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200 Years Young A Pastoral Letter from the Bishops of Australia to the leaders, staff, students and families of Catholic education in Australia EMBARGOED UNTIL 10AM (AEDT) 18 FEBRUARY 2021

An extraordinary achievement innovation. They have provided high- community. Many, too, have joined quality education to generations of ‘caring professions’ such as education Two hundred years ago the first young Australians, now numbering in and healthcare, or a life-long religious Catholic school opened in Australia. their millions. They stand as a beacon vocation, as priests, sisters or brothers. in our society, for their contribution to Since then Catholic education the common good and to the nation’s The extraordinary success of Catholic has grown to the point that it now social capital. They have helped education did not occur by chance: educates around 770,000 primary nurture a more just, tolerant and it is fruit of the sacrifice of past and secondary school students, cohesive society. Catholic education generations and divine grace. We are in more than 1,750 schools, with is determined in its commitment to heirs to that rich legacy, borne out nearly 100,000 staff. These are excellence and equity. of sincere belief, inspiring vision and sponsored by and parishes, unwavering resolve. The bicentenary religious institutes and public juridic In this bicentenary year more than of Catholic education in Australia persons, and groups of parents. one in five Australian students attends invites us to remember the past with Six thousand Catholic catechists a Catholic school, and many others gratitude, be inspired by that story participate in the religious education a Catholic preschool, college or in the present, and look forward with of 200,000 children in government university. There are Catholic schools faith in the future. schools and parishes. Over the last in most towns and suburbs, and few years, hundreds of Church- university campuses in most capital sponsored early learning centres cities. The students come from diverse From humble beginnings in have been established, educating backgrounds and beliefs. They are 1820-21… many thousands of preschoolers. no longer all from poorer families, Around 50,000 tertiary students are as so many were in the first century For the first half century of now enrolled in our two Catholic and a half of Catholic education. colonisation, Catholics in Australia universities with their several Despite our continuing preferential were denied priests and sacraments, campuses. It is an extraordinary option for the poor and concern to be churches and church schools. They achievement! more accessible to First Australians, had to teach their children at home or refugees, those with disabilities or entrust them to schools and teachers Catholic schools are a jewel in the other disadvantage, our schools now mostly of other faiths. The early crown of the in boast children drawn from every part Governors promoted education to Australia, with few parallels in other of our society. Yet for all their diversity, safeguard ‘the rising generations’ from countries. Alongside families and they form a community with a common lives of lawlessness and to promote parishes they are the Church’s purpose and shared mission. As Christ social cohesion and stability. A pre- principal meeting point with young said that He had come “that they might eminent concern was that children people. They are integral to the have life, life to the full” (John 10:10), not develop the undesirable habits of Church’s mission of transmitting the we seek to draw out our students’ gifts, their convict forebears! Literacy and faith to the next generation. It is there address their challenges and enable other skills also promised to make that many young people encounter them to experience fullness of life. them more useful to the new society Christ, intensify their knowledge and that was emerging. Though there are love of God, and are formed as future Catholic schools have long held that gaps in the historical record, it seems contributors to Australian society. We education should be directed not that some Catholics also ran or taught hope all our students will emerge from just towards personal enrichment in little local schools, but these did not our schools with a deepened sense of for the individual student but survive. the sacred and greater appreciation of also to community contribution. the true, the good and the beautiful. Unsurprisingly, therefore, one of the A watershed moment for Catholic Catholic education is steadfast in great successes of Catholic education education in Australia came with the its commitment to evangelisation, has been how many of its graduates arrival in the colony of the first official catechesis, religious education and have gone on to put their character, Catholic chaplains, Philip Connolly spiritual and moral formation. skills and knowledge at the service and John Joseph Therry, in May of others: as civic leaders or judges, 1820. Theirs was the unenviable task Catholic schools are also a major leaders of industry, professions or of building up a Catholic community part of Australia’s educational trades, and in many other ways. Many whose members mostly lacked wealth, ecosystem. They are the equal of have gone on to be spouses and education or prospects – and so any other schools regarding educational parents, establishing their home as ‘a ecclesiastical infrastructure. Among Fr programs, student achievement, domestic church’, contributing to their Therry’s first decisions was to establish teacher professionalism, facilities and and volunteering in their local a school in Parramatta. This was the

