From the Principal – 9 March 2023

International Women’s Day

This week we celebrate International Women’s Day and the influence and legacy that so many women, past and present, played in forming us individually, as a family, as a community and at every level. In Australia, we have the extraordinary legacy of our own Saint Mary MacKillop founder of the Josephites and here in our school context our Irish foundress the Venerable Catherine McAuley. Both these women endured and overcame similar struggles, sadly similar struggles to women of the modern Church.

On Wednesday, during his General Audience with pilgrims in St Peter’s Square, Pope Francis referred to the commemoration of International Women’s Day on 8 March, stressing, “This is a privilege of women alone!”

“On International Women’s Day, I think of all women: I thank them for their commitment to building a more humane society, through their ability to grasp reality with a creative eye and a tender heart.

A special blessing for all the women in the square. And a round of applause for women! They deserve it!”

The Holy Father also greeted the sick, the elderly, newlyweds and young people. “In these days of Lent,” he said, “walk even more courageously in the footsteps of Christ, seeking to imitate His humility and faithfulness to the divine will.”

Role of Women in the Church

This acknowledgement coincides with an Australian-led study recently presented to the Vatican and initiated by Catholic Women Speak, where 84% of women supported reform in the Church and 67% wanted a radical change. Their plea: engage the wisdom, the talents and the experience of women for the enrichment of the church and of society.

Women still make up the majority of the Catholic workforce and Catholic congregations, but their participation in church life is in decline.

Indeed, each generation of Catholic women in Australia is less likely than the previous one to attend church and participate in parish life.

There are a number of reasons for this decline, one of which is a continued lack of action by church leadership in including women in agenda-setting and decision-making processes in church life.

Despite recommendations from the Child Abuse Royal Commission that church leaders undertake a review of their engagement of Catholic women and develop measures to increase women’s status and participation in the church, there has been little progress to date.

Globally, Catholic women continue to be sidelined from important gatherings and processes determining the future of Catholicism. As a consequence, many women are beginning to mobilise for change.

The findings from this study will be presented to a Vatican Synod. We pray that women will be identified and reforms and measures instituted to identify the contribution that women make. We also extend our prayers and thanks to the women in our lives.

Social behaviours in our community

Since returning from COVID there are a growing number of social behaviours in our community that have changed and are becoming more established. This relates to the manner, nature and volume of communication that the College receives via direct phone contact, visits and or email. In the past, we were taught the virtues of humility, charity, gratitude, temperance, patience and diligence.

As a Catholic school and member of various Parishes within the Diocese of Sandhurst, we model Jesus Christ and founders such as Catherine McAuley in our mission and praxis – our faith in action. In our touchstone statement, we pledge to thrive and serve as a community. This is our intention in every interaction.

What we request from all our members, is that they abide by the various Codes of Conduct and reciprocate in our praxis. We request that people are patient and measured in their exchanges with CMC staff and follow the College’s policies and procedures. There are guidelines that our staff follow in responding to communications, these guidelines are established in accord with Mercy Education Limited and Catholic Education Sandhurst Limited.

Year 7 Camp

Thank you to the Year 7 parents who supported the recent Year 7 camp. The outstanding level of attendance and participation is hopefully a sign that we are getting back to pre-COVID involvement and routine. These events are so important for the formation, transition and socialisation of our students. Congratulations to the students on their enthusiasm and to the staff for their organisation and energy. Click here to read more about the Year 7 Camp.