Centenary Events
Throughout the 2022-23 school year, we invite students, families, alumni, and friends to join us for liturgies, events, and celebrations to reminisce and commemorate our school’s rich history. Vancouver College has been blessed, and we have much to be grateful for. As we celebrate our Centenary, we honour and learn from our past, and together we look to the future with hope and peace for strength of spirit and perpetual growth in our faith and learning community.
September 20 - School-Wide Mass
The school-wide mass is a Vancouver College tradition where our faculty, staff, and students gather to begin the school year in prayer.
September 23 - Hall of Honour and Honorary Alumni Induction Ceremony
Congratulations to our Honorary Alumni and Hall of Honour Inductees! We conferred an honorary degree upon Bruce Jagger, Chris and Rebecca Sherry, and Edward Wright. We also celebrated the accomplishments of our Hall of Honour inductees:
- Roberto Abraham (VC’83) - Science
- Paul Cote (VC’61) † - Service and Athletics
- Dax DaSilva (VC’94) - Business
- Ian Donald (VC’62) † - Law
- Finbarr O’Reilly (VC’89) - Journalism
- Tod Manrell - Builder
- Terry Shea - Builder
- 1991 Fighting Irish Football Team - Athletics
It was not only an award ceremony, but also a reunion for many. Congratulations again to our honorary alumni and inductees! We look forward to our next Hall of Honour in 2024.
September 24 - Homecoming Game and Centenary Kick-off Celebration
Thank you to all who joined us on September 24 to celebrate our 100 Years! We had an Alumni Reunion Breakfast followed by a campus tour in the morning, the Varsity Football Game vs. Mt. Douglas where we won 35-0, and a Centenary Party packed with carnival activities. We capped off the evening with our grand finale fireworks rising over Lannon Hall rooftop, symbolizing the start of our Centenary year.
November 12 - Centennial Finnegan Ball
On behalf of the entire Finnegan Ball team, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making the centenary celebration the experience of a lifetime. We are so honoured and proud of the way our community came together in support of our boys. We are also very pleased to announce that thanks to your generosity, just over $420,000 was raised. This includes a $50,000 gift anonymously given by a family who was not able to attend Finnegan Ball but wanted to contribute to the Fund-a-Need.
Our deepest thanks once again to our lead sponsor, the Meehan family, as well as Ann Louise for the stunning Finnegan treasure prize, and our Friends of Finnegan sponsors. Thank you again and see you next year!
Semper Fidelis!
Karrie Bogart & Suzie Hawrish
Finnegan Ball Co-Chairs
December 1 - Irish Christmas Luncheon
This year's luncheon was the biggest and most successful yet with 250 guests in attendance at the Terminal City Club. BC Liberal Leader and VC Alumnus Kevin Falcon (VC 1981) was interviewed by Global News Anchor Chris Gailus about his time at VC, his journey to politics, and some of his future plans for the province. The three-course meal was excellent and alumni from all eras were in attendance along with Vancouver’s new Mayor Ken Sim. A big thank you to Peter Bull and BC Lions Owner Amar Doman for matching the alumni’s donation of $40,000 to the school's Financial Assistance Program.
December 10 - Christmas Market
VC Christmas Market brings together hundreds of Vancouver College’s parents, grandparents and alumni as guests for special Christmas entertainment and a chance to get ready for the holidays through a wonderful offering of Christmas merchandise for auction and sale.
February 3 - Lunar New Year Dinner
Lunar New Year Dinner celebrates the diversity of our faith and learning community. Thank you to our parent volunteers for organizing the event, to our student performers for entertaining the guests, to our donors for their support of the Financial Assistance Program (total raised $48,688), and to past, present, and future families who were at the dinner. What a night to remember!
April 1 - Inaugural Rowing Banquet
In celebration of Vancouver College Rowing Program’s 35th anniversary in our school’s centenary year, our rowing parents organized a special banquet on the 1st of April at the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club. This inaugural Rowing Banquet took place the evening of the annual College-Saints Boat Race as a continuation of our celebration with families, alumni, and friends.
Our keynote speakers were founding father of the Rowing Program - Terry Shea, alumni VC rowers Max (VC 2011) and Aaron (VC 2013) Lattimer, Gr. 12 rowers Connor Bohlmann and Connor Sage, as well as our rowing coach Marc Addison (VC 2010).
Thank you to all our volunteers, guests, sponsors, and donors who made this evening possible. Your support leaves a legacy in the history of Vancouver College Rowing Program, and for that we are grateful.
Semper Fidelis,
Rowing Banquet Planning Committee - Chris Hermesmann (VC 1989), Tassie Bousalis, and Jeannette Guichon
May 13 - Mayfair with VC100 Band
Mayfair is one of Vancouver College’s major fund-raising and community building activities of the year.
Each year we welcome current and past students, alumni, friends and families of VC to join us for a day of fun, good eats, and opportunities to make new friends and cherished family memories.
Mayfair 2023 featured the VC100 Band performance, led by retired staff Larry Olson (VC 1977) and Emily Ashcroft.
June 3 - Centenary Thanksgiving Mass with Archbishop Miller
Vancouver College expresses its deepest gratitude to all who took part in the final liturgy in celebration of the end of its centenary year. Several alumni in religious life concelebrated with Archbishop Michael Miller, including Fr. Pablo Santa Maria (VC 2003), Fr. Richard Conlin (VC 2006), Fr. Mark Dumont, OSB (VC 1962), Fr. David J. Norman, OFM (VC 1966), Fr. Fabian MacDonald (VC 1968), assisted by Deacon Henk Luyten (VC 1973), Deacon Mike Boreham (VC 1970), and Seminarian Paul Vo (VC 2012). Other alumni who served at the mass include: Ian Wicken and Gabriel Suen (VC 2023), Gabriel Koch (VC 2022), Michael Do and Daniel Ma (VC 2018), Paul Legge (VC 2017), and Linus Wan (VC 2013).
To close the celebration, our President, Michelle Rupp shared powerful remarks:
"Our school motto - "Semper Fidelis" (Always Faithful) - is alive and thriving, evidenced by the presence of so many members of our community here with us today.
Over the course of this year, in the many faith-based activities and countless sporting events I've attended, I have noticed the power in two simple words - "I believe". Whether spoken as a quiet prayer of meditation, or the raucous lead-up to a well-known and much-loved VC cheer, "I believe" is a unifying thread. These words not only bound our Founders to their mission of establishing Vancouver College 100 years ago, they also continue to be the guiding force in the efforts of our teachers and staff, and they further inspire countless donors who so generously invest in future generations of students."
Once again, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for celebrating our 100th anniversary and look forward to the next 100 years.
