Leader of Faith, Formation, and Mission

We gathered for this significant assembly to recognise and appreciate the First Nations Peoples within our community. NAIDOC originally stood for ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee’. This committee was responsible for organising national activities during NAIDOC Week, and its acronym has since become the name of the week itself. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is celebrated not only in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, but is now celebrated by all Australians. 

Our students had the experience of encountering the culture of the First Nations People in various ways. I would personally like to thank Griffith High School Dance group - Yirra Miya and the staff who accompanied them, I'd like to thank the AMS staff who facilitated activities for our students to enjoy and I'd to thank Lijanah from Year 11 and Damien Thorne for their powerful speeches. 

Meaning of the NAIDOC theme for 2026:

50 years deadly -

For five decades, NAIDOC Week has celebrated the voices of our communities — steady, unapologetic, and proud. Each year, its themes have called for truth, celebrated culture, honoured resistance, and reminded the nation of who we are.Fifty Years of Deadly marks a milestone. It’s a tribute to the people who built this movement. The Elders who stood firm, the organisers who made space, the artists who turned resistance into expression, and the communities who keep showing up, year after year.NAIDOC has always been more than a week — it’s a platform, a protest, a celebration, and a statement of survival.This moment is about looking back at the stories, the marches, the languages, the art, the leadership. At the strength it took to get here. It’s about recognising how far we’ve come, not by chance, but because generations of people refused to be silenced.It’s also about the here and now, who we are today. Grounded in culture. Strong in our identity. Leading change across every field, from health and education to media, business, and the arts. We’re telling our own stories, in our own way, on our own terms.And it’s about the future. The next 50 years. The young ones growing up proud. The return of language. The return to Country. The fight for justice continuing with new tools, new voices, and the same fire.

I'd like to end by saying a huge thank you to Ms Amie-Lee Gibbs. This was her first NAIDOC celebration that she has organised at our College, and she did an amazing job! The connections that she has been able to initiate between our College and the First Nations People community is something that we look forward to continuing to grow.  

Day in the Diocese

The Catholic Education Diocese of Wagga Wagga Day in the Diocese is a Diocesan gathering for selected Stage 3 primary school and Stage 5 & 6 secondary college students to celebrate with Year with Bishop Mark and each other. The gathering of young people is in response to the Jubilee Year’s call to be Pilgrims of Hope. It exists to provide young people, and their accompanying staff, in our Catholic schools an opportunity to encounter Jesus, be empowered to be hope-filled disciples in the world today and celebrate the Church in our Diocese. The celebratory day will take place on Friday, 28th August 2026. The school contingents will depart from various locations across the Diocese.The Day in the Diocese will give selected students and staff from across our Diocesan schools an opportunity to come together to celebrate the  Jubilee Year’s theme:  Pilgrims of Hope. 

They will join with Bishop Mark, priests and other staff  to encounter  Jesus Christ, be empowered to be hope-filled disciples in the world today and celebrate the Church in our Diocese.The Day in the Dioceses' experiences will include a liturgical celebration, workshops, prayer experiences, live music and the Blessed Carlo Acutis Relic Exhibition. Thanksgiving Mass will be held at the conclusion of our day to offer our thanks and gratitude for the Graces of our time together. 

Workshops will include  the following categories: Creative Art – facilitated workshop where students contribute towards a shared art installation; Music – opportunities for young people to learn and contribute towards the final Mass Scripture – aimed at helping young people reflect on scripture for their future and how to live out their lives as disciples of Jesus. The Encounter Dome (Playhouse) aims to provide an interactive space for participants to encounter the Blessed Carlo Acutis Exhibition and; learn more about the Eucharistic Miracles Blessed Carlo held so dearly. St. Michael’s Cathedral will be the focal point for our prayer and worship, providing the opportunity for both Eucharistic Adoration and the Thanksgiving Mass

Day in the Diocese Our students had a wonderful experience at Day in the Diocese, representing our school with great pride and maturity throughout the day. The workshops were spiritually enriching, providing students with opportunities to reflect, connect and deepen their faith, while the fantastic music brought plenty of energy and joy to the day. A highlight was the opportunity to meet and connect with students and staff from other schools across the Diocese, creating a wonderful sense of community and belonging. The day concluded with Mass at St Michael’s Cathedral with Bishop Mark, bringing everyone together in a meaningful and memorable celebration of faith. We are incredibly proud of the way our students represented our school and embraced all that the day had to offer.

Thank you to Mr Lyon and Mrs Bozic for accompanying our students on this encounter.

Yours in faith

Mr Gabriel Abdala

Leader of Faith, Formation, and Mission