Bishop Lyons Shield won jointly by Christchurch colleges

This year’s competition was held at Roncalli College in Timaru from March 20-21. Students competed in debating, prepared speech, impromptu speech, Scripture reading and religious questions.

Frankie Tino from Marian College was the winner of the Scripture reading competition and the college’s debating team won that trophy.

St Thomas of Canterbury College won the religious questions trophy and Sam Amaris from the college won the best speaker trophy for debating. The St Thomas of Canterbury team was led by the school’s culture captain, Keegan Verster, in what was his fourth Bishop Lyons Shield competition. The college won the Bishop Lyons Shield competition in 2025. 

The 2026 competition featured a new “Spirit” award presented to the college that demonstrated the best values and sense of community. The colleges voted to decide the recipient and St Thomas of Canterbury College claimed that, too. 

During the competition, laughter and fun was shared between students from the colleges of the diocese.

“We grew in confidence and brotherhood,” stated a St Thomas of Canterbury College Facebook post.

The colleges participated in a Mass celebrated by Christchurch Bishop Michael Gielen at Sacred Heart Basilica in Timaru on March 20.

FULL STORY

Bishop Lyons Shield (Roncalli College/Facebook)

More exciting news! Marian College are joint… (Marian College/Facebook)

Bishop Lyons! The STC crew… (St Thomas of Canterbury College/Facebook)

St Bede’s runner-up at Bishop Lyons’ Shield (St Bede’s College)