In 1849, Francis Xavier Conaci, a Yued boy from the Noongar Nation, reportedly only nine years-of-age, embarked on a trip to Naples to become a missionary.
The plan, for Xavier to eventually return home and bring Christianity with him, ended in tragedy.
His mentor, Benedictine monk Rosendo Salvado - who founded the New Norcia Monastery 132 km north of Perth - wanted Conaci (Francis Xavier was his baptismal name) to become the first Indigenous missionary, and he was taken as one of five Yued children (including one girl, Ballomara, aged nine) between 1848 and 1851 as part of an attempt to train them as Benedictine and Ursuline novices.
Writing in The Conversation, Dr Liz Conor noted: "Their [Conaci went with fellow Yued boy Dirimera, aged 13] presentation to the courts of Europe was designed to showcase the successful evangelising of "Native" children, in order to raise funds for the struggling mission."
Instead, in 1853 he developed acute bronchitis, tonsillitis, gastritis, arthritis, and measles, and died, homesick and buried in an unmarked monks' communal grave, now entombed by a marble cloister.
In 2016, the Australian Catholic University (ACU) established the Francis Xavier Conaci Scholarship in his honour, giving the opportunity for Indigenous students at the university to visit Rome and the Holy See, as well as being able to pay their respects to Conaci.
This year sees Wakka Wakka man Zane Ratcliff, 23, who grew on country in Gayndah in Queensland and has connections to the Torres Strait, and Gamilaroi man Ryan St John, 21, who grew up in Caboolture, north of Brisbane, announced as the scholarship winners, with both heading to Rome shortly.
Both men are studying teaching at the ACU Banyo campus. Having met each other on the first day of university and have become close - even referring to each other as cousins in their chat with National Indigenous Times.
They both were keen to stress it was a passion of theirs to impart their learning and knowledge back into community at the end of their degrees.
"Coming from the community I did…with a high indigenous population, and I have done one of my rural replacements at an all-Indigenous police boarding school…I have a passion for giving back to the community that gave lots to me when I was growing up," Zane said.
"I had a lot of strong Indigenous role models that were in education growing up. So, I want to be that kind of driving factor as well when I graduate; I want to be one of those people that can push some Indigenous people to succeed."
Ryan, who is currently working in a primary school as an Aboriginal liaison officer, agreed.
"I've been able to see the growth of the mob kids there, both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander," he said.
"I got to see them participate in culture…I love to see our mob succeed, which is something that isn't happening a lot, and something I definitely want to help them strive for when I am a teacher."
Both the young men said they heard about the opportunity to go to Rome from last year's recipient - Ngunnawal woman Tyahn Bell, who was participating in her first overseas trip.
"I first heard about it at uni games…Tyahn was actually on our team," Ryan said.
"So, when me and my cousin Zane came back from uni games, we started talking to our student success officers at the Indigenous unit, and then we both put our names down."
"She [Tyahn] was telling us she's gone to Rome with ACU," Zane added. "We were like, 'what? That's pretty deadly.'"
Both young men are going overseas for the first time, and Zane noted the family was as excited as they were.
"It's going to be a great experience."
The Francis Xavier Conaci Scholarship also assists Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander ACU student(s) take study at the University's Rome campus.
The scholarship is valued at $4,000, with up to two available every year for ACU undergraduate Indigenous students. More information can be found online.
