Chisholm Need to Know

From the Leader of Faith and Mission

Lifted Social Justice Launch

Last week, a group of our Year 8 and Year 9 Student Leaders attended the Lifted Social Justice Launch, joining with schools from across the diocese to engage with the Bishops’ Social Justice Statement “Signs of Hope on the Edge.”

 

The day invited our young leaders to reflect on the pressing issues of our time, including homelessness and mental health, and to consider how we, as a community, can respond with compassion and hope. A key message shared was that “everyone has a story and everyone has a name.”

 

The statement challenges us to:

  • Notice – to open our eyes to those who may otherwise go unseen, especially those living on the margins.
  • Know – to listen deeply to people’s stories and understand their dignity as individuals created in the image of God.
  • Serve – to respond with practical action, offering support, care, and hope to those most in need.

 

A special moment of the day was when our students received a blessing from Bishop Vincent, commissioning them to return to their schools as leaders of faith and service.

 

Our students returned inspired to bring these values into their leadership and school life. We are proud of their openness to listen, learn, and lead with faith, hope, and love.

Graduation Mass

On Wednesday, 24 September, our college community gathered at St. Padre Pio Parish to celebrate the Graduation Mass for the Class of 2025. This special liturgy was a beautiful opportunity to give thanks for the many gifts and achievements of our Year 12 students and to pray for them as they prepare to begin the next chapter of their lives.

 

A highlight of the celebration was the formal procession of our graduates, accompanied by members of the Year 12 Pastoral Team and their parents. During this procession, each student was presented with her Graduation Stole, placed on her by her parents in recognition of the vital role families play as the primary educators and lifelong companions of their daughters. In the Catholic tradition, the stole is a symbol of service and mission. For our Year 12 students, it becomes a sign of their completion of high school, a reminder of their new status as graduates of Caroline Chisholm College, and a call to carry forward the values of faith, courage, tolerance, dignity, justice, and compassion into the world.

 

Another moving moment was the Ceremony of Light, when students processed with their Graduation Candles to form a circle around the church. This powerful ritual symbolised both an ending and a new beginning, with the Easter light of Christ at its centre. Staff, parents, and the college community offered the graduates the lights of wisdom, love, and faith—gifts to guide them as they move into the next stage of life.

 

We extend our gratitude to Fr. Sheldon Burke for celebrating the Mass, to the staff and students who prepared the liturgy, and to the families who joined us in prayer and support.

 

We are deeply proud of our graduating class and keep them in our thoughts and prayers as they go forth as confident, compassionate, and faith-filled young women.

Messages from St. Padre Pio Parish

HSC Student Blessing at St. Padre Pio Parish

All HSC students are warmly invited to attend one of the following Masses at St. Padre Pio Parish to receive a special blessing leading into the commencement of the HSC examinations:

  • Saturday 11 October – Vigil Mass at 5.30pm
  • Sunday 12 October – Masses at 8.00am and 10.00am

 

New Parish Youth Group

We are excited to share that a new Youth Group is starting at St. Padre Pio Parish. This is a wonderful opportunity for young people to connect, build friendships, and grow in faith together.

 

If your daughter is interested in joining, please use the QR code on the flyer to register. We also encourage families to spread the word and let others know about this new initiative so that as many young people as possible can be part of it.

KU Leuven Intensive 

In Weeks 7-9, Jeanette Cocks, the Leader of Faith and Mission had the privilege of spending three weeks at KU Leuven University in Belgium for the Enhancing Catholic School Identity Intensive. She travelled with a group of leaders from Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese, all working together on ways to strengthen the Catholic identity of our schools.

 

One of the main focuses of the program was looking closely at the surveys completed by our students, staff, and parents in Term 2. These results give us a clear picture of the wonderful strengths we have as a community, as well as some areas we can continue to grow in. It was inspiring to see how our local story connects to a much bigger international conversation about faith, learning, and identity.

 

This experience was incredibly rewarding, and we are excited about the benefits it will bring to our college community as we continue to build a community where our Catholic identity is lived out with joy, purpose, and authenticity.

 

A sincere thank you to all students and families who took part in the surveys earlier this year - your voice and input have been an important part of this journey, and will continue to shape the future of our College.

 

Mrs Jeanette Cocks

Leader of Faith and Mission