AUSTRALIA : CARDINAL OPENS NEW SCHOOL OF LAW

Cardinal Officially Opens Notre Dame's New Schools of Law & Business

Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese,
21 Nov 2012

Cardinal Pell with Vice Chancellor of Notre Dame University, Celia Hammond and the University's Senior Deputy Vice Chancellor Professor Hayden Ramsay

The Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell officially has opened and blessed the University of Notre Dame Australia's newest building on its Sydney campus which will house the university's Schools of Law and Business.

The special ceremony last week was attended by Chancellor of the University, Mr Terence Tobin QC; Vice Chancellor, Professor Celia Hammond; Governors of the University; NSW Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Greg Smith and members of Australia's federal and state judiciary and distinguished business leaders from across the city.

The university's Dean of Law, Professor Gerard Ryan and Dean of Business, Associate Professor Geoff Morris participated in a brief liturgy which was followed by the official opening and a blessing of the building by Cardinal Pell. His Eminence also blessed each classroom and office in the newly completed building.

After paying tribute to the support given by Cardinal Pell whom Professor Hammond said had been unwavering in his support and encouragement and was instrumental in establishing the University's Sydney campus, the Vice Chancellor announced the University's intention to establish a state-of-the-art moot courtroom on the ground floor of the building to be named after renowned Australian barrister and former politician, Thomas Hughes AO QC who with his wife, Joanna were guests of honour at the event.

Prominent barrister Thomas Hughes QC with Professor Hayden Ramsay at the opening of the new law and business schools

"Earlier this year, Notre Dame awarded an honorary Doctorate of Laws to Mr Thomas Eyre Forrest Hughes and we are delighted he has agreed to allow us the privilege of calling our new moot court after him," Professor Hammond said and added that the moot would be fitted out with the most up-to-date electronic equipment so that students can learn the ancient tradition and art of advocacy, coupled with the skills in operating a modern electronic class room.

A respected and much-admired Queen's Counsel, Mr Hughes will celebrate his 89th birthday next week on Monday, 26 November although shows no signs of slowing down. Educated at St Aloysius College, Riverview, he studied law at the University of Sydney, was called to the Bar in 1949 and became a QC in 1962.

In addition to his own illustrious career he is also well-known as the brother of the late internationally acclaimed art critic, Robert Hughes, the father of Sydney lawyer and former lord mayor Lucy Turnbull and father-in-law of businessman turned politician, Malcolm Turnbull.

Cardinal Pell blesses the Cross at Notre Dame University's new Schools of Law and Business

Designed by architects TKD, the sympathetically restored and renovated building on Shepherd Street, Chippendale that will house the Moot Courtroom along with UNDA's Sydney Schools of Law and Business, dates back to 1908. Starting life as a ball-bearing factory, the building has had a myriad of tenants and as many uses over the years. These have ranged from clothing manufacture to goods warehousing to offices for a variety of different businesses.

Although the Chippendale building has been completely modernised, its exterior and many key elements of its interior have been sensitively restored to retain the character of the original building with its rough sawn timber columns, face brick masonry walls and high ceilings. The extensive use of light framed and glazed partitions allows the original structure to remain visible while ensuring privacy as well as sound proofing.

At the ceremony last week, the Chancellor of UNDA, Mr Tobin said the mass celebrated by Cardinal Pell was an acknowledgement of the University's approach to education "which looks to God for the beginning of wisdom."

"In tonight's brief liturgy we capture our indebtedness to God and the Gospels and recognise that the work of men involves something more than merely the material. It involves a higher reality in which justice and equity are the expression of God's presence," he said.

SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY