Anzac Day, 25 April, is one of Australia’s most important national occasions. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. 

A celebration and immersion of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture provided a memorable experience for over 60 staff from across the Diocese at a recent CEDoW conference.

Guided by the theme, Reconciliation: Everyone’s Business, the two-day event saw Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Teacher Contacts and Aboriginal Education Assistants (AEAs) from our schools, and other Catholic Education personnel gather at The Hermitage in Mittagong.

Community gathered on Sunday 15 April to pay their respects to the victims of the Appin Massacre at a memorial hosted by Winga Myamly Reconciliation Group, in remembrance of the massacre of Aboriginal people 202 years ago.

Grace Mulley, a Year 12 student at Corpus Christi Catholic High School, Oak Flats, has won the prestigious Zonta International Young Women in Public Affairs Award for 2018.

The Australian Bishops have put a call out to young Catholics to engage with the Church, celebrate and be celebrated in a declared ‘Year of Youth’. From the launch in Sydney to within our Catholic secondary schools since, Diocese of Wollongong students have responded in great numbers and even greater enthusiasm.

Lent has had a special meaning for staff and students at Our Lady Help of Christians Parish Primary School, Rosemeadow this year, where the school community has focused its efforts on raising money for a non-profit school in Tanzania. Two of its teachers are travelling to the African nation in the upcoming school holidays to personally deliver the funds.

As a baby, Courtney Schonell chose to hold a hockey stick over a dummy. At age four, she picked up that stick to play. Six years later, she made her first national hockey team. Now, at 17 years old, Courtney has won the NSWCCC Vince Villa Award for most outstanding female athlete across all sports and is on track to represent Australia at the 2018 Youth Olympics.

From 12 to 31 March, hundreds of students from Magdalene Catholic High School, Narellan stepped up their cardio to take on the ‘Let’s Move for a Better World’ global campaign, donating their physical exercise for a good cause.

On Good Friday, the entire Church fixes her gaze on the Cross at Calvary. For the St Mary Star of the Sea students and parishioners in Milton, their view of the Cross is complemented by rolling, green farmland surrounds, the sun shining down on a white church standing strong atop a hill. Behind it, a backdrop of beautiful southern NSW escarpment.

In this holy season of Easter, I convey my very best wishes to all involved in Catholic education right across our Diocese. I gratefully acknowledge the outstanding work you do in the service of our young people and our Catholic schools.

Over 80 students and staff involved in Youth Ministry at each of our diocese’s Catholic systemic secondary schools have gathered at Stanwell Tops to participate in the Youth Ministry Leaders Overnight Formation Retreat.

On Wednesday 21 March, Human Resource Services represented Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong at the University of Wollongong’s Education Careers Expo, where students and prospective employers came together to talk about potential career paths.

Bishop Emeritus Peter Ingham has delivered a humourous and heartfelt speech to over 500 guests from around the Diocese - including many from the Catholic Education community - gathered to celebrate and honour him at a Farewell Dinner at the Campbelltown Catholic Club.

Students at St Columbkille’s Primary and around the Diocese are standing up and saying “no way!” to bullying to mark today's National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence.

As an international hockey umpire, Kylie Seymour gets to be close to the action without being the centre of attention - and that’s the way she prefers it. But being awarded the 'Campbelltown Woman of the Year 2018' has put the St Francis Catholic College teacher firmly in the spotlight. 

Director of Schools, Peter Turner, has called on teachers and staff across the Diocese of Wollongong to “be not afraid” at the annual Diocesan Education Mass.

A beautiful painting celebrating the richness of Aboriginal storytelling, culture and connection across the Diocese of Wollongong has been gifted to newly ordained Bishop Brian Mascord from CEDoW staff.

International Women’s Day (IWD) is a day to challenge Australian women and men to consider the legacy that will be passed onto future generations of women.