To mark the start of Lent, 40 Catholic schools from the Diocese of Wollongong gathered at St Brigid’s Catholic Primary School in Gwynneville to launch Caritas Australia's Project Compassion appeal for 2019.

This year, the annual fundraising and awareness-raising campaign shares six stories which show the power of hope and the work of Caritas Australia in communities in Zimbabwe, Indonesia, Solomon Islands, Australia, Bangladesh and Vietnam.

'The future has a name - and that name is HOPE.'

In the midst of Catholic Schools Week, the 2019 Diocesan Education Mass was a special and moving celebration for our CEDoW education community. It saw over 800 Catholic educators from all corners of our growing Diocese come together at St John Vianney Co-Cathedral in Fairy Meadow in a strong statement of unity and spirit, and celebrate not just who we are, but what we believe in. 

Over 200 Year 6 students from our four Southern Illawarra primary schools, St Paul's, Albion Park; Stella Maris, Shellharbour; Nazareth, Shellharbour City; and Ss Peter and Paul, Kiama, all gathered at Nazareth Catholic Primary School to enjoy the Southern Illawarra Catholic Schools (SICS) Year 6 Leaders Day - a day jam-packed with fun experiences that engaged and supported them in ideas around leadership, identity, self-esteem, empathy, social justice and teamwork.

There was mingling, laughter and unexpected gifts, as over 190 guests gathered on 28 February at Villa D’oro Function Centre for a dinner to welcome new staff into Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW).

Each year, newly appointed staff attend the dinner together with their principals, including leadership team members, early career and experienced teachers, support staff and CEO officers.

St Joseph’s Albion Park War on Waste (WoW) Club members have joined forces with community environment groups, Two Week Red Bin Challenge and Oceans in Focus, to clean up over nine large garbage bags full of plastics and rubbish around local Barrack Point beach spot, Little Lake.

Students, families and staff from Catholic school communities in and around Townsville have been devastated by the worst floods ever recorded in the region. This comes on top of the devastating drought conditions which have severely impacted these communities.

Catholic Schools Week is here! Join our 38 systemic Catholic schools in the Diocese and Catholic school communities across NSW in celebration from 3-9 March 2019. 

View our Catholic Schools Week video here or view it within this article. 

Our Catholic schools are vibrant places of learning and faith, hope and opportunity - where every student is supported to reach their full potential and find meaning and purpose in their lives. Catholic Schools Week is a chance to raise awareness and celebrate the strengths and distinctiveness of a Catholic education and the fundamental role our CEDoW schools play within our local communities. 

Over 30 representatives from Diocesan primary, secondary and congregational schools, the Catholic Education Office, Catholic agencies and parishes gathered with Bishop Brian Mascord at the Xavier Centre in Wollongong earlier this month for the second of four of the Diocese of Wollongong’s Plenary 2020 regional listening sessions.

These regional listening sessions have been an opportunity for those in our local area to engage with each other and give feedback on the Australian Bishops’ call to reflect on the future of the Catholic Church in Australia: what are we called to do, who are we called to be, and how we need to change.

Five students from the Diocese of Wollongong were recognised for their sporting achievements at the NSW Combined Catholic Colleges (CCC) 22nd Blue Awards on 11 February at St Mary’s Star of the Sea College, Wollongong.

Seeking to portray the diversity and individuality within issues affecting women in modern society, John Therry Rosemeadow student, Jacinta D’Cunha, created her HSC Visual Arts body of work, ‘Dear Sisters….in Solidarity’. Its artistic quality, visual impact and timely message have seen it selected from almost 9,000 artworks across the state to not only be exhibited at the Art Gallery of New South Wales from today, but win her the exhibition’s prestigious S&S Creativity Award, too.

As a new school year commences, CEDoW schools are well placed to meet the growing demand for the engagement of casual staff through an innovative app — Tap for Teacher — seamlessly connecting schools and staff.

CEDoW students have produced colourful and deeply reflective works in the 2018 Stretching Potential through Learning in Interactive Challenging Environments (S.P.L.I.C.E.D) Program, entitled 'Transformation: Inventions, Creativity and Ingenuity that have Changed the World'.  

The joyful voices of the students of St Joseph’s, Bulli resounded around their school, as they celebrated the official blessing and opening of their new building, refurbished learning spaces and adventure playgrounds. In a beautiful pocket of the country, the students can learn and play, with all they need for a quality Catholic education. 

John Therry Rosemeadow student, Rhys Dewick, is one of the country’s most promising baseball prospects - and has an impressive list of team selections and awards to prove it. In a busy final year of secondary school, Dewick has stepped out onto the field as a NSWCCC, NSW All Schools and an Australian Schools representative, with his efforts culminating in a recent baseball tour of the US in front of the sport’s top scouts.

A targeted school-wide campaign to streamline waste management by increasing recycling and composting, and reducing the rubbish going to landfill, has earned St Michael’s, Thirroul official recognition and praise - the school being awarded a Wollongong City Council ‘Rise and Shine Environment Award’.

What types of parent education programs are important? How can parents contribute to living the faith at the school? What are important priorities for fundraising in our school? These are some of the questions addressed by St Michael’s, Thirroul parents at the school’s recent Parents and Friends Association (P&F) meeting.

More than 900 students from our eight systemic Catholic schools across the Diocese of Wollongong were up early today to receive their HSC marks. Our students’ hard work and dedication has paid off, with many achieving remarkable results - including one First in Course, three All Round Achievers and 120 Distinguished Achievers.