Principal’s Blog
This Friday, something special will happen at Holy Cross College.
Our Year 7–10 students won’t just arrive at the College for a regular timetabled day; they will step out and walk sections of the Camino Salvado, a journey that sits right at the heart of who we are.
It might look like a walk. But in truth, it’s one of the most important experiences we expect of our students.
More than a walk
The Camino Salvado traces the footsteps of Dom Rosendo Salvado, who travelled between Subiaco and New Norcia, building community, living faith in action and walking alongside First Nations people.
At Holy Cross College, we have taken that story and made it part of our own.
Across their years here, students walk the Camino in stages, eventually completing the journey as they graduate.
But what matters most is not the distance covered, it’s the formation that happens along the way.
Pilgrimage gives students something rare: time to slow down, to step away from the noise of everyday life, and to reflect. It’s an outward journey that becomes an inward transformation.
And in a world that is constantly moving, that is incredibly powerful.
Shaping young people for LIFE
When we speak about Life to the Full at Holy Cross, this is exactly what we mean.
On the Camino, students learn things that can’t be taught in a classroom.
They learn to:
- walk alongside others, not ahead of them
- support someone who is struggling
- be present in conversation
- sit with their thoughts and notice what matters
They begin to see that life is not a race, but a journey shared with others.
It brings to life our pillars of Learning, Inter-relationships, Faith and Enrichment in a way that is authentic and lasting.
Culture
The Camino is not an “extra” at Holy Cross.
It is part of our culture, our story and our identity.
It connects our students—from Year 7 right through to Year 12—through a shared experience. It connects us to our history, to our land, and to the people who have walked before us. Along the way, we recognise the deep connection of the Whadjuk and Yued peoples to this Country and the stories that are held within it.
Most importantly, it connects us to our faith.
As a College, we believe that formation matters just as much as achievement. We want young people who not only succeed, but who understand who they are, care for others, and live with purpose.
The Camino helps us do exactly that.
A personal reflection
One of the great privileges of my role is that I get to walk this journey with our students.
Last year, I had the chance to walk with both our Year 8s and our Year 12s and it was one of the highlights of my year.
There’s something about walking side by side that changes the conversation.
We spoke about everything.
The stress of school and assessments.
Social Media Bans
Our Top 10 Taylor Swift songs (All Too Well at #1).
Sporting Teams.
What it’s actually like being a Principal.
Family.
Faith.
Spirituality.
Life.
Nothing forced, nothing formal, just real conversations.
And what struck me most was the joy in those moments. The connection. The openness.
For our students, those conversations matter. They feel seen, known and heard.
They matter just as much for me.
It’s a reminder that our College is, at its heart, a community of relationships.
This Friday
So when our students step out this Friday, they are doing more than walking a trail.
They are stepping into a tradition.
They are living our story.
They are growing—quietly, authentically, and together.
And as a College, we will keep walking alongside them.
Because at Holy Cross, we don’t just talk about transformation.
We walk it.
Albert Borrello
Principal