A wonderful night of celebration took place at the St Andrews Conservatory in Fitzroy where Old Paradian’s gathered to recognise and acknowledge our recent inductees to the Hall of Fame.

The Association was very fortunate to secure sponsorship for the event. Qube Logistics was again our Premier sponsor and have been a generous supporter of the OPA and, of course, a major sponsor of the Old Paradians Football Club this year. Auscool was our Gold Sponsor. Special thanks to Andrew Hume (1999), Managing Director at Auscool for his support of the Association.

In what is the Association's 110^th year, Old Paradians spanning 70 years of that history were in attendance. Every decade from the 1950’s to the 2020’s was represented from our oldest, Ray Hangan (1951) and Fr. Brian Glasheen (1955) to our youngest Committee member and College Captain 2023 Matthew Warke.

There were 100 guests in the room that generated great conversation and pride. We were able to welcome past Hall of Fame inductees. Peter McKenna (1963), Peter Bedford (1964), Michael Pratt (1972), and Terry Moran. Michael Drapac (1973), David Jones and Andrew Robb were apologies. They were joined on the evening with our latest inductees the late Frank Mount (1918) and Peter Helliar (1993).

Fr Jaycee Napoles (2004) did a beautiful job with the saying of Grace. Jaycee was ordained into the Priesthood in December 2021.

It was terrific that Peter Helliar could be joined by his wife Bridget and three boys, Aiden, Liam and Oscar, and his parents Bill and Helen. The Mount family was very well represented on the evening. Frank Mount’s boys Frank Jr, James, John and Pat and their wives and children enjoyed the opportunity to catch up and celebrate Frank’s induction. Former Parade College Principal Andy Kuppe, now CEO EREA Victoria presented the Frank Mount’s award. The Mount name is synonymous with Parade. Frank’s father John Mount attended St Francis on the very first school day of Christian Brothers in Australia in 1868. Remarkably legend has it, John lent Br Treacy his Bible! Frank’s contribution to the College, the OPA and the OPA Football Club has been extraordinary, and it was very fitting that he, belatedly, be honoured in this way.

Details of Frank’s nomination can be found at https://www.oldparadians.com.au/hall-of-fame/frank-mount

Former College staff members Mark (1974) and Anne Natoli presented Pater Helliar with his award. Both Anne and Mark’s fathers are Old Paradians, Owen Abrahams (1948) and Angelo Natoli (1936). Mark taught a young Peter Helliar in Year 7 in Drama and even then, there was a thespian in the making. Mark completed the bookend teaching Peter in the Senior years. A highlight of that time was Mark worked with Peter and good mates Mark Farrell and Neil Sharkey put together what might be considered a creative school newsletter called ‘The Old Pile’. Anne taught Peter in the middle years where, as she said, she “was happily co-opted into lunchtime supervisions of Peter and his troubadours as they scripted, rehearsed, made props and performed appropriated TV ads, parodied film franchises and presented breaking ‘Parade News’ in the student-led assemblies.

He somehow always met the challenge to connect the assembly’s scriptural theme to the performance skits”. It was clear there was a burning ambition to perform, and Peter has achieved that in spades.

Details of Peter’s nomination can be found at https://www.oldparadians.com.au/hall-of-fame/peter-helliar

On the evening, I was deeply honoured to receive the Old Paradians Associations' Tenete Award. Angelo Mazzone (1982), President of the Old Paradian's Association made the presentation on behalf of the Association and I was most appreciative of his kind words.

Written by John Nicholls.