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first ‘official’ Catholic school and it was Until large numbers of religious sisters gathered in Plenary Council in 1885 – already operational by January 1821, and brothers arrived on the scene in with three bishops from New Zealand with 31 pupils enrolled and Mr George Australia, it fell to Catholic laywomen and others – and they announced Morley (also identified as George and men to staff the small parish their common determination to give Marley) employed as their teacher. The schools, often in a single room, with families the choice of a Catholic school present St Patrick’s Primary School in boys and girls separated by a curtain. in the face of rising secularism and Parramatta and Parramatta Marist High Every week the space might then be enduring sectarianism. The clergy, School both claim descent from this cleared for Sunday Mass. Eventually religious and the lay faithful were first school. certified Catholic school teachers in equally resolute. After the Benedictine registered schools were paid modest monks (1833) and Sisters of Charity Interestingly, the school was not salaries by the colonial governments, (1838) came to Australia, they were exclusively for Catholic children. As and crown land was provided for soon joined by the Christian Brothers was the policy for the subsequent two some Anglican, Protestant and (1843), Sisters of Mercy (1846), Jesuit centuries, the first Catholic schools Catholic schools. But church schools Fathers (1848), Good Samaritan Sisters were open to all, even if those schools struggled to provide sufficient facilities (1857), Sisters of St Joseph (1866), were uncompromisingly Catholic and and teachers, and conditions only Presentation Sisters (1866), Dominican gave preference to parishioners. As the worsened as enrolments increased. Sisters (1867), Marist Brothers (1872), settlers spread through the continent, As secularism progressed in the Loreto Sisters (1875), Brigidine Sisters they brought with them their faith and Australian colonies, the mood was (1883), Patrician Brothers (1883), Our aspirations for Christian education increasingly against funding church Lady of the Sacred Heart Sisters (1885) – long before there was any talk of schools; instead the government and other congregations. These government schools and often before would provide education that was established, led or staffed most of the there were priests or religious. By ‘free, secular and compulsory’. As a Catholic schools with the help of lay 1839 there were 19 Catholic schools result of the Public Instruction Acts of staff. in New South Wales alone. Victoria’s the 1860s, ’70s and ’80s, the future of first official Catholic school opened Catholic schools in Australia was in When the Church in Australia recently at Port Phillip in 1839; Tasmania’s real doubt. celebrated the tenth anniversary of at Richmond in 1843; Queensland’s the canonisation of St Mary MacKillop, at Brisbane Town in 1845; Western The Catholic community bucked many commented that this great Australia’s at Swan River in 1846; and against this trend. Archbishop champion of Catholic education would South Australia’s at Penola in 1866. In Vaughan of Sydney was outspoken be well pleased with the scale and 1858 Archbishop Polding established in defence of Catholic education. reach of Catholic schooling in Australia the first Catholic university college, St Fourteen bishops, a vicar apostolic today. Despite the relative poverty John’s, in the University of Sydney. and an abbot from around Australia of most of its members, the Catholic

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Catholic schools have educated a significant proportion of the nation’s young people, offering a distinctive vision and values, complementing the state systems, and enabling choice and diversity in education.

