Bunbury Catholic College to kick off 50th anniversary celebrations this weekend

As Bunbury Catholic College celebrates 50th year in 2023, the milestone celebrations will kick off this weekend with a Celebratory Mass and Community Picnic.

This Saturday, alumni, staff, and friends are invited to join the school’s half century Thanksgiving Mass taking place in the school’s La Valla Sports Centre commencing at 4:15pm.

The celebration will be followed by a community picnic on Albert Oval from 5:15-8pm.

Bunbury Catholic College Principal Michael Pepper said he is looking forward to celebrating the past and present of the school.

“This celebration is an opportunity for our current and former staff, students and families to come together and to celebrate and rekindle many lifelong connections, but also an opportunity for our community to reflect on where we’ve come from, and where we are today,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to meeting the people who have been part of this college community, and all their family members of people who may not have been able to be with us having having their family members being welcomed back into the school.”

The College Hall will also be open for viewing, showcasing school memorabilia of important people and events that assisted in shaping the school over it’s 50 years of operation.

Established in 1973, BCC became a co-educational school after merging the former Francis Xavier school for boys, founded by the Marist brothers, and St Jospeh’s High School, ran by the Mercy Sisters educating mostly female students.

Serving as principal for the past four years, Mr Pepper said he is proud to be involved in a school with such “family spirit.”

“I think it’s the calibre of the students and the family spirit that we have within the community that I love most,” he said.

“We have a number of students whose parents and grandparents have been through the school and I think that’s something really special.

“But just the quality of the kids and the compassion for others, that’s something that hasn’t changed since the school began.”

Families wishing to attend the celebrations are invited to join the fun, encouraged to bring their own picnic rug and food, with food trucks also available on the night.

This weekend will be the first of a multitude events put on by the school to celebrate the milestone, with a dinner dance and ex-student reunion just some of the other festivities planned for later in the year.