boys’ association is not measured only by page views or compliments, but by the willingness of members to attend events, share memories, support initiatives, pay membership, and take part in decisions that shape the future.

For almost ten years, we have held the Rosalie Tribute Day, where Marist Ashgrove has played in cerise and blue jerseys against other AIC schools. Attendance from Old Boys has ranged from around 30 to 100. Some have chosen not to attend because they do not feel a connection with Ashgrove, yet it must be acknowledged that Ashgrove has done much to help us honour and keep alive the Rosa spirit. That support deserves recognition.

Another important occasion is the 1st XV Sports Day, where former Rosalie players who represented the school in 1st XV Rugby are invited to lunch with their Ashgrove counterparts. There is no cost to attend, and many may not realise that the event is funded by the Marist Ashgrove Old Boys’ Association. It is another example of shared Marist heritage being honoured through generosity and goodwill.

The Marist Vintage Lunch has also become a valued annual gathering. For approximately thirteen or fourteen years, Rosalie Old Boys have attended this event, with numbers generally ranging from 30 to 60. These occasions matter because they keep friendships alive and give older generations a place to reconnect with their story.

Alongside these shared events, we continue to hold Rosalie-only activities, including our AGM and lunch, as well as end-of-year Christmas drinks and nibblies at the Polish Club in Milton. These gatherings are simple but important reminders that heritage is not only found in buildings or records; it lives in conversation, memory, and fellowship.

In 2025, we introduced the Marist Rosalie Hall of Fame to create a lasting legacy for outstanding students educated at our school. Our first inductee was Stan Pilecki, whose name carries great significance in our community. This year, we have chosen to induct two more members, with the aim of reaching double digits by 2029, when we hope to mark the centenary of Rosa with a celebration worthy of its history.

To help fund our operating costs and begin saving for the centenary, we introduced an annual membership fee of $25 in 2023. From a database of approximately 1,400 members, around 200 are currently paid up for the 2026–2027 year. About 60 members did not renew from the previous year. These numbers are concerning, because without financial support the association cannot continue to preserve records, organise events, maintain communication, and plan for the future.

We are grateful for every sign of encouragement online, but when we ask members to participate in something as meaningful as Hall of Fame voting, the response is often very limited. A photograph may receive many reactions, yet only one or two people may take the next step and cast a vote. If we are serious about honouring our heritage, we need more than passive interest; we need active involvement.

The committee works hard, often with very little feedback, trying to judge what members want and how best to serve the wider Rosalie community. There has always been an open invitation for members to speak with the committee, attend meetings, offer ideas, or lend a hand. Sadly, over the past ten years, only a handful have taken up that invitation.

A few years ago, I spent considerable time trying to promote Rosalie to Brisbane Catholic Education, but numbers matter. It is difficult to make a strong case for the depth of our support when event attendance is low and a large majority of members do not contribute financially. Pride in Rosa must be shown not only in words, but in action.

Despite the challenges, I still feel a real sense of joy whenever I find another missing soul from our school community. Over the years, I have received many phone calls and listened to many Rosa stories: where people lived, what school meant to them, who they remembered, and how those years shaped their lives. I still have friends from my earliest school days and from almost every stage of my education. Nothing can take that away. If the day ever comes when the Marist Rosalie Old Boys’ Association can no longer continue, I will know that I tried my very best to keep the alumni spirit alive. The question for every one of us is simple: when history looks back, what will we be able to say we did to keep the Rosa Spirit alive?

I began my education at Marist College Rosalie in Year 4 in 1955. My aunts and sister were educated at the Sacred Heart Convent, and my uncle also attended Rosalie. At one time, he even had the same principal, Br Cyprian Dowd.

From the moment we arrived at the school, we were encouraged to feel proud of our heritage. We knew the names of the legends who had gone before us, what they achieved while at Rosalie, and the difference they made after their school days had ended.

There were people such as Bernie Pease, who represented Australia in rugby union against the touring French team. Others who come to mind include Hector Hogan, the only Australian male since Federation in 1901 to win a medal at the Melbourne Olympics in 1956, and Terry Corkran, one of our earliest past students and the first Australian to win a Military Cross in World War II. Terry is one of the names you will read about in this article as a candidate for induction into the 2026 Marist Rosalie Hall of Fame. You can read more about Terry and others by clicking on the following link:

https://rosalieoldboys.com.au/hall-of-fame/

Another famous name connected with the school was Éamon de Valera, the first President of the Republic of Ireland, who visited Rosalie for the laying of the foundation stone in 1948. I still have a copy of the photograph taken during that visit.

In my era there was our first Fall of Fame inductee, Stan Pilecki who represented Australia at rugby and played for over 100 games for Qld Reds.

An even more extensive list of revered Old Boys can be found on the Notable Alumni page of our website:
https://rosalieoldboys.com.au/notable-alumni/

The list is extensive, so I will not attempt to name everyone here. I do hope, however, that you will take the time to read through it and, in doing so, learn a little more about our remarkable school. The names represent many walks of life and many different kinds of achievement.

When I was at school, we were told stories about many of these wonderful Rosalie past students, and quite a few came back to visit us. I clearly remember Hector Hogan coming to the school. Such was our excitement that we almost overwhelmed this fine athlete as we tried to get close to him.

Over the years, I have often wondered whether later generations of boys were given the same opportunity to hear about the school’s proud history. If not, I think that would be a great loss.

There must be more boys from the more modern era who should be added to the Notable alumni list and we would welcome your assistance by providing who you think should be included on this page. A short synopsis on their eligibility would be helpful.
Through my role with the Marist Rosalie Old Boys’ Association (MROBA), I meet and speak with many men who were educated at our school. I always enjoy hearing their stories of growing up, their education, and the friendships and memories they carried with them from Rosalie.

I will admit that I did not always have the easiest time at school, but I came away with something very special: lifelong friends from every year I attended. When I look back, I cherish the good days, and there were far more of them than not.

The MROBA committee established the Marist Rosalie Hall of Fame because we believe that, even though the school has closed, it is important to preserve its legacy. We want to ensure that those who brought honour to our school, both during their time at Rosalie and in the years that followed, are remembered and celebrated.

We have found it challenging to connect with Old Boys who were educated from the late 1980s through to the school’s closure. I would especially welcome your ideas on how we can make MROBA more engaging, relevant, and enjoyable for you. We want every Old Boy to feel that this association belongs to them and that they have a place in keeping the spirit of Rosalie alive. – Jim Griffith

Hi Guys
We ask all members who have not yet submitted their votes for the 2026 Hall of Fame to take a few moments to do so. The process is straightforward: by following the link, you can review a concise profile of each nominee simply by selecting their name.

https://rosalieoldboys.com.au/hall-of-fame/

WHEN YOU OPEN THE WEB PAGE PLEASE READ AND FOLLOW THE PROCEDURE IN THE INTRODUCTION.

This is more than a vote. It is an opportunity to honour the enduring legacy of Marist College Rosalie and to reflect on the remarkable men whose achievements form part of our shared history. Some of these figures may belong to earlier generations, but their stories remain deeply connected to the school community.

You can read about these outstanding candidates by clicking the symbol next to their name. Remember that you have walked the same hallways, gathered in the same spaces, and shared in the same tradition that helped shape many of these past legends. Your participation helps preserve that history and ensures that the achievements of those who came before us continue to be recognised with the significance they deserve.

It is coming to that time of the year when we must schedule our Annual AGM. Preliminary details are outline in the attachment. We will be offering a complimentary lunch to all current financial members. We would love everyone ot come that can and you have until 30th. September to update your membership.