From the Leader of Faith and Mission

Staff Spirituality Day 

On Friday, 5 July the staff attended our annual Staff Spirituality Day at the Benedict XVI Retreat Centre at Grose Vale. This experience provided staff with the opportunity to explore the mission of Catholic schools and ways we can strengthen our Catholic faith and identity through experiences of prayer. 

The CCC Winter Appeal on behalf of St Vincent de Paul

This year, the St Vincent De Paul’s Winter Appeal highlighted the changing face of disadvantage and poverty in Australia that now includes more people in jobs. The lack of affordable housing and increased demand for rental properties in Australia means that even those working can’t afford a roof over their heads. As a result, more and more Australians are being forced into homelessness – ‘the working homeless’.

Nearly one million people in NSW are living in poverty, around 13% of the population. Of these, more than one-quarter have a job. Of the 35,000 people who were experiencing homelessness in NSW at the last Census, around 40% were employed in either part-time or full-time jobs.

To support the work of the St Vincent De Paul specialist homelessness services, Members and Volunteers on the frontline, the Caroline Chisholm Social Justice Committee recently coordinated the annual St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal within the college. Each year group was invited to donate a different allocated item. We would like to thank families for their generous support and contribution of the following new items for this appeal.

• 137 pairs of socks 
• 46 scarves 
• 60 pairs of gloves 
• 47 beanies 
• 63 blankets 

Our contribution was gratefully received by the St Vincent de Paul hub in Penrith and will go a long way to assisting people to keep warm on these cold nights and days.

Mrs Jeanette Cocks

Leader of Faith and Mission