St Patrick's College, Manly, the imposing sandstone building that dominates part of Sydney's North Head, was established specifically to train local candidates for the Catholic priesthood. For a century it was the training college for priests who were to serve the Archdiocese of Sydney and for much of that time it also trained priests for service throughout the whole of Australia and New Zealand. As such, it was one of Australia's most important and influential religious educational institutions and is the almamater of many who went on to become church leaders and prominent Catholic academics.