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St Columba's College
Location
2 Leslie Rd, Essendon Essendon , Victoria 3040 Australia
Coordinates	37°45′27″S144°54′51″E / 37.7574°S 144.9143°E /-37.7574; 144.9143
Information
Type	Catholic all-female secondary
Motto	Latin:Fidelis et Fortis (Faithful and Strong)
Established	1897; 128 years ago (1897)
Founder	Mother Ursula Bruton
Headmistress	Rita Grima
Grades	7–12
Enrolment	~1000
Colours	Navy blue and gold
Affiliations	Roman Catholic,Sisters of Charity
Website	www.columba.vic.edu.au

St Columba's College is an all-femaleRoman Catholicsecondary school inEssendon, a suburb ofMelbourne, Australia. It is one of fourSisters of Charity of Australia educational establishments, withSt Vincent's College, Potts Point,Mt St Michael's College, Brisbane, andCatholic Ladies College, Eltham.

After taking responsibility for St Monica's Parish Primary School inMoonee Ponds in 1896, Mother Ursula Bruton (died 1899)^[1] purchased the property at 139 Buckley Street to providesecondary education for the girls from St Monica's. Aprimary division was also offered from the college's earliest days. Mother Ursula believed that secondary education was needed so that young women could take their rightful place in society. She was the first principal and named the school St Columba's.

Columba was anIrish saint and a great scholar, who lived in the sixth century. The college motto chosen was "Fidelis et Fortis" meaning "faithful and strong", and the shield with its crown and dove reflected the Sisters of Charity's crest and Columba's name ("colm cille" meaning "church dove" inIrish). The first classes were held on 13 July 1897 for 47 students.

The initial educational program provided a broad and liberal education for young women and in 1900 presented its first candidates formatriculation.

The seven Houses and their associated colours are:

• Cater (Purple): After Sister Mary Lawrence Cater, who was the youngest of the five Pioneer Sisters and became the Head of a school for orphans atParramatta.
• Cahill (Yellow): After Sister Mary John Cahill, who was the eldest of the Pioneer Sisters and whose special ministry was with prisoners inSydney, Parramatta andHobart, as well as giving religious instruction in churches in Sydney and Hobart.
• Cunningham (Green): After Sister Mary Xavier Cunningham, who was the first Australian to enter theSisters of Charity. She was also the Matron of St. Vincent's Hospital for twenty two years.
• Williams (Blue): After Sister Mary Xavier Williams, who was a Novice at the time of arrival in Australia and her Profession of Vows was the first Profession in the colony. She was one of three Sisters who went to Hobart in 1847 where she visited gaols, hospitals and the homes of the poor.
• O'Brien (Orange): After Sister Mary Francis de Sale O'Brien, who was sent byMary Aikenhead to Paris to be trained in nursing and hospital management. She also left Sydney and ministered in Hobart.
• Bruton (Red): After Sister Mary Ursula Bruton, who was the first Principal ofSt. Vincent's College, Potts Point and opened St. Columba's College, Essendon in 1897.
• De Lacy (Pink): After Sister Mary Baptist de Lacy, who was the only one of the Pioneer Sisters who entered the Sisters of Charity, specifically for the Australian Mission. She was trained in Nursing and was the Foundress ofSt. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, which was the first hospital opened by the Sisters in Australia.

The eight Houses and their associated colours were previously:

• Caritas (Purple) – in recognition of the Sisters of Charity.
• Chisholm (Yellow) – AfterCaroline Chisholm, who supported immigrants.
• Columba (Navy blue) – After St Columba, the patron of the college.
• Cuthbert (Green) – AfterBetty Cuthbert, Australian sportswomen.
• Franklin (Light blue) – AfterMiles Franklin, writer.
• Gilmore (Grey) – After DameMary Gilmore, writer.
• Lyons (Red) – After DameEnid Lyons, a politician.
• Melba (White) – After DameNellie Melba, soprano singer.

This article's list of alumnimay not follow Wikipedia'sverifiability policy. Pleaseimprove this article by removing names that do not have independentreliable sources showing they merit inclusion in this articleand are alumni, or by incorporating the relevant publications into the body of the article through appropriatecitations.(March 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

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• Official website

• Rock Eisteddfod Challenge participants
• Girls' schools in Victoria (state)
• Catholic secondary schools in Melbourne
• Sisters of Charity schools
• Essendon, Victoria
• Educational institutions established in 1897
• 1897 establishments in Australia
• Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia
• Buildings and structures in the City of Moonee Valley
• Sisters of Charity of Australia

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