STUDENTS from more than 70 Brisbane Catholic Education and religious institute schools joined Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge for a Mass celebrating 200 years of Catholic education in Australia at St Stephen’s Cathedral today.
The students in Brisbane joined thousands more across the country at similar events.
In his homily, Archbishop Coleridge said Fr John Therry, who set up Australia’s first Catholic school in 1821, could have had no idea the legacy of his work.
“He could never have foreseen a gathering of this kind,” he said.
Archbishop Coleridge said Fr Therry as well as Fr James Hanly and St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, who were instrumental in building Brisbane’s early Catholic schools, all took great risks in their endeavours to educate the fledgling penal colony.
He acknowledged a great debt of gratitude to these pioneers, especially the women and men religious who did most of the teaching at the time.
“Remove their contribution from the story of Australia and Australia would be unrecognisably different,” he said.
Brisbane Catholic Education executive director Pam Betts recognised the many people who have contributed to the Catholic schooling system presently and over the years.
“So we look to the past with gratitude, we live the present with passion and we look to the future with hope as we continue to teach, challenge and transform the lives of young people,” she said.
In Townsville, students gathered for a Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral with a second Mass set for Bowen on Wednesday.
Townsville Catholic Education executive director Jacqui Francis said the anniversary would bring school communities and families “together in joyous liturgical celebrations”.
National Catholic Education executive director Jacinta Collins said the National Mass was a highlight of the bicentenary year.
“As a faith community, our National Mass to celebrate 200 years of Catholic education holds significant meaning, particularly on the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians – the Patroness of Australia,” Ms Collins said.
“The scale of Catholic education in Australia is unique in the world, serving over 777,000 students and employing over 100,000 staff,” she said.
“We are blessed to have the support of governments and our families that ensures we can make a Catholic education accessible to families in every major town and city, and in many regional, rural and remote parts of Australia,” she said.
For more information about the 200 years of Catholic education celebrations, visit www.200years.catholic.edu.au.
