Sadly, Brother Joseph Byrne, who after several weeks of very poor health, passed away on the morning of 1 February 2019. He served the Granville, Fairfield and Blacktown communities during his sixty-two years in the ministry of the Patrician Brothers. Grant eternal rest unto him O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.
Brother Joseph Byrne was born to James and Annie on the 9 May, 1939. He hails from County Wicklow in Ireland. He came to Aus-tralia on the P&O Liner Himalaya, arriving in Sydney in December 1957. For many years he was known by his religious name as Basil before reverting to his baptismal name of Joseph.
For the greater part of his first thirty years in Australia Joseph served in the boys’ primary schools of Granville, Blacktown and Fairfield, fulfilling multiple roles, but mainly as teacher and principal. His terms as primary principal: Blacktown, 1968 and 1969; Granville, 1975 to 1980; and Fairfield, 1981 and 1982. His longest posting was at Granville (1958 – 1967 & 1970 – 1980). In 1984 he took a year’s study leave after which he made a transition into parish work as a pastoral associate.
His initial pastoral work was in the parish of Blacktown and from 1997 he was an active member of the parish pastoral team in the parish of St John’s Riverstone. As well as being advanced in the spiritual domain, Joseph had a great commitment to physical fitness also. He was a regular and good golfer, squash player, and a keen cyclist, even cycling to Melbourne on one occasion!
Poor health required Joseph moving into Rosary Village Aged Care, Yennora, in June 2018. He was comfortable and happy there until his health seriously deteriorated in early January 2019. He died in his sleep on the morning of the 1st February. He had ministered as a Patrician for sixty-two years.
Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
www.parra.catholic.edu.au
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29 Sep 2026
From Facebook
Over the past six months, two of our Year 11 students have taken part in the Max Potential program, using their voices, passion and leadership to create positive change in our community. 🌟 ✨ Paige’s project, See the Signs, promoted respectful relationships and raised awareness of the signs of coercive control. 👟 Kuae’s project, Walk in Their Shoes, raised awareness of homelessness and advocated for people experiencing homelessness. We are incredibly proud of Paige and Kuae for their compassion, courage and commitment to making a difference. Their leadership reminds us that even small actions can create meaningful change. 💙🙌28 Sep 2026
From Facebook
Our Year 11 students took time away from their usual routines to come together for their retreat. 🌱 The retreat gave students the opportunity to pause, reflect and focus on their formation and spirituality. Through prayer, reflection and shared activities, they strengthened their connection with God, built meaningful relationships with their teachers and peers, and considered how they can continue to grow in faith and community. 🙏💛 Thank you to everyone who helped make the day such a special and memorable experience for our Year 11 students. ✨
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29 Sep 2026
From Facebook
Over the past six months, two of our Year 11 students have taken part in the Max Potential program, using their voices, passion and leadership to create positive change in our community. 🌟 ✨ Paige’s project, See the Signs, promoted respectful relationships and raised awareness of the signs of coercive control. 👟 Kuae’s project, Walk in Their Shoes, raised awareness of homelessness and advocated for people experiencing homelessness. We are incredibly proud of Paige and Kuae for their compassion, courage and commitment to making a difference. Their leadership reminds us that even small actions can create meaningful change. 💙🙌
28 Sep 2026
From Facebook
Our Year 11 students took time away from their usual routines to come together for their retreat. 🌱 The retreat gave students the opportunity to pause, reflect and focus on their formation and spirituality. Through prayer, reflection and shared activities, they strengthened their connection with God, built meaningful relationships with their teachers and peers, and considered how they can continue to grow in faith and community. 🙏💛 Thank you to everyone who helped make the day such a special and memorable experience for our Year 11 students. ✨
28 Sep 2026
From Facebook
🎓💚 Celebrating the Class of 2026 💚🎓 A truly special day as we celebrated our Year 12 students at their Graduation Mass and Awards Ceremony🙏✨ From their first days at Delany to this moment, our graduating students have grown, challenged themselves, created lifelong friendships and made memories that will stay with them forever 💚 The Graduation Mass gave us a beautiful opportunity to pause, reflect and give thanks for the journey they have shared as a year group. We then celebrated their achievements and the many ways they have contributed to our College community🏆 To the Class of 2026... we are incredibly proud of the young people you have become. As you close this chapter and begin a new one, remember the people, friendships, lessons and memories that have shaped your time at Delany. You may be leaving our school grounds, but you will always have a place in the Delany family💚 Congratulations, Year 12! May your future be filled with courage, purpose, happiness and every success. 🎓✨ #delanycollegegranville
26 Sep 2026
From Facebook
🎉 A Standing Ovation for Lamea Pirini! 🎶 Congratulations to Lamea Pirini on receiving a nomination for ENCORE for her outstanding HSC Music Performance! ENCORE showcases a selection of the finest HSC Music major works from across New South Wales, celebrating excellence in performance, composition and musicology. The concert will be held at the Sydney Opera House on Monday, 22 February 2027. A heartfelt thank you to Mr Glen Child for his guidance and to everyone who supported Lamea throughout her HSC music journey. We wish Lamea every success in the final selection process - what an incredible achievement! 🌟
25 Sep 2026
From Facebook
Our Year 12 students celebrated their final year of schooling at a wonderful Formal evening filled with elegance, celebration and memorable moments. It was a pleasure to see our students dressed in their finest, enjoying the evening with their friends, teachers and celebrating the friendships and experiences that have made their Year 12 journey so special. We congratulate our Year 12 cohort on reaching this significant milestone🎓✨
10 Sep 2026
Bishops Awards celebrate student leaders across Parramatta Diocese
The annual Bishop of Parramatta Award for Student Excellence celebrates Year 12 students who demonstrate strong values of faith, service, leadership and learning, recognising their positive impact on their schools and wider communities.
