Dr Casey always loved St Pat’s, applying for a deputy position in 1986, but it wasn’t until 2002 that he joined the school. 

His first project when he got to the school was to fix the fence. 

“It kept caving in. So that was the first thing I did ... fixed the fence,” he said. 

“The second thing I did was turn the chapel back into the spiritual heart of the school. They were probably quite symbolic changes.” 

In Dr Casey’s time at the school, it has grown from 800 students to about 1400 and most of the buildings have changed. 

“We’ve extended their curriculum to be more diverse, so we welcome boys of all abilities, not just those on a straight university path,” he said. 

He said he also worked to improve the school’s relationships with Melbourne University residency Newman College. 

The students finished for the year on Friday, but Dr Casey will spend a further two weeks in the job. 

He said that, ultimately, he wanted the boys to learn to have confidence.

“I want them to develop a sense of hope, so when the tough times arrive, they believe in themselves to get through,”he said.

“It’s too easy to take shortcuts.” 

He enforces three main rules at the school, to keep it simple. The rules are: Keep yourself nice; if you do the crime, you do the time; and to forgive and forget because life is too short. 

“At the valedictory dinner I tell the graduates a fourth rule every year: Never leave anyone in any doubt that you love them,” Dr Casey said. 

At the final assembly two weeks ago, he broke one of his own rules and told the fourth rule to the whole school, as he won’t be speaking at their valedictory dinners. 

“When I interviewed for the position, I laid out my grand plans for the school,’’ he said. “The board chair said to me, ‘You’ll need a lot of energy for that. What will you do when you run out of energy?’ 

“I said if I ran out of energy I’d retire. And so I am.” 

Dr Casey has been a principal for 29 years and sat through 250 board meetings. 

“It was a great time to arrive at the school – there were lots of challenges and we were completely debt-free, which allowed us to dream boldly,’’ he said. 

“There were lots of new staff, which breathed new life into the place. 

“The thing that has stayed the same is the boys are still lovely. That’s never changed.” 

Dr Casey believes everyone should live their life to the full, following the advice of George Bernard Shaw (from Dr Casey’s mental reel of quotes): “Use your health, even to the point of wearing it out. That is what it is for. Spend all you have before you die; do not outlive yourself.” 

Dr Casey said it was a good time for him to go.

‘‘There’s still lots to be done and challenges for the person coming in,” he said. 

That said, Dr Casey doesn’t reflect on any particular moment as his greatest memory or proudest achievement.

“There are so many. Every day at St Pat’s is a great day.” 

Dr Casey plans to spend more time in Ballarat with his family in their new Victorian-era Soldiers Hill home.

He will continue to work part- time, taking on a position with the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria in Melbourne.

He also plans to continue his research, and possibly add a few more letters to the eight suffixes at the end of his name.

nicole.cairns@fairfaxmedia.com.au