Xavier College is a Catholic school founded in 1878 by the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits).

Newman College is named after John Henry Newman (1801-1890), one of the greatest English writers and theologians of the 19th century.

In 1911, Walter Burley Griffin won the international competition for the design of Canberra. Two years later, he came from the U.S.A. to begin the work. Not long afterwards he was invited to become the architect of the new University College which the Catholics of Victoria had decided should be erected on the site granted to them in 1882 by the Government of Victoria. The founders of Newman College received an initial donation of $30,000 from Mr. Thomas Donovan of Sydney, but the remainder of the funds required (over $60,000) was raised by collections in the parishes. On 11 June, 1916, the foundation stone was laid by Archbishop Carr, then Archbishop of Melbourne. It may still be seen near the present Office. Almost two years later - on 11 March, 1918 - the College was opened.

The administration of the College was entrusted to the Jesuit Fathers, under the College Council, and the College is still conducted by them. The Rectors have been: James O'Dwyer (1918-1919), Albert Power (1919-1923), Jeremiah Murphy (1923-1954), Philip Gleeson (1954-1961), Michael Scott (1961-1968), Gerald Daily (1968-1977), Brian Fleming (1977-1986), William Uren (1987-1990), Peter L'Estrange (1991- 2005), William Uren (2006 - 2019), Frank Brennan (2020 - ). The first lay Provost, Mr Sean Burke, was appointed in 2013.

When the College opened in 1918, 56 students were in residence. Originally, in accordance with Oxford and Cambridge practice, each student was given two rooms, but as the demand for residence increased the system was modified, so that two students shared two rooms. As designed by Griffin, Newman College was to consist of four wings, with the Chapel in between. Unfortunately, funds were lacking to complete this plan in the difficult years which followed World War 1, and in later years financial considerations forced a departure from Griffin's original design.

Born: 26 December 1886, Dublin City, County Dublin
Entered: 07 September 1903, St Stanislaus College, Tullabeg, County Offaly
Ordained: 15 August 1919, Milltown Park, Dublin
Final Vows 02 February 1923, Leuven, Belgium

Left Society of Jesus: 10 February 1926

Older Brother of William (Gerry) Owens - RIP 1963

by 1915 at Stonyhurst England (ANG) studying
by 1922 at Drongen Belgium (BELG) making Tertianship
by 1923 at Leuven Belgium (BELG) studying
by 1912 in Australia - Regency at Xavier College, Melbourne

The second public (independent) and first Catholic secondary school in Victoria, St Patrick's College was founded in East Melbourne on 5 December 1854. After struggling with financial and scholastic difficulties in its first decade, the college flourished under the administration of the Jesuits from September 1865. Despite low enrolments in both the school and attached seminary at the turn of the century, the college continued to function as an important pillar of the intellectual and spiritual life of Melbourne's Catholic community. Over 5000 students had passed through St Patrick's by 1968, when Archbishop Knox decided it was to close. The decision met with spirited resistance from the school and wider community, but proceeded despite legal wrangling and an attempt to have the site classified by the National Trust. Demolished in the early 1970s, all that remains of the physical school is the bluestone East Tower close to the corner of Lansdowne Street and Cathedral Place. The St Patrick's Old Collegians Association (founded 1911) survives.

Province Archivist, Australian Jesuit Archives

Born: 23 January 1910, Sandymount, Dublin, County Dublin
Entered: 02 September 1929, St Stanislaus College, Tullabeg, County Offaly
Ordained: 13 May 1942, Milltown Park, Dublin
Final Vows: 23 March 1945,
Died: 24 April 1982, New Jersey, NJ, USA

Left Society of Jesus: 1957/8

Transcribed: HIB to ASL 05 April 1931

by 1950 at Ricci Hall Hong Kong (HIB) working

Born: 01 October 1872, Galway City, County Galway
Entered: 07 September 1892, St Stanislaus College, Tullabeg, County Offaly

Left Society of Jesus: 1907 - health reasons

Educated at Mungret College SJ

by 1896 at Valkenburg Netherlands (GER) studying

Came to St Francis Xavier College, Melbourne, Australia for Regency, 1898

Born: 18 October 1888, County Cork
Entered: 16 January 1909, St Stanislaus College, Tullabeg, County Offaly

Left Society of Jesus: 08 October 1919

by 1912 at Stonyhurst England (ANG) studying
Came to Australia for Regency 1913 at Xavier College, Melbourne
by 1918 at of St Joseph’s College, Philadelphia in MARNEB Province - health