Search Blackfriars

Established: 1986

Named for: Fr Henry Denifle (1844-1905)

Colours: Red / White

Flag: The flag is composed of red and white quarters. It is derived from the crest of the city of Imst, Tyrol where Fr Denifle was born.

Patron: Bl. Pier-Giorgio Frassati (Feast Day: 4 July)

2023 House Captain: Ethan Renton / Deputy: Eli Scharfbillig

2023 Head of House: Mr Clancy Page

2023 Home Group Teachers: Mr Brad Baldacchino, Mr Bob Becker, Mr Luke Wittenberg

House Awards

Fr John Neill Athletics Cup (est.1987)

  • Winner: 1991, 1992, 2018, 2021, 2022
  • Runner-up: 2000, 2010

Annual Swimming Carnival (est. 1987)

  • Winner: 1993, 1998, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
  • Runner-up: 1999, 2000, 200, 2012

St Albert’s Shield for Academic Excellence (est. 1993)

  • Winner: 2004
  • Runner-up: 2000, 2003, 2006

House Spirit Shield (est. 2004)

  • Winner: 2004
  • Runner-up: 2009

House Captains

  • 1987 –
  • 1988 – Trent Ritchie, Todd Pennifold (Deputy)
  • 1989 – Matthew Windsor, Joe Marcucci (Deputy)
  • 1990 –
  • 1991 – Matthew Pearse, Simon Watson (Deputy)
  • 1992 – Oreste Farrugia
  • 1993 – Paul Borg-Barthet, Matthew Dellapia (Deputy)
  • 1994 – Fernando Farrugia, Joe Calabria (Deputy)
  • 1995 – Stephen Savage, Nikola Orlovic (Deputy)
  • 1996 – Mark Demasi, Ricky Luppino (Deputy)
  • 1997 – Matthew Haskett, James Hennekam (Deputy)
  • 1998 – Eugene Portelli, Robert Gagliardi (Deputy)
  • 1999 – Hugh Haskett, Ross Calabria (Deputy)
  • 2000 – Liam Morris, Phi Le (Deputy)
  • 2001 – Oliver Neate, Tim Haskett (Deputy)
  • 2002 – Anthony Sabato, Montgomery Neate (Deputy)
  • 2003 – Anthony Spadavecchia
  • 2004 – Anthony Spadavecchia, Joseph Kisiel (Deputy)
  • 2005 – Matthew Hutchinson
  • 2006 – Alexander Dellamalva
  • 2007 – Nam Nguyen
  • 2008 – Adam Phan
  • 2009 – Michael Wilson
  • 2010 – Jack Johnson, Michael Mosca (Deputy)
  • 2011 – Daniel Chetcuti
  • 2012 – Jack Wong
  • 2013 – Bradley Eastwood
  • 2014 – Mitchell Spencer
  • 2015 – Aladin Irabona
  • 2016 – Jack Eastwood
  • 2017 – Demetre Bougessis
  • 2018 – Alexander Koutroulis-Duke, Youngmo Silas Koo (Deputy)
  • 2019 – Joseph Russell, Daniel Bui (Deputy)
  • 2020 – Daniel Bui, Yemo Koo (Deputy)
  • 2021 – An-Hoan Nguyen, Lachlan Pedersen (Deputy)
  • 2022 – Joshua Stodden, Dominic Nguyen (Deputy)
  • 2023 – Ethan Renton, Eli Scharfbillig (Deputy)

Heads of House

  • 1987 to 1991 – Mr Chris Packer
  • 1992 to 1996
  • 1997 – Mr Paul Coughlin
  • 1998 to 2000 – Mr Martin Roberts
  • 2001 to 2005 – Mr Phil Alderson
  • 2006 to 2007 – Mr Domenic Catalano
  • 2008 – Mrs Karen Alderson
  • 2009 to 2013 – Mr Andrew Whiteman
  • 2014 to 2021 – Mrs Anthea Osborne
  • 2022 to present – Mr Clancy Page

Individual Awards

Magnus Medal & Nicholas Altman Prize – School Dux

  • 1987 – Anthony Peluso (Humanities)
  • 1992 – Oreste Farrugia (Humanities)
  • 1993 – Jiann Lo (Humanities)
  • 1999 – William Khuoc
  • 2006 – Viet Nguyen
  • 2008 – Robert Albanese
  • 2010 – Adam Mai
  • 2012 – Michael Nguyen

