Role of the Marists in New Zealand Father (later Bishop)
Jean Baptiste François Pompallier, first bishop of the Roman Catholic Church in New Zealand, was one of the thirteen founders of the
Society of Mary (Marists). The canonical approbation of the Society of Mary was given by
Pope Gregory XVI in 1836. Fr Jean-Claude Colin had a close association with Pompallier who accompanied the French Marist Missionaries to New Zealand. The Society of Mary became involved in missionary work and teaching, work that was very similar to the missions of the
Jesuits, but which had a distinctive Marian approach. Before 1877, education in New Zealand was a provincial jurisdiction, with many schools being established by churches or private funding. With the
Education Act 1877, the New Zealand Government centralised control through twelve regional education boards to introduce free, compulsory and secular education. Schools intending to teach religious instruction could not receive Government assistance. The Society of Mary continued to build the foundations for a Catholic System of Education, sourcing religious teachers from Ireland, Europe and Australia. In 1885, the Society of Mary established St. Patrick's College in Cambridge Terrace, Wellington. St. Patrick's College was the first Society of Mary secondary school for Boys in New Zealand.
Foundation of St. Bede's College St Bede's College, Christchurch, was established in 1911 at the request of
Bishop John Joseph Grimes S.M., and the first Catholic Bishop of Christchurch. The college bears the name of
The Venerable Bede (AD 673–735) an English
Benedictine monk, scholar, and saint. The Society owned St Bede's College. The school was originally located along Ferry Road, but it outgrew its facilities. The college had the option of purchasing the current site or that of
St. Andrew's College, Christchurch in
Merivale. The chapel was originally used as a gym, but with the building of Chanel Hall, it became obsolete and so was converted to a chapel. The chapel contains the Board of Honour, honouring Bedeans who fought and died for their country in both world wars. The chapel was demolished in 2011 after the
Christchurch earthquakes.
College site The college was moved in 1920 to its present site on 220,000 square metres of fields and trees at the northern entrance to the city. Most of the original buildings had to be demolished in 1981 due to new earthquake safety requirements. However, the chapel and half of Durham remained standing until the 2011 earthquake. Over the years, buildings have continued to be added to the college, including the Alistair Macdonald Centre for the Performing Arts, Jarrow (a senior boarding dorm) as well as a new gymnasium.
Effects from the Canterbury earthquakes As a result of the severe
2011 Canterbury earthquake on 22 February, the school was fortunately spared, although the school was shut until 14 March to undergo building inspections. Sister school Marian College in Shirley, Christchurch was not so fortunate, being severely damaged. Marian College is an all-girls school, and it was decided to share facilities with St. Bedes. The boys from St. Bedes attended school using a "morning timetable" up until 13:00, with the girls continuing on in the afternoon and evening. The celebration of the 100th anniversary of St. Bedes College, due to take place at the end of May 2011, was also postponed as a result of the earthquake until a year later in May 2012. The Grimes boarding house was found unsafe due to quake damage resulting in the relocation of year ten and twelve students to the Durham boarding house. Grimes was demolished in early 2013 along with the Chapel of St Bede, previously the only original building on the site. The Chapel hall was demolished at the end of 2013; replaced with a green space known as 'The Knole'. A new chapel was completed in 2019
Abuse allegations A former staff member was charged in late 2024 for sexual offences against boarders at the college about two decades earlier. The college cancelled planned celebrations for the centenary of boarding at the school in 2025 due to the allegations. In February 2025 it was revealed the allegations were against Father Rowan Donoghue, a Catholic priest who had overseen the boarding school during the mid-to-late 1990s. Fr Donoghue had admitted six charges, including indecent assault on a boy aged 12–16, indecent assault on a boy 16 and over, and sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, for which he is awaiting sentencing. Further, in February 2026, three allegations were publicised against Father Brian Cummings, who also served as Rector of St Bede's College from 1990-2001, and as Deputy Rector at St Patrick's Silverstream College prior to that. Fr Cummings passed in 2022. The claims against Fr Cummings were made in 1996, 2014 and 2023. ==Philosophy and Marist Tradition==