Manly Christian Brothers School was originally situated in Raglan Street, Manly and classes began in 1929 under the leadership of Br T Bourke. Until 1965 it educated boys through Primary Grades right up to Leaving Certificate standard in the Secondary School. ln 1965 classes began in a newly erected building in Darley Road for secondary school pupils and this became known as St Paul’s under the leadership of Br WX Simmons.
In 1966, Br JA Taylor CFC established the College we know today as St Paul’s.
Until 1982, St Paul’s was under the governance of the Christian Brothers which is an order constituted as a community of faith worship, of friendship and of service to the young People of God. In 1982 the Christian Brothers withdrew and Mr Brian Mayne was appointed as the first lay principal and for the first time, St Paul’s was fully staffed by lay people employed by the Archdiocese of Sydney.
In 1986 the Diocese of Broken Bay was formed and now St Paul’s, as well as the Parish of Manly, form part of this Diocese. Today St Paul’s is conducted by the Diocese of Broken Bay and staffed fully by lay people. The College specifically serves the Catholic Parishes of the Northern Beaches but offers Catholic Education for all. All students are required to study Religious Education, which is a Board-approved course and to attend the Religious observances and retreats, which are regularly organised and form part of the curriculum.
ln 2005 the refurbished and historic Archbishop’s Residence was handed over to the College and dedicated by Bishop David Walker as an educational administrative centre. in 2016 The Waterford Hall was opened. This purpose built multi-faceted building houses a multi-purpose court, stage, lecture theatre and creative and performing arts classrooms.
The St Paul’s crest is a symbol of our origins. The Celtic Cross symbolises the origin of the Brothers. Their founder, Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice, sought to bring to God, educate and thereby improve the quality of life of the boys then roaming the streets of Waterford, Ireland, at the beginning of the 19th century. He is a role model to our young men to place others at their centre, to serve the poor and marginalised with their lives, to make a real difference in our world.
The Star is a symbol of the Catholic faith and especially the Virgin Mary, known as the Star of the Sea, to whom the Brothers are deeply devoted. As the original College was a stone’s throw from Manly Beach, the symbol is most apt.
The College colours of red and black are traditional colours from the words found on St Paul’s own shield, “The Sword of the Spirit”, and signify zeal, effort and determination. The motto, Prima Primum, meaning first things first, is a challenge to order life’s priorities, typical of common sense, hardworking attitude to life of the Christian Brothers.
At this time in its history, St Paul’s is a thriving Catholic college for young men that is performing very strong academically, providing outstanding care for the wellbeing of all and is a place where your interests, qualities, and skills will be welcomed, and your hopes and wishes will be fostered.