community in her time set about its arriving after the Second World War, for the planning, governance and ambitious project of establishing in the decline of many rural centres and financial control of schools, the almost every parish a church with multiplication of new suburbs in the employment of lay principals, and a presbytery and a school with a cities, and the reduction in religious accountability for government convent. These were mostly poor vocations from the 1960s onwards. assistance. Eventually national, state schools and they took in the poorest There were as many as 70 students in and territory commissions evolved children, often from remote parts of a class and second-rate facilities even to deal with grant distribution and the country. Many Indigenous children by the standards of that day. ‘Parents other matters. The number and size were also educated in missions, and Friends’ groups began lobbying of Catholic schools continued to orphanages and outback schools. for state funding. When the Canberra- grow and increasing numbers of Both the missionaries who taught them Goulburn Archdiocese found itself other-than-Catholic families entrusted and their own families recognised that financially unable to comply with their children to Catholic schools. faith and education were vital if the directions to improve the facilities in But the picture was not entirely rosy. dignity of the First Australians was to its Goulburn school, the local bishop To our great shame, child sexual be recognised, if their young people instructed the families to shift their abuse reached crisis proportions were to be given every opportunity, children to the local government in the Catholic Church and other and if Aboriginal and Torres Strait school. Unable to accommodate them institutions in the 1960s to ’80s and Islander culture and heritage were and facing a major public reaction, was fortunately acknowledged from to be valued by all Australians. More Prime Minister Menzies introduced the 1990s onwards through to the often than not it was religious sisters some state aid for church schools. This final report of the Royal Commission who led the way in providing Catholic was amplified in the following decades in 2017. This damaged many children education for all comers, poor or not- under the Whitlam, Howard, Gillard, and families, as well as the credibility so-poor, with courage and generosity. Morrison and other governments. of Church institutions, including In this bicentennial year the Bishops of Not only did this correct an historic schools, in the eyes of many. As these Australia wish to record our gratitude injustice towards Catholic families failings have been steadily corrected at for the extraordinary contribution of in Australia, it allowed for Catholic a systemic level, the trust of families is the religious institutes to education in schools to aspire to first-rate facilities, being gradually rebuilt. Australia. teacher training, pedagogies and curricula for all students. Meanwhile a Catholic tertiary After decades of building, the education sector was also evolving. Catholic education system faced new From the 1960s onwards diocesan From early in the twentieth century challenges due to the large numbers systems of schools with central offices more than a dozen Catholic teaching of ‘baby-boom’ infants and of migrants increasingly took responsibility and nursing colleges were established

4 200 Years Young: A Pastoral Letter from the Bishops of Australia EMBARGOED UNTIL 10AM (AEDT) 18 FEBRUARY 2021 around Australia, first for providing Sydney of Theology (1954) mission of the Church, the sense of nuns and brothers with formal which became the Catholic Institute of identity among leaders and staff, and qualifications and then for educating Sydney (1976), the Yarra Theological whether we are doing our best by our lay people also. In the 1970s some Union Melbourne (1971) and Catholic young people. Each generation must of these amalgamated as state-wide Theological College (1972), also in also make again the public case for Catholic Colleges of Education, and Melbourne. Other Catholic tertiary faith schools, for choice in education, eventually they were merged or institutions have included Campion and for funding of Catholic schools on replaced by two Catholic universities. College (2006), a liberal arts college just terms. The University of Notre Dame in Western Sydney, and some trades Australia (1989) now has campuses institutions. On this anniversary we also want in Fremantle, Broome and Sydney to acknowledge the quality and (Broadway and Darlinghurst), and the In more recent years parishes and commitment of our education leaders Australian Catholic University (1991) dioceses have also established and school staff today. We look has campuses in Adelaide, Ballarat, many preschools, conscious of the forward to the Church in Australia Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, needs of parents for this support, recommitting herself to the great Sydney (Blacktown, North Sydney and of the opportunity this provides for adventure of Catholic education at the Strathfield) and Rome. In a relatively connecting with young families, Plenary Council of Australia 2021-22 short time these two universities have for catechesis, and for providing and look to you all to give a lead in the experienced considerable growth, not educational advantages to children. years that follow. just in student and staff numbers, but Out-of-School-Hours services are also also in research, reputation and results. increasingly common on parish or Of course, the education scene in school premises. Australia has changed dramatically Around the same time Catholic since Fr Therry’s day. Catholic schools residential colleges were established Thus the Church in Australia today continue to grow but not necessarily in several state universities: St Leo’s can be said to engage in education in enrolments of Catholic children. (1917) and Duchesne (1937) in the from womb to tomb – or at least ‘P to T’ Financial stress and other factors have University of Queensland; Newman (from preschool to tertiary). led some Catholic families to look (1918) and St Mary’s (1918) in the elsewhere for schooling; meanwhile University of Melbourne; Sancta many other-than-Catholic families Sophia (1925) in the University of …to high hopes for Catholic entrust their children to our schools. Sydney; Aquinas College (1950) in education today Even our Catholic students now often the University of Adelaide; St Thomas have little connection with the Church More (1955) in the University of At this time of bicentennial outside of school. Secularisation Western Australia; St John Fisher celebrations for Catholic education, continues apace in our culture and (1963) in the University of Tasmania; the Catholic Bishops of Australia wish there was considerable disillusionment St Raphael’s (1964) and St Paul’s to record our pride in all that has been with Church institutions resulting from (1969) which became Saints (2006) achieved during those two centuries, the sexual abuse crisis. Thus, while in James Cook University, Townsville; and our gratitude to those who have our schools continue to embrace their John XXIII (1967) and Ursula (1968) funded, built and otherwise supported, traditional responsibility for religious in the Australian National University, led or staffed, entrusted their children and other education, they now have Canberra; Mannix (1969) at Monash to or studied in our schools. It has a different mix of students and less University; St Albert’s (1969) in the been one of the Catholic Church’s support for their specifically religious University of New England, Armidale; principal contributions to Australia’s mission from outside the school than and Creston (1970) and Warrane social and cultural infrastructure. they had in the past. The surrounding (1971) in the University of New South Catholic schools have educated a culture and its powerful agents such Wales. Catholic chaplaincies also significant proportion of the nation’s as the media are also commonly flourished in many universities. young people, offering a distinctive unsupportive. vision and values, complementing the When seminaries and clerical religious state systems, and enabling choice Some schools originally established to houses were established to form local and diversity in education. educate the poor now find themselves clergy, they commonly had in-house increasingly educating the children philosophy and theology studies. Rather than resting on our laurels, of the middle class. Partly this reflects After the however, the Bishops recognise socio-economic and demographic these were generally separated that every generation must examine change across much of Australia. from the houses of formation and critically the current performance Partly it reflects the success of the lay people were admitted alongside of its institutions, their relationship Catholic school system in raising up the seminarians; these included the to families, parishes and the wider working class and migrant families.

