Pasifika rector says St Patrick’s College job is a calling

By CathNews New Zealand

May 9th, 2025

Fr David Kennerley, SM, blesses Mike Savali in 2020 (Archdiocese of Wellington)

The first Pasifika rector of St Patrick’s College in Kilbirnie says his leadership at the school is much more than just another job. Source: The Post.

Mike Savali, an old boy of the college who is of Samoan heritage, became rector in 2020. He described his job as a calling.

“This is part of the faith, because faith is really important to me and it’s my vocation, has always been my vocation,” he said.

It was part of his ministry to develop and see potential in his students and grow potential – just like a teacher had done for him. But he also brought a Pasifika lens to his role. And as one of about a dozen Pasifika secondary school principals across the country, that was important.

He said that one of the biggest challenges in education was addressing a continual divide in achievement between priority learners who were Māori and Pasifika, and others.

“I’ll call it out, there is unconscious bias – we need to raise expectations for our priority learners because there is some deficit thinking,” Mr Savali said.

“You’ve got to have everyone on board when it comes to cultural responsiveness.”

The cost of living and the financial hardship experienced by whānau was also apparent, alongside mental health issues and impacts of social media.

“As a school, like every other school, we are trying to give positive messaging. When we’re dealing with the Andrew Tate’s of the world, it is not helpful,” he said.

For his Catholic school, its values were faith-based. Pointing to a crucifixion sculpture in the corner of his office, he said: “That is our value, right there, there’s our role model.”

Increased secularisation was a challenge, but he believed in the positive impact of religious teachings. With declining church attendance, school was their church and place of faith for a lot of his students.

What they were influenced by determined their decision-making, and Mr Savali hoped that when his students graduated – whether they believed in God or not – they would be good people who would serve their families and community.

FULL STORY

St Patrick’s College rector faith culture and identity (By Monique Ford/The Post – subscription required)