Today's Daily News carried yet another example of how FDMC old boys are to be found every where doing almost every thing. Recent old boy Maxim Van Lierde is off to ride horses across the Mongol Steppe. It would not surprise us if he was to run across another old boy out there doing his own thing.

Full article here.

One of the great things about the holiday season is running across people you haven't seen for ages. Pictured above is Richard Shaw who we caught up with while he was back visiting his mum Liz and some of his old mates.

Richard was a student at FDMC in the early 1980's and is currently an Associate Professor at Massey University. He is also involved in a a range of other Campus roles including looking at how to get more of our local lads to see Massey as a favoured tertiary option. 

We stand to be corrected but we don't believe we have ever had an FDMC old boy nominated for an Oscar. Until now that is. Anthony McCarten has been plying his trade as a writer for three decades and his nomination is just reward for sticking at it in a very hard artistic field. We will have our fingers crossed come the big night.

Great news to start the new year with our own Br Pat Lynch being named a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year Honours List. Br Pat was given the award in recognition of his long and sterling service to education in New Zealand and catholic education in particular.

Br Pat is not an old boy of FDMC but taught here during the 1970s and has been on our Board of Trustees for over 30 years. He spent a number of years as the Principal of De La Salle in Mangere and has been the CEO of the Catholic Education Office over the last few decades.  

He has given a great deal of time, enthusiasm, expertise and vision to furthering the cause of catholic schools in New Zealand and the award is great recognition of his service. Knowing Br Pat we are sure he will also say that it is a reflection of how the catholic education system has flourished and developed such a positive reputation in the last 30 years.

Well done Brother, there can be few better examples of faith, service and community in a modern world setting.