Mission and Identity

Canonisation Youth Orchestra
Filipino Mass and Immersion Fundraising
Praisefest
NAIDOC Assembly at Christian Brothers High School, Lewisham
Doco in a Day winners
Canonisation Youth Orchestra Important Dates
Youth Mass this Sunday

Canonisation Youth Orchestra

Last weekend the Canonisation Youth Orchestra put their months of preparation to the test during the Jubilee Mass at Our Lady of Dolours on Chatswood. Performing the Mass setting for the Canonisation of Blessed Carlo Acutis, it was a dress rehearsal of sorts for the Mass celebrating his canonisation in September.

The students from both St Pius X and Mercy College are to be congratulated on the incredible musicianship and heart with which they played. Their music uplifted the worship and prayer of all in attendance.

Filipino Mass and Immersion Fundraising

The Philippine Immersion Pilgrims are well underway in their pre-immersion formation program. This led them to participating in a Filipino Mass at Our Lady of Dolours last weekend, where the Mass parts were celebrated in Tagalog. Such an opportunity assists the students to witness the way in which faith and culture is intimately intertwined, to assist their cultural and spiritual awareness for the immersion.

Pilgrims and their parents had prepared a cake stall following the Mass to support fundraising efforts for donations to support the vulnerable communities that we will be visiting. The College is most grateful to our parents for supporting the cake stall with such love and culinary talent!

Praisefest

Last Friday Mr Balboa, along with members of the parish, led a powerful and transformative evening titled ‘Praisefest’. This event provided the opportunity for students to pray, hear faith-filled testimonies, sing, dance, and then soak in the beautiful surrender of Eucharistic Adoration. This event was the result of months of preparation and we are most grateful to Mr Balboa for his commitment to this opportunity for worship.

NAIDOC Assembly at Christian Brothers High School, Lewisham

Yesterday a selection of Red Dirt Pilgrims, along with Mr Di Sano, Mr Ronchetti and myself were invited to attend the Christian Brothers High School Lewisham NAIDOC Week Assembly. After a moving smoking ceremony, we had the blessing to witness the breadth and depth of the CBHS Aboriginal Education Program, and witnessed examples of how this program has changed many lives since its inception.

As a result of our ongoing partnership with the Red Dirt Immersion, CBHS gifted the College a plaque to place on the Yidaki that they had gifted us while on immersion this year. We look forward to this important partnership growing and deepening in the years to come as we continue on the road of Reconciliation. Thank you once again to Mr Di Sano for his leadership of Red Dirt 2025.

Doco in a Day winners

At St Pius X College, educating young people to make a positive difference in the world is more than a mission - it's a lived reality. That purpose took creative and courageous form when students participated in 'Doco in a Day', a national initiative that challenges school teams to plan, film and edit a short documentary - all within a single day - shining a light on global justice issues.

Two teams from St Pius X rose to the occasion, producing powerful, thought-provoking documentaries that explored the barriers many young people face when trying to access a basic education. Their work was bold, insightful and deeply moving - a testament to the College's focus on developing respectful, well-rounded young men who engage critically and compassionately with the world around them.

Through their films, St Pius X students didn't just raise awareness - they joined a broader movement to support the Edmund Rice Foundation, raising funds for education-focused development projects in East and Southern Africa, Timor-Leste, the Philippines and Australia.

By participating in Doco in a Day, students didn't just learn filmmaking skills - they were living out the Edmund Rice values of solidarity, compassion and liberation.

Real Voices. Real Issues. Real Impact.

We are incredibly proud of students for using their voices so powerfully, and for showing what it means to be young men of purpose in today's world.

We are also very proud to announce that Team BEP won First Place Nationally for fundraising and as a result will be rewarded with a $1,000 voucher for JB HiFi.

Thank you to Mr Callow for leading this initiative with the students.

Canonisation Youth Orchestra

A reminder of important dates and rehearsals for the Canonisation Youth Orchestra:

Sunday 7 September: 5:30 pm Mass, Canonisation of Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati (rehearsal at 3:30 pm, Harrington Hall).

The rehearsal schedule for the orchestra is as follows:

8 August No rehearsal
15 August normal times
22 August normal times
29 August normal times
5 September normal times
7 September (Sunday 3:30 pm)

Youth Mass this Sunday

This Sunday St Pius X and Mercy College will celebrate the first Term 3 Youth Mass at 5:30 pm at Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Church Chatswood. Refreshments will follow the Mass and is a wonderful opportunity to share faith, friendship and food. Please take up the opportunity to refill your inner cup!

Mr Daniel Petrie - Assistant Principal, Mission and Identity