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But our schools remain committed others also bring. Much more is to enrolling even greater numbers required, however, for a genuinely Conclusion of students who are Indigenous, Catholic school than a preponderance refugees, disabled or in any way of students from Catholic families or of In his recent , Fratelli disadvantaged. Meanwhile in some staff who are devout. It is essential that: Tutti: On Fraternity and Social Friendship, Francis parts of the country many better-off § leaders and staff understand, commented that schooling is a Catholic students have been lost to and are solidly committed to, the right for all children and that a other-than-Catholic independent Catholic identity of the school schools. Government schools and good education can make an other Christian schools have become § activities of pre-evangelisation, enormous difference in the lives rivals for our students in the education primary proclamation, catechesis of young people, setting them ecosystem. and spiritual formation seek to up for life (§§109 & 130). Among ensure our young people have a other things, Catholic schools Other challenges for school leaders personal encounter with Christ, and universities should offer an and teachers include the burdens develop an enduring relationship education in human solidarity and of reporting and other bureaucratic with God and the Church, and have Christian fraternity (§§103, 114, accountability, particular difficulties a genuine apprenticeship in the 151 & 167) and make it possible experienced by rural and remote Christian life “for each human being to shape his schools, over-crowding or shortage § the Religious Education or her own future” (§187). Teachers of schools in the new (or renewing) curriculum is sound, attractive and must therefore “be conscious suburbs, the impact of new professionally delivered, helping that their responsibility extends technologies, and dissatisfaction with students to integrate faith, culture also to the moral, spiritual and education results in Australia vis-à- and life social aspects of life. The values vis other countries. The COVID-19 of freedom, mutual respect and § other disciplines also consider the pandemic has also presented solidarity can be handed on from a Catholic/Christian dimension of their many difficulties for staff and tender age” (§114). subject areas students, even as they showed great resilience, flexibility and generosity in § schools are Eucharistic communities “Let the little children come to responding. within the parish context where me,” said Jesus, “for it is to such students regularly take part in Mass as these that the kingdom of At the end of this pastoral letter we and Reconciliation and are engaged heaven belongs” (Matt 19:14). As note a series of Church documents in various forms of prayer and the Catholic education world in that have challenged all those meditation Australia celebrates its bicentenary, involved in Catholic education to § schools are places that cultivate a the Bishops of Australia share the dedicate themselves to ensuring Catholic imagination, supported by a Holy Father’s confidence in the that our primary and secondary Catholic visual culture power of a good Catholic education schools – and to some extent our from P to T. We also have great § schools are connected to their local tertiary institutions – are truly Catholic confidence in our young people: parish(es) and , through in their identity and life, are centres that inspired by their encounter inviting the pastors and parents of the new evangelisation, enable with Jesus Christ and nurtured into the school, and through active our students to achieve high levels by a Catholic education, they collaboration with the wider Catholic of Catholic religious literacy and will be young women and men community practice, and are led and staffed by of character and ideals, and will people who will contribute to these § families and parishes support contribute as leaders and disciples goals. This will require that, as far as their schools in these important in our world. And we have great possible, we retain a ‘critical mass’ endeavours. confidencein our education leaders of Catholic students and staff in our and staff: that in charting the course schools, even as we welcome those The Church texts offer many other for Catholic education in Australia from other religious backgrounds. This suggestions that we would echo in in its third century, you will help requires system and school leaders to Australia today regarding passing on us imagine how our educational re-examine how they might maximise Catholic faith, life and culture, leading institutions can be schools in a enrolment of Catholic students and and staffing preschools, schools and deeper faith and humanity, and employment of committed Catholic universities in this new era, and critical ensure that this dream is realised. staff, while recognising the gifts that indicators of progress.

