The CBC gentleman
How we live the journey
“I SEE NO VALUE IN A CENTRE OF LEARNING WHICH CHURNS OUT
“THANKS TO FAITH WE HAVE COME TO UNDERSTAND
NUMEROUS SCHOOL LEAVERS EACH YEAR AND IS PASSIVELY PART
THE UNIQUE DIGNITY OF EACH PERSON. FAITH SHEDS
OF A SOCIETY TORN APART BY DIVISION... OUR SCHOOLS EXIST TO
LIGHT ON EVERY HUMAN RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE IT
CHALLENGE POPULAR BELIEFS AND DOMINANT CULTURAL VALUES,
IS BORN OF LOVE AND REFLECTS GOD’S OWN LOVE.”
TO ASK THE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS, TO LOOK AT LIFE FROM THE
POPE FRANCIS ENCYCLICAL LETTER LUMEN FIDEI
STANDPOINT OF THE MINORITY, THE VICTIM, THE OUTCAST AND THE STRANGER.” BR PHILIP PINTO
At CBC Fremantle we embark on a shared journey with the families of the College in the development of their sons from today’s boys into
Our strength and effectiveness as a College depends on the home and school combining to deliver a consistent message to each boy about what it means to develop as a good young man. Our graduates should be distinguished by the following characteristics:
the gentlemen of tomorrow. The CBC journey is carefully planned in
such an extent that every student enjoys success if they provide their best effort.
Tomorrow’s gentleman forms attitudes and actions based on Gospel values. We believe that Gospel values are immutable, may be embraced equally by people of all faiths and should underpin the relationships between all members of our community. Critical to the achievement of this vision is a shared understanding and acceptance of the specific values which we uphold, requiring these values to be explicitly expressed, consistently applied and unapologetically promoted.
Tomorrow’s gentleman is accountable, resilient and prepared to face and overcome challenges. At CBC Fremantle we ask all parents to love their sons unconditionally and to support the school in keeping them accountable for their actions. We acknowledge that this can be a delicate balance but it is critical to the establishment of the essential coping techniques which are characteristic of the well-formed young adult. It is only through learning that they must accept responsibility for their shortcomings and that being accountable builds resilience, that our young men will be prepared to successfully cope with the more complex challenges of adulthood.
Tomorrow’s gentleman strives to be his best and understands the inherent value of doing so. The quest for personal excellence is an admirable aspiration which is widely employed as an ideal in many schools. At CBC Fremantle, we introduce a further refining concept which has far reaching implications and offers greater challenge around this ideal. We adopt the mantra that once a boy offers his best in any field of endeavour, it is always good enough. This cultural belief necessitates that every activity conducted at the College must be differentiated to
Tomorrow’s gentleman is selfless by nature and able to form positive, mutually-beneficial relationships. Many of the strong influences in the life of an adolescent (media, music, peers) attempt to position the young person as the ‘centre of the world’. In an attempt to promote consumerism and the accompanying materialistic focus, the message is promulgated that the path to happiness lies in prioritising ‘self’. The Christian message which forms the foundation of our school’s philosophy could not be more diametrically opposed. It presents
a rites of passage context to foster a sense of belonging, achievement and purpose in each young man as he transitions from a child’s way of thinking into an adult psychology. Critical to this development is the inclusive culture of the College where every boy is supported to reach his own personal level of excellence and discover a sense of identity and worth. With Gospel Values at the centre of everything we do, our young men are inspired to seek God and express their love in service and a life of active faith. They are challenged to be independent thinkers and encouraged to distinguish what is true and what is false so they can build a future the truth that the only lasting happiness one will find, and the only enduring sense of purpose one can attain, is derived from what is done for others, and not for oneself. Tomorrow’s gentleman recognises and values the ‘other’ in his life. At CBC Fremantle we believe that God often comes to each of us disguised as the stranger in our lives. This ‘other’ can be the stranger in the sense that they are not personally known to us or they can be the person who offers us the greatest challenge to our beliefs. The stranger is likely to be the individual who challenges our values and forces us to reconsider our actions. Although this ‘stranger’ can often have an unsettling effect upon us, they also represent significant opportunities for growth. An inclusive community is not characterised by a totally like-minded cohort.
that is concerned with human dignity and care for our environment. We understand that the quality of relationships is critically important in the lives and education of our boys. To fully develop into a CBC gentleman, it is essential that everyone they encounter at school has an interest in their growth beyond their capabilities as a student. The College unites with families to provide a clear and consistent message of what is required to be a good young man, and celebrates and honours every step of their journey from today’s boys into tomorrow’s gentlemen.
A CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN THE EDMUND RICE TRADITION
51 Ellen Street Fremantle Western Australia 6160 PO Box 1345 Fremantle Western Australia 6959 T 08 9336 2700 www.cbcfremantle.wa.edu.au
The CBC Journey FROM TODAY’S BOY TO TOMORROW’S GENTLEMAN