Principal
Mr Gary Conwell, Principal
Diocese of Cairns welcomes the appointment of Bishop-elect Joe Caddy
– from Cairns Catholic Diocese
Diocesan Administrator Fr Kerry Crowley has welcomed the appointment of the Very Reverend Joe Caddy AM VG as the 8th Bishop of Cairns. “I welcome Bishop Elect, Joe Caddy. His appointment is timely as we have waited and prayed for a ‘prayerful & pastoral Bishop”. Fr Joe’s background has been in grassroots ministry. He comes well-placed to grow the seeds already planted in the Cairns Diocese”.
Fr Caddy was ordained to the priesthood in the Archdiocese of Melbourne in 1990 is currently the Vicar-General of the archdiocese. “I am certain the people, religious, priests and agencies of the diocese will wholeheartedly welcome Bishop-elect Caddy,” Fr Crowley said. “He brings with him a wealth of experience in pastoral care and is a passionate advocate for social justice, and I am sure will be a great asset for the diocese.”
Fr Caddy was born and raised in Melbourne. He holds a Bachelor of Theology from the Melbourne College of Divinity and degrees in Social Sciences from the Gregorian University in Rome, where he studied Catholic social teaching, social ethics and economics. He served as CEO of CatholicCare (Greater Melbourne, Geelong and Gippsland) from 2004 to 2017, and was engaged in Victorian and national policy and program development in the areas of homelessness, juvenile justice, refugee and asylum seekers, disaster response, drug and alcohol treatment and local government.
In June 2018, Fr Joe was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list when he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the General Division for “significant service to the community through a wide range of social welfare initiatives and policy reforms, the Catholic Church in Australia”.
As Vicar-General in the Archdiocese of Melbourne, he has taken a key role in revitalising the church and building the skills of clergy and lay people in the areas of leadership, pastoral care and administration.
Bishop James Foley retired as Bishop of Cairns in August 2022, having been appointed to the role in July 1992.
We warmly welcome Fr Joe to the Diocese and look forward to a visit from him to St Stephen’s one day.
College Staff and Extracurricular Activities
I would like to express my gratitude to all our staff who participated in extracurricular activities over the past term. Organising events such as the senior formal, Year 11 and 12 retreats, Community Days and Camps, and the many other activities our dedicated teachers and staff are involved in requires significant effort and time from them.
Staff participation in extracurricular school events and activities benefits students' overall wellbeing. These activities help students to reduce feelings of isolation, foster social connections, and promote positive emotions. Student engagement in these events also contributes to stress reduction, skill development, community building, emotional resilience, a sense of purpose, and positive long-term memories, collectively contributing to better mental and physical health outcomes.
I know that our staff recognise these benefits, and I thank them for their ongoing efforts to preserve our wonderful culture of supporting extracurricular activities.
I am also thankful for how our students have engaged in these activities over the past term. Our teachers report that our students have been willing to participate in the activities, stretch themselves, and interact positively with their fellow students.
Road Safety
As we embrace the cooler months of June, I want to emphasise the importance of road safety around our school. Our student’s well-being is our top priority, and together we can create a safer environment for everyone.
Here are some essential guidelines for parents and student drivers:
- Observe School Zone Speed Limits: Our school zone speed limit is 40 km/h during specified hours on school days. Let’s all drive cautiously and respect this limit.
- Be Alert and Cautious: Please watch out for pedestrians and cyclists, especially near schools and crossings. Cyclists, please wear helmets – see the reading in the references section.
- Refrain from mobile phone use: Mobile phone use while driving is a dangerous practice around pick-up zones where students and adults congregate.
Upgrade to Cater Road School Zone – Message from Mr Bart Mellish MP
The Queensland Government remains committed to ensuring the safety of students travelling to and from schools and will install flashing school zone signs (FSZS) in 100 school zones across Queensland, during the 2024–25 financial year.
It gives me great pleasure to advise you that St Stephen's Catholic College (Mareeba) will be receiving FSZS in the Cater Road school zone.
Installation of FSZS at St Stephen's Catholic College (Mareeba) will improve visibility of the school zone and serve as an active reminder for motorists to slow down when children are out and about. Several important factors are considered when assessing school zones for flashing lights, such as crash history, traffic volumes, pedestrian movements, the speed limit and visibility. This ensures FSZS are delivered to priority sites across Queensland. FSZS have been a success since the program was introduced in 2012. Since then, FSZS have been installed at more than 1390 Queensland school zones.
Together, we can make the streets around Queensland's schools safer.
Yours sincerely
BART MELLISH MP
Minister for Transport and Main Roads
Minister for Digital Services
Holidays
I wish all staff, parents, carers, and students a very safe and happy break period. If you are travelling, be safe; if you are staying put, enjoy the downtime – hopefully in the company of loved ones.
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
The rains fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
Bibliography
Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety QLD. (2021, August). Bicycle safety. Retrieved from https://research.qut.edu.au/carrsq/wp-content/uploads/sites/296/2021/09/Bicycle-Safety-2.pdf
Crowley, K. (2024, June 6). Diocese of Cairns welcomes appointment of Bishop-elect Joe Caddy. Diocese of Cairns. Retrieved from https://www.cns.catholic.edu.au/new-bishop-of-cairns-appointed/
Crundall, D. (2017, February 2). Why using a mobile phone while driving is so dangerous ... even when you're hands-free. The Conversation. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/why-using-a-mobile-phone-while-driving-is-so-dangerous-even-when-youre-hands-free-71833
Gross, B., Hamilton, L., Adams, D., Bradshaw, C. P., Jagers, R., & Murry, V. M. (2023, February). Student mental health and well-being: A review of evidence and emerging solutions. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED626645.pdf
Gary Conwell