ALL dioceses of Queensland were represented when 3000 students and teachers gathered at the Brisbane Exhibition and Convention Centre on July 30 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Church in the state.
Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE) hosted the event and Archbishop John Bathersby of Brisbane presided at the celebration which focused on the theme, “Graced Tradition, Spirited Future”.
Narrative was used to tell the stories of the people and events of the history of Catholic education the archdiocese and Queensland. Schools presented their stories through a series of tableaux.
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin was among the guests along with Queensland bishops and others from around Australia.
BCE executive director David Hutton described it as a “wonderful celebration of the mission of the Church in Queensland”.
“The first Catholic school in Queensland was begun in 1845 with 56 students near the site of the current Myer Centre in Elizabeth Street,” he said.
“The teachers were lay persons Michael and Mary Bourke working with the first parish priest of Brisbane, Fr James Hanly.
“As we celebrate 150 years of the formal establishment of the Catholic Church in Queensland, we gathered here today represent the growth from those small beginnings to an educational community of 287 Catholic schools, enrolling 128,000 students, with over 15,000 staff across Queensland.”
Archbishop Bathersby said that, in celebrating 150 years, there was an awareness that the Church of Queensland was “a young Church by far in comparison with the history of our indigenous brothers and sisters who have lived in this land for 40,000 years …”
“Nevertheless despite the comparative youth of our Queensland Church much has already been achieved over the past 150 years of which we are truly proud, and for which we are indebted to those who to the best of their ability followed in the footsteps of Jesus,” he said.
“It behoves us then today to continue to build upon the victory won by Jesus Christ, strengthened by the work of those bishops, priests, religious and lay people who have led the way.
“May you, the young people of today, use the next 50 years leading up to our bicentenary to share your good news in word and action with all those people you encounter in life, especially the least fortunate.”
