Mercy Leadership Formation Day - a celebration of charism and connection

9/09/2025
Senior students connect over shared charism.

​©Brisbane Catholic Education, St Joseph's Kangaroo Point and Holy Cross Wooloowin (2025)​​

​Senior Students from St Joseph’s Primary School, Kangaroo Point, and Holy Cross School, Wooloowin, came together recently for a transformative Mercy Leadership Day marked by a spirit of welcome, joy and shared purpose. 

Students engaged in a series of interactive and reflective activities exploring the life and legacy of Catherine McAuley, the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy.  

The day was not only a celebration of charism, but also a model of cross-school collaboration, led by St Joseph’s Kangaroo Point APRE, Leree Mazzer and Holy Cross Wooloowin APRE Michelle McClafferty, with support from staff across both schools.  

“Designed to deepen student understanding of their shared Mercy Charism, the activities aimed to inspire leadership rooted in compassion and service,” Leree said.  

“It was inspiring to see our students step into leadership roles with such confidence and compassion.”  

Plans are already underway to build on this success, with discussions about future and expanded formation experiences for both staff and students.  

“Collaborating with another school made the experience even more meaningful. We’re already looking forward to what’s next,” Michelle said.  

With scavenger hunts exploring Catherine’s story, a Mercy-inspired LEGO challenge and a session with Orange Sky, students connected with Mercy values to better understand how these values link to real-world service and outreach.  

“I loved the LEGO challenge—it was fun and made me think about Mercy in a creative way,” said a Year 5 student from St Joseph’s. 

“The stained-glass activity helped me think about what kind of leader I want to be,” shared one Year 6 student from Holy Cross.  

The schools are now planning for Impact Projects to be implemented in Term 3 and 4, to reinforce the day’s learnings through community action.  

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