2010

Monday 15 March 2010
Catholic Schools : 'Openings minds and hearts'

This week, (March 14-20) the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle is one of 11 Catholic dioceses of NSW celebrating Catholic Schools Week.

For over 170 years Catholic schools have offered an education in the Hunter and Manning Valleys that fosters religious education and faith, academic learning, the arts, physical activity and skills training.

This year the theme of Catholic Schools Week is Open your minds, open your hearts. Students and teachers are encouraged to embrace the intellectual opportunities that education offers, at the same time giving expression to their knowledge and faith through their outreach to the community.

According to Mr Ray Collins, Director of Schools in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, “This year has already been made special for Catholic schools by the announcement that Mother Mary MacKillop is Australia’s first ‘official’ saint. Mary and her Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart have had an enormous impact on Catholic education, in our diocese and throughout Australia.

“Mary MacKillop has been described as ‘a woman whose heartbeat was in unison with the heartbeat of God’ and in 1867 she wrote, ‘We must teach more by example than by word.’

“Mary MacKillop is a wonderful example to our students and staff of one who used her God-given resources of knowledge and strength to make education available to the poorest of the poor. She opened her mind and her heart.”

Catholic Schools Week is an opportunity to strengthen relationships among all those who contribute to Catholic schools in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle – students, teachers, parents, priests, parishioners and many others.

During the week, schools in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, the Upper Hunter and Manning regions will open their doors to the public and showcase a wide range of activities and learning opportunities.

The Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle’s schools system educates over 17,000 students in 56 schools. Enrolments for 2011 are now open.

Visit your local Catholic school this week and join the celebrations.

Media Note:
You are invited to attend the Catholic Schools Week Mass on Tuesday 16 March, at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hunter Street Newcastle, at 11.00am. The Mass will include students of St Dominic’s Centre for Hearing Impaired Children presenting the hymn “These Hands” and the participation of all diocesan schools.

Media Enquiries: Communications Team Ph: (02) 4979 1136 or 0419 263 901.

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