04 Sep 2026
From Facebook
🎭✨ **Drama Beyond the Classroom!** ✨🎭 Our Year 9 and 10 Drama students enjoyed a schools’ performance of David Williamson’s Top Silk at Ensemble Theatre, Kirribilli 🎬 Students enjoyed the performance and a Q&A with the cast and creatives, gaining valuable insight into the world of professional theatre. 🎭🌟 A fantastic experience for our budding performers! 👏
01 Sep 2026
From Facebook
📸✨ Lights, camera… Sebastian! 🎨📷 A huge shoutout to Sebastian El Khoury, Year 11, who was selected as a finalist in the Catholic Diocese of Parramatta’s Alchemy Photography Exhibition 2026! 👏🔥 Sebastian’s incredible photography was showcased at the exhibition held at Caroline Chisholm College, celebrating the creativity, imagination and talent of young photographers across the Diocese. 🌟 We’re so proud to see Sebastian’s work recognised at the diocesan level and to celebrate this fantastic achievement with him! 🙌📸 📸 Sebastian with Mr Bauer and Ms Nash at the exhibition. Keep snapping, Sebastian! 📷✨ We can’t wait to see where your creativity takes you next! 💙
28 Aug 2026
From Facebook
We are incredibly proud to celebrate the achievements of our students and staff who have been recognised through the 2026 Rotary Youth Vocational Education Award🏆 These awards recognise the dedication, skills and commitment shown across our VET programs, both by our outstanding students and the teachers who support and inspire them. We are so proud of you all! ❤️💚 #delanycollegegranville #rotaryyouthvocationaleducationalawards
21 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Our Stage 6 Music students had the wonderful opportunity to experience Disney’s The Lion King live at the Capitol Theatre. 🦁🎭🎶 It was a fantastic opportunity for our students to see professional musicians and performers at work and to experience first hand how music, movement, staging and storytelling come together in a world class theatrical production. Experiences like this bring classroom learning to life and give our young musicians a chance to see where their own creativity, musicianship and performance skills can take them. A brilliant day of music, theatre and inspiration for our Stage 6 musicians! And, of course, there’s only one way to finish… Hakuna Matata! 🦁🌅
19 Aug 2026
From Facebook
We love seeing our Delany students in action! 🎶✨ Here’s a great Reel from Vinnies capturing our students busking and helping raise funds for a wonderful cause💙 So proud of you, Delany! 👏
18 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Please join us in congratulating our Week 3 Academic Juggernaut winners from Year 9 and Year 10! 🎉 These students are being recognised for their effort, determination, positive attitude and commitment to learning. They are stepping up, striving for success and setting a great example both in and out of the classroom. 🏆YEAR 9 – Rachel Habib Rachel consistently demonstrates a positive attitude and strong commitment to College expectations. She is prepared, organised and takes pride in her uniform and school community. Her respectful, friendly and cooperative approach makes her a wonderful presence around the College. 🏆 YEAR 10 – James Sarkis James consistently demonstrates care, respect and commitment across all areas of College life. His genuine concern for an opposition player during a PDSSSC Rugby League game showed great character, while his focus and persistence in his studies continue to shine. 👏 Congratulations also to our nominated students: Year 9: Noah Kouaider, Jayden Moore, Nardos Addisu, Kesaia Sikulu and Elena Tasdemir. Year 10: Savannah Koirala, Charbel Raidy, Rihanna Rizk, Olivia Chalhoub, Altiyan Victor and Jayden Nakhoul. Keep striving, keep learning and keep showing your Delany best!💙📖✨ #AcademicJuggernaut #DelanyCollege #StudentAchievement #DelanyPride
13 Aug 2026
From Facebook
🎶✨ The Delany Vibe was in full swing at Parramatta Centenary Square!✨🎶Our talented Delany musicians brought the square to life with an incredible performance, spreading plenty of music, energy and joy 💙🎵 And what an amazing result $2,282 raised! 👏👏 An outstanding achievement for Delany’s first year participating, coming very close to the best result ever! Well done, Delany! What a way to make your mark! 💙✨ #buskingforvinnies #delanycollegegranville
07 Aug 2026
From Facebook
We're proud to have welcomed our Chinese exchange students to Delany College! 🌏✨ Working alongside one of our talented teacher, the students created these incredible handcrafted clocks, showcasing their creativity, teamwork and craftsmanship. Experiences like these foster cultural exchange, build lasting friendships and celebrate learning beyond the classroom. Thank you to everyone who made this opportunity so memorable!
06 Aug 2026
From Facebook
🎶 Music with a mission! ❤️ Our talented students recently took to the streets to busk in support of the incredible work of the St Vincent de Paul Society (Vinnies). Through their performances, they not only shared their musical talents with the community but also helped raise awareness and funds for those experiencing hardship. A huge thank you to everyone who stopped to listen, donate and encourage our students. We are so proud of the compassion, generosity and community spirit they demonstrated. Together, we can make a difference. 💙🎵 #DelanyCollege #Vinnies #BuskingForGood #CommunitySpirit #FaithInAction #MakingADifference