Catholic Education is celebrating 200 years in Australia, marking the bicentenary of the first Catholic school established in Parramatta in October 1820.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Catholic Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes marked the occasion in style with staff, students and many special guests gathering together to celebrate Mass with Bishop Columba MacBeth-Green and reflect on this important milestone in Catholic Education.
Red Bend Catholic College hosted the celebrations on March 17, which began with a procession of school emblems carried by representatives with connections to each of the 19 schools located in a diocese that covers an area over half the size of NSW.
During the Mass, Bishop Columba spoke with gratitude of the great vision and sacrifices made by the early Catholic communities including parishioners and religious orders, that made Catholic education in these towns a reality.
A presentation outlining the timeline of Catholic Education in the Wilcannia-Forbes Diocese was presented, allowing all in attendance to reflect upon the significance of the contribution of Catholic schools in passing on our faith to the next generation ... forming the whole person, body, heart and mind.
Finally, special guests, staff and students were treated to a luncheon which enabled much reminiscing and many stories about the foundational years of Catholic education in our diocese.
Over 200 years, Catholic schools have grown to become the largest provider of schooling in Australia (outside government) with one in five school age students attending a Catholic school.
This represents some 768,000 students in 1,751 schools across the country and employing 98,000 teachers and staff.
Nearly 40 per cent of Catholic schools are located outside of metropolitan cities in regional, rural and remote communities. (source: https://200years.catholic.edu.au)
A National Mass will also be celebrated on the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians on 24 May 2021.
Director of Catholic Education Anthony Gordon said the history of Catholic education in the Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes is rich and colourful.
"The first Catholic school in our diocese was founded in Forbes in 1862," he said in a message to the diocesan schools.
"It is fitting that this celebration will occur on the feast of St Patrick as so many Irish were instrumental in the founding of our Catholic parishes and schools.
"It is inspiring to reflect that we carry on the great personal sacrifices and gave devoted service to our parish schools."
In Forbes, the church built in 1862 was also used as a school until Dr McAuliffe built St Joseph's schools during 1879, in history provided by the Catholic Education Office.
St Joseph's opened with 28 students and grew to 150 regular attendants by 1880. It was staffed by Mr O'Keefe, who came to Forbes from New York, and four Sisters of St Joseph who stayed in Forbes until the Sisters of Mercy came at the end of 1880.
The Sisters of Mercy opened a High School for Young Ladies in a wooden building near the first convent, located across the street from the site of the present convent.
The infant and primary schools were across the street, as was the boys' school which was conducted by a lay-master until 1984 when the sisters took charge of it.
Catholic education in Forbes was conducted by the Sisters of Mercy until the arrival of the Marist Brothers in July 1926, who taught the boys from Grade 4 on.
In 1948 His Lordship Bishop Fox purchased 89 acres of land on the Lachlan River and the decision to move to Red Bend was made.
Red Bend Catholic College began with the school year in 1956, with 150 boarders and 130 day students.
Co-education began with Year 11 in 1975 and Year 12 in 1976, the whole College becoming co-educational in 1977.
During his homily, Bishop Columba reflected on the difficulties faced by the religious orders that first arrived in the diocese in the late 1800s and the challenges of teachers working in the diocese today.
"It is hard for the teachers today," he said.
"They come out to a little rural communities in Wilcannia-Forbes.
"They do that to answer a call to spread the good news and make Christ present everywhere, even out in the bush," he said.
Bishop Columba said it is a time to thank our teachers and collaborators in Catholic education, parents and students.
This history courtesy of the Catholic Education Office Wilcannia-Forbes, referencing commemorative book compiled for the Centenary of the Diocese of Wilcannia in 1987.