Jordan of Saxony School Spirit Award

  • 1987 – Rolf Scharfbillig
  • 1992 – Oreste Farrugia
  • 1995 – Nikola Orlovic
  • 2000 – Phi Le
  • 2004 – Joseph Kisiel
  • 2022 – Lachlan Pedersen

St Martin de Porres Service to the Community Award

  • 1997 – James Hennekam
  • 2005 – Matthew Hutchinson
  • 2022 – Trung Nguyen

Frassati Sportsman Award

  • 1992 – Martin McKinnon
  • 1996 – Mark Demasi
  • 1997 – Matthew Haskett
  • 2015 – Aladin Irabona

Prefects

  • 1987 – Rolf Scharfbillig*, Anthony Peluso
  • 1988 – Mark Bowker
  • 1989 – John Golin, Matthew Windsor
  • 1991 – Matthew Pearce, Simon Watson
  • 1992 – Oreste Farrugia, Ciaran Moore, Aaron Morris
  • 1993 – Janez Cernelc, Paul Borg-Barthet
  • 1994 – Fernando Farrugia*
  • 1995 – Stephen Savage*, Nikola Orlovic^
  • 1996 – Mark Demasi, Ricky Luppino
  • 1997 – Matthew Haskett, James Hennekam
  • 1998 – Chau Nguyen, Eugene Portelli
  • 1999 – Hugh Haskett, Ross Calabria
  • 2000 – Andrew Demasi, Lucky Tran, Dion Ljubanovic, Phi Le
  • 2001 – Oliver Neate, Shannon Lens, Tim Haskett
  • 2002 – Jarrod Stevens, Montgomery Neate
  • 2004 – Simon Dellamalva^, Joseph Kisiel
  • 2005 – Jarrod McLeaod, Matthew Hutchinson, Alan Tran
  • 2006 – Michael Albanese, Viet Nguyen, Alexander Dellamalva
  • 2007 – Nicholas Formicella, Matthew Nowosiliskyj, Daniel Douventzidis
  • 2008 – Robert Albanese, Robert Piu
  • 2009 – Sean Ng
  • 2010 – Kevin Gatbonton
  • 2015 – Sachin Saxena
  • 2017 – Gianluca Ferraro
  • 2019 – Christian Jones^, Youngmo Silas Koo
  • 2020 – Tom Mears
  • 2021 – Yemo Koo
  • 2022 – Lachlan Pedersen
  • 2023 – Reuben Calleja*, Jonathan Hoang, Dominic Nguyen

* denotes Head Prefect
^ denotes Deputy Head Prefect


Fr Henry Denifle O.P.

Fr Henry Denifle was a highly respected historian with a gift for languages.

Considering the depth and breadth of historical research Heinrich Seuse Denifle engaged in during his life he should be considered as the patron of the History department! Fr Denifle was one of those people who never gave up on a particular issue, especially if the issue was based on an historical inaccuracy. It was with this persistent temperament that Denifle engaged in his historical research and for what he will be remembered.

Joseph Denifle was born and raised in the Austrian Tyrol region. His father sent him to the local seminary for his schooling. On 22 September 1861, when the young Joseph was 17, he joined the Dominican Order at Graz, taking the name Heinrich (after Bl. Henry Suso, a famous Dominican mystic of the 14th Century).

After Denifle had finished his studies and was ordained a priest he taught philosophy and theology for ten years (1870-1880). During this period he developed a reputation as one of the best preachers in Austria. Often he would preach in the local Cathedral. The catechetical sermons he gave there were so popular that they were eventually published.

Denifle’s passion however lay in the discipline of historical research. One of the areas he covered was the dispute between the Dominican preacher, Johann Tetzel, and the then Augustinian Friar, Martin Luther. Denifle sought to uncover the truth behind Martin Luther’s eventual break with the Catholic Church.

The passion for historical accuracy saw Denifle cover many historical epochs and personalities. His main areas of research included medieval mysticism, a biography of his patron, Henry Suso, the arguments between the mendicant friars and the University of Paris in the 13th century, and a historical documentation of the Hundred Years War between France and England. Denifle was also asked by Pope Leo XIII to begin a critical edition of the works of St Thomas Aquinas; a work that continues to this day.

On account of Denifle’s rigour and renown in historical research, he earned many honours during his life. He was a member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences (Vienna), and of those of Paris, Prague, Berlin and Göttingen. Denifle was an honorary Doctor of the Universities of Münster and Innsbruck, a member of the Legion of Honour and also of the Order of the Iron Crown.

Denifle was on his way to Cambridge to be made an Honorary Doctor of that university, when he was struck down by the hand of death.