Bishop Viard College

Story

Bishop Viard College, Also known as Viard College or BVC is a coeducational secondary school located in Porirua, New Zealand. The college is now integrated into the state system under the Private Schools Conditional Integration Act 1975.HistoryThe college was founded in 1968 by Cardinal Peter McKeefry, Archbishop of Wellington, and was staffed by the Assumptionist Fathers and Brigidine Sisters. The school was named after Philippe Viard, the first Catholic Bishop of Wellington Originally the school consisted of two institutions (for boys and girls) on the same site, however it became a single co-educational unit in 1975. St Peter's College in Gore opened as a co-educational College in 1969.The school celebrated its 40th Jubilee in 2008.Notable alumni Brent Anderson – rugby union player Faifili Levave – rugby union player Vincent Mellars – rugby league player Anthony Perenise – rugby union player John Schwalger – rugby union playerReferences/SourcesGeneral Lillian G. Keys, Philip Viard, Bishop of Wellington, Pegasus Press, Christchurch, 1968. Ernest Richard Simmons, Brief history of the Catholic Church in New Zealand, Catholic Publications Centre, Auckland, 1978. Michael King, God's farthest outpost : a history of Catholics in New Zealand, Viking, Auckland 1997. Michael O'Meeghan S.M., Steadfast in hope : the story of the Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington 1850-2000, Dunmore press, Palmerston North, 2003. Te Kete Ipurangi Specific