In his final year at the College Chris was Senior Prefect for Pastoral Services, President of the St Vincent de Paul Society and recipient of the Fr Vincent Conway SJ Memorial Prize for Outstanding Character. He enjoyed sports, debating and cadets. Chris worked for the Australian Conservation Foundation on environmental projects, then moved to Senegal in Africa with World Vision. Whilst there, in mid-2015, he founded Gaïa, a social enterprise which aims to develop local communities, promote nutrition and encourage better resource and environmental management. Returning to Australia in 2019, Chris began working with Jesuit Mission, coordinating development projects in India, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Philippines and Papua New Guinea. In 2021, Chris was appointed the coordinator of The Binsey Group, the College’s sustainability group. Here he helps us respond to the Jesuit Universal Apostolic Preference to be “Caring for our Common Home” In his own words, Chris is “passionate about people, the environment and social justice.”

Tim was an able student, doing well academically and in the co-curricula. In later years, he was a founding member of The Bellarmine Academy. In 2006, in Year 8, Tim burst onto the Athletics scene and in later years made his mark in Rugby. Whilst at school, Tim wrestled with some mental health issues which later motivated him to focus attention on support networks for this critical issue. Since leaving school, Tim has walked 6000 km from the bottom to the top of Australia as part of a suicide prevention campaign, raising some $40,000 for Lifeline. He has trekked on the West Coast and then across America. In addition to that, he has given many talks and contributed to forums for men’s mental health advocacy. In a sense, Tim’s story reflects something of Richard’s. Both of them had a great affection for the school, but there were times when the going was really tough. Yet, in time, they found their strength and their gifts, turning these towards the care and support of others.

Alex was head of the St Vincent de Paul Society in Year 12 and he frequently volunteered with the Night Patrol. In his first year out of school, Alex joined Nugacity, a group of alumni who ran a homeless shelter out of St Canice’s Parish in Elizabeth Bay for three years. In its second year, he was responsible for opening the shelter for a second night each week. Life for Koori Kids is a voluntary community organisation in the Redfern area which concentrates on the wellbeing and support in health and education, social, sport and cultural pursuits with Aboriginal children and their families. Alex has been involved in an ongoing basis with Life for Koori Kids in Redfern since 2009. He became the Chairman of Life for Koori Kids in 2013, attending the Saturday BBQs in Redfern and helping organise sporting activities for the kids, including a recent four-day visit to Uluru. Alex has helped other charities over the years including Youth Off the Streets.

Whilst at the College Andrew was a Prefect and was awarded Academic Colours and prizes for Visual Arts including The Hon. John Kearney QC KCSG Memorial Prize for Visual Arts. After beginning his career as a photojournalist in Sydney, Andrew has been based in Kabul, Afghanistan since 2013. He has travelled to more than 20 provinces across Afghanistan, work from which has garnered several awards, including the Gold Walkley – the highest prize in Australian journalism, the George Polk Award for Photojournalism, and a Picture of the Year International Award. In 2016 a selection of Quilty’s work from ‘Afghanistan, After Enduring Freedom’, was exhibited at the world’s premier festival for Photojournalism, Visa pour l’Image in Perpignan, France.

Andrew was College Vice-Captain, involved in Cadets, Music ensembles and Athletics. He had a ‘gap’ year working at Clongowes, the Jesuit College in Ireland, and as a volunteer personal carer at a home for young disabled men in England. For many years he has been Team Coordinator for St Vincent de Paul Night Patrol, and also volunteered as a telephone counsellor for Lifeline. In 2010 Andrew worked for a year as a volunteer with Engineers Without Borders (EWB) in Hyderabad, South India and in the Nepalese town of Bharatpur. He was awarded the UTS Young Alumni of the Year in 2010. Andrew continues to volunteer for EWB enabling local engineers to assist international projects. He has managed the UTS AFL team, competed in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race and the Round the Island Race in England.

At school Ben was an accomplished trumpeter, performed regularly at College assemblies and liturgies and each year played the Last Post at ANZAC and Remembrance Day Services. Ben embraced an opportunity to combine his faith with his passion for music, and worked in the North Harbour Parish as the Youth and Music Minister. He has attended two World Youth Days and his music ministry has included a range of Diocesan events, including events for people with disabilities. Ben performs in a band with a number of former Aloysian classmates, specialising in children’s music. As a young Old Boy, Ben participated in the College’s Companions Programme as a Mentor to students.

Having been exposed to the plight of Sydney’s homeless community as a member of the St Vincent de Paul Society, Oliver volunteered with Nugacity, a homeless shelter at the Parish of St Canice’s, Elizabeth Bay. Oliver then became involved with the Manjeri School in the rural district of Buikwe, Uganda. The school provides education for more than 280 students and is supported by alumni/ae from Saint Ignatius’ College, Riverview, Xavier College, Melbourne and Loreto Kirribilli. Their approach is to empower local youth with a sense of ownership and accountability. The community has developed several small business projects to generate income so it can be self-sustaining. Oliver has completed a degree in Law and International Studies and works with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra.

Alex was introduced to Life for Koori Kids in 2004 through the College’s Faith in Service program. After school Alex continued to volunteer each Saturday morning at the BBQ breakfast and touch football. He assisted with outings such as indoor rock climbing, tenpin bowling and kayaking. Through consistent involvement he built friendships and deepened relationships with indigenous families. He became a member of the management committee for Life for Koori Kids. Over the years Alex has learnt about the enjoyment that comes from community involvement, and assisting with the education of children. Alex gained qualifications as an electrical contractor, studied a Bachelor of Engineering, and is working for a large construction contractor.

Sebastian founded Batyr to assist young people addressing difficult social issues ranging from depression and anxiety to sexuality. His own experience of dealing with depression whilst studying at University, and holding major leadership roles, encouraged him to want to engage and educate young people to seek help when needed. Sebastian has used his skills in business to develop a platform for young people to ‘give a voice to the elephant in the room’. Sebastian has discussed mental health issues here at the College with the Year 9s and 10s. He has also volunteered, as the young Old Boy, on a College Philippines Immersion.

Immediately after completing school, Ben and Bernard spent a service year in Vietnam. The Vicar-General of the Vinh Diocese arranged for them to be placed as volunteers in the most needy and poorest parishes in Central Vietnam. They worked as volunteers teaching English in the Diocese. They were resilient, creative and good-humoured. There were challenges with a new language, heat and humidity, floods and cold, meals of rice and weight-loss. They took a leap of faith and had a life-enriching experience for a whole year. Serving others is a venture of being caught up in a vision of the world that is noble and daring. To serve the poor is to live in freedom.

Henry was Senior Prefect for Pastoral Services, and involved in many areas of College life. After school Henry sought out a service year placement in Timor-Leste. Henry volunteered as a teacher of English in Cristo Rey San Jośe Jesuit High School. He also taught English to young Jesuits and worked at a Jesuit mission parish in Railaco, where he helped with a feeding program for the poorest villagers in remote areas. He also wrote scripts for a Jesuit communications centre there. Henry suffered a bout of malaria in Timor-Leste. He was evacuated to Darwin twice; for appendicitis and after a bad car accident. He gave much to make a difference.

Dominic studied to be a music teacher at the Australian Catholic University. After Dominic graduated he volunteered for a service year to Chuuk, in the Federated States of Micronesia. Xavier High School is a coeducational school that accepts students from many outlying island groups and states. It depends for its survival upon Jesuit Volunteers (young graduates from Jesuit universities in the United States) as well as two Old Boys from St Aloysius’ (post-Year 12). As a trained teacher Dominic was able to offer his skills for twelve months to an under-resourced school, in a distant place, and in tough conditions to young people who deserve better.

After graduating from university, both James’ travelled to India and Africa. It was a break but also an opportunity to work with, and for, those on the edge. When they arrived in Kenya they were recommended an orphanage in which to work. They discovered the managers were pocketing funds intended for the welfare of the children and exposing the children in their care to risk. When they threatened to report this corruption, the management fled and they were left with an orphanage to support and manage. They have worked at establishing a cooperative for the young people and are now involved in Kickstart at Olturoto Children’s Village. They have expanded a farm to improve the local income generation, opened their second house for orphans, and successfully reintegrated the first group of girls into loving families and built a strong local management team. Many Aloysian families have supported their project including the Junior School’s Air Guitars for Africa night.

John was one of five O’Reilly brothers who attended St Aloysius’ College. John studied Economics/Law and became a specialist in international trade and transport. He served the Kili kids in Tanzania, Africa, not far from Mount Kilimanjaro. They are the victims and survivors of HIV/AIDS, and John established a residential project and cooperative farm to support them. Through his family, class-mates and others with whom they work, they built a network to support this endeavour.

Jim was College Vice-Captain, Company Commander in Cadets, a debater and public speaker, and involved in many other areas of College life. For community service in Year 11 he supported Teresa House associated with the Cana Communities for the homeless people in Sydney. He continued to support Teresa House by sleeping-over with the homeless throughout his university studies and in-between overseas commitments. He studied Economics and Social Science and worked internationally (including a factory in China and started a business in Korea). He then took on the challenge of managing a development project for young people in Zimbabwe. This included a residential component which housed fifty-five children orphaned by HIV/AIDS.

Nick, through his involvement at the Parish of St Canice’s Elizabeth Bay, went to the Dominican Republic where he worked with the Jesuit Director of the Fe y Alegría (faith and joy) schools. These ‘informal’ schools throughout Central and South America help educate the poor in the barrios and villages on the periphery. Nick taught indigenous peoples in a Fe y Alegría school in Panama City, and worked with indigenous peoples in the parish of Jaque, a little village north of the Columbian border. He taught English to Indian communities and refugees from Columbia along the river. Access was only by boat or plane as there were no roads or cars.