The St Catherine's School Anthem and Ode
"Our School anthem is a cornerstone in the distinctiveness of our School. With words from the Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 13), the Anthem speaks of what we would today refer to as the values of patience, kindness, generosity, self understanding, contentment, courtesy and grace, understanding obligation, calmness and peace, forgiveness, practical goodness, truth and trust, hope, fortitude, faithfulness and love's positive restorative power. This is the basis of our School culture. Such values should not be merely beautiful words or felt as fine sentiments. They must be our behavioural blueprint."
Sylvia Walton, Principal
Our School Anthem (based on Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians Chapter 13)
Tho' I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not love,
I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
And tho' I have the gift of prophecy,
and understand all myst'ries and all knowledge;
and tho' I have faith, so that I could remove mountains,
and have not love, I am nothing.
And tho' I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,
and tho' I give my body to be burned,
and have not love, it profiteth me nothing.
Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not;
love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own,
is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth;
beareth all things, believeth all things,
hopeth all things, endureth all things,
Love never faileth, but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail;
whether there be tongues, they shall cease;
whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three and the greatest of these is love.
(Music: June Epstein)
Our School Ode (Ode to St Catherine's)
We celebrate our golden past
and our future just beginning
Stand and unite, reach for the stars,
all our dreams will be fulfilling.
Friends we value, those who last,
friends from many nations
Leaders we choose; guidance we follow,
the future's in our hands.
There is one thread that binds us all,
a thread of gold and blue
Spun with creed and spirit true
of faith, hope and love.
We are not saintly but full of heart
St Catherine's wheel does us unite
We stand by truth, and aim not to fail
in the challenges of life.
As we pursue our hopes and dreams
on the path that lies before us
Our future's bright, we'll reach new heights
with St Catherine's as our guide.
(Words and Music: H Lovass, J Boskell, E Ng, B Valmorbida and St Catherine's Year 12 Class of 1996)