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Resources on Catholic education

Popes and Councils Vatican Council II, Gravissimum Educationis: Declaration on Christian Education (1965) http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651028_gravissimum-educationis_en.html St Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi: on Evangelisation Today (1975) http://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_p-vi_exh_19751208_evangelii-nuntiandi.html St John Paul II, Redemptoris Missio: Encyclical on the Permanent Validity of the Church’s Missionary Mandate (1990) http://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en//documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_07121990_redemptoris-missio.html

St John Paul II, Ex Corde Ecclesiæ: on Catholic Universities (1990) http://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_jp-ii_apc_15081990_ex-corde-ecclesiae.html

St John Paul II, Catechesi Tradendæ: Apostolic Exhortation on Catechesis in Our Time (1979) http://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_16101979_catechesi-tradendae.html , : Apostolic Exhortation on the Proclamation of the Gospel in Today’s World (2013) http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium.html Pope Francis, Veritatis Gaudium: Apostolic Constitution on Ecclesiastical Universities and Faculties (2017) http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_constitutions/documents/papa-francesco_costituzione-ap_20171208_veritatis-gaudium.html Pope Francis, : Encyclical on Fraternity and Social Friendship (2020) http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20201003_enciclica-fratelli-tutti.html

Congregation for Catholic Education The Catholic School (1977) http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccatheduc_doc_19770319_catholic-school_en.html Lay Catholics in Schools: Witnesses to Faith (1982) https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccatheduc_doc_19821015_lay-catholics_en.html The Religious Dimension of Education in a Catholic School: Guidelines for Reflection and Renewal (1988) http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccatheduc_doc_19880407_catholic-school_en.html The Presence of the Church in the University and in University Culture (1994) https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/cultr/documents/rc_pc_cultr_doc_22051994_presence_en.html The Catholic School on the Threshold of the Third Millennium (1997) http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccatheduc_doc_27041998_school2000_en.html Educating Together in Catholic Schools: A Shared Mission between Consecrated Persons and the Lay Faithful (2007) http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccatheduc_doc_20070908_educare-insieme_en.html Religious Education in Schools (2009) http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccatheduc_doc_20090505_circ-insegn-relig_en.html Educating Today and Tomorrow: A Renewing Passion (2014) http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccatheduc_doc_20140407_educare-oggi-e-domani_en.html Educating to Fraternal Humanism (2017) http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccatheduc_doc_20170416_educare-umanesimo-solidale_en.html

Other for Promoting the New Evangelization (previously under the auspices of the Congregation for the Clergy), Directory for Catechesis (1st ed., 1971; 2nd ed. 1997; 3rd ed., London: Catholic Truth Society, 2020) Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, The Application of the Apostolic Constitution Ex Corde Ecclesiæ in Australia (2007) https://www.catholic.org.au/acbc-media/downloads/ad-limina/bishops-1/handbook-1/2236-ex-corde-ecclesiae-australia/file Bishops of NSW and ACT, Catholic Schools at a Crossroads (2007) https://www.csnsw.catholic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/catholic-schools-at-a-crossroads.pdf Catholic Education Commission of Western Australia, Mandate 2009-2015 (2009) https://www.cewa.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Bishops-Mandate-2009-2015.pdf Queensland Catholic Education Commission, A Reference Document for Mission of Catholic Schools in Queensland (2018) https://qcec.catholic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/20180320-Endorsed-A-reference-document-for-Mission-of-CS-in-Qld.pdf

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©2021 Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Bishops Commission for Catholic Education PO Box 368 Canberra ACT 2601 Telephone: 02 6201 9845 www.catholic.org.au