Catholic Identity

A Special Visit from Bishop Shane

We were honoured to welcome Bishop Shane Mackinlay, Bishop of Sandhurst, to St Patrick’s Primary School in Tongala. His visit was a joyful and memorable occasion, giving students, staff, and leaders the opportunity to engage with someone who plays such an important role in our Catholic faith community.

Bishop Shane is a key figure in the Diocese of Sandhurst, guiding and supporting Catholic schools and parishes across our region.

During his visit, Bishop Shane met with staff and student leaders, toured the playground, and even helped collect eggs from our school chooks! He visited each classroom, answering questions from curious students and taking a genuine interest in their learning and school life. Our Catholic Identity Leaders also took Bishop Shane on a Catholic Identity Marker walk, explaining the significance of the symbols around our school and the meaning they hold for us.

To finish the visit, our whole school gathered at the church, where we sang three of our favourite songs for Bishop Shane. He was blown away by the energy and spirit of our students, commenting that our singing was amongst the best he’d heard in his time as Bishop!

As Bishop Shane prepares to take on his next role as Archbishop of Brisbane, we thank him sincerely for his leadership and guidance within the Diocese of Sandhurst. We are grateful for the time he spent with us and for the impact he has had on our school and the wider Catholic community.

We wish Bishop Shane every blessing as he embarks on this new chapter and look forward to hearing of the great things he will continue to do in Brisbane.

Process To Appoint a Bishop

Seven Catholic Social Teaching Principles

Catholic Social Teaching (CST) is rooted in Scripture, formed by the wisdom of Church leaders, and influenced by grassroots movements. It is our moral compass, guiding us on how to live out our faith in the world.

The CST principles which inspire our work are:

• Human Dignity
• Common Good
• Solidarity
• Subsidiarity
• Preferred Option for the Poor
• Care for Creation
• Participation

Our faith calls us to love God and to love our neighbours in every situation, especially our sisters and brothers living in poverty. Following in the footsteps of Christ, we hope to make present in our unjust and broken world, the justice, love and peace of God.