EXCITEMENT is building in Catholic school communities across Queensland as they prepare to celebrate Catholic Education Week.
Queensland’s 296 Catholic schools will highlight how they are striving to make a difference in the lives of young people and in their local communities in Catholic Education Week celebrated from Monday from July 21-27.
Queensland Catholic Education Commission executive director Mike Byrne said Catholic school strived to make a difference by challenging young people to live out the message of Jesus and to reach their full potential as compassionate, contributing, life-giving members of society.
“Catholic Education Week is a special opportunity for schools to highlight their distinctive ethos and share the great things they are doing with their school, parish and wider communities,” he said.
“Catholic schools across the state will mark the week with liturgical celebrations and carry out acts of kindness, among a host of activities designed to highlight their focus on social justice and efforts to “make a difference”.
The week will be officially launched by Brisbane Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Oudeman at a celebration to be attended by 500 students, teachers, parents and friends of Catholic education from across the state at St Mary’s College, Ipswich on Wednesday, July 24.
A highlight of the launch will be the presentation of the 2013 Spirit of Catholic Education Awards to seven outstanding contributors to Catholic education by Queensland Governor Penelope Wensley.
Edmund Rice Foundation chief executive officer Anthony Ryan is the Ambassador for Catholic Education Week.
He will meet with various groups of students, staff, parents and parishioners in Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Toowoomba, Brisbane and the Gold Coast during the week to share his message of taking action to make a difference.
The Queensland Government will share in Catholic Education Week celebrations and recognise the important role Catholic education plays in Queensland when Minister for Education, Training and Employment John-Paul Langbroek joins with QCEC Chair Professor Peter Sheehan to host a reception for Members of Parliament and representatives of the Catholic education community on Tuesday, July 23.
About 141,000 or 18.5 per cent of all Queensland students and almost 60% of students in non-government schools are educated in one of Queensland’s 296 Catholic schools.
More than 17,000 teachers and staff are employed in Catholic education state-wide.
