I know today will be busy for our school families as you meet your teachers,
navigate new timetables, and get settled for the school year ahead.
I would like to extend a warm welcome to staff new to Brisbane Catholic
Education schools, particularly the graduate teachers, this is the first day
of your amazing journey with Catholic Education and I wish you all the very
best.
Today we launched a special campaign
My Amazing Start
to celebrate over 7,400 prep students starting at our schools this year –
please look out for their photos on the Brisbane Catholic Education and school
Facebook sites. To those students starting Year 7, you are also in our prayers
as you start this important phase of your school journey.
There is a lot to celebrate in 2021. Pope Francis has declared 2021 as the
Year of Saint Joseph and we celebrate the
200th anniversary of Catholic Education
in Australia. This bicentenary provides us an opportunity to reflect on the
rich story of our Catholic schools while also focusing on our schools as faith
filled learning communities creating a better future.
With an eye to the future, I would like to extend a special welcome to our two
newest schools,
San Damiano College
at Yarrabilba and
Sophia College
at Plainland. Their school gates opened to their first Year 7 students this
morning. Today the students and staff at these schools are creating history –
I wish staff, students and their families all the best as you take your first
steps together. I look forward to joining the community at Sophia College
this morning for the first day and their opening school mass. Then on the 5
February, I will join the San Damiano community for their first school mass at
St Stephen's Cathedral. My thanks to Narelle Dobson, Sophia College Principal
and Peter Edwards, Principal at San Damiano College and all the staff for
their work these past months to ensure the schools were ready to welcome
students and their families today.
In closing, I offer this prayer – adapted from the
Prayer for 200 years of Catholic Education in Australia
- for you today and for the year ahead.
As Christ the Teacher, you grace the staff and leaders of Catholic education
today.
As we build on the achievements of our predecessors direct us in our present
efforts to ensure that every young Australian has the opportunity for an
excellent education and formation in faith.
We stand on the shoulders of all those who have contributed in so many ways to
our Catholic schools over the past 200 years. We acknowledge with gratitude
their legacy as this new school year begins and we continue this great and
inspiring journey.
Wishing you every blessing for today and the year ahead.
Pam