Formation

MacKillop College: Wagga's educational showcase

Joanne Andrews

Contents - Sep 2010 - Buy a copy now Appeal: 2010 Fighting Fund launched - Peter Westmore Britain prepares for Benedict XVI's visit - Joanna Bogle News: The Church Around the World Academia: Challenging times for Catholic universities - Babette Francis University: Another successful Australian Catholic Students Conference - Br Barry Coldrey Ecclesial movements in the life of the Church - Bishop Julian Porteous Cinema: The Waiting City - An Australian film of religious significance - M.A. Casey (reviewer) Foundations of Faith: Do people of faith lack reason? - Frank Mobbs Natural Family Planning: Kyrgyzstan leads the way - Paula Flynn Vocations: The story of a grandmother and her love of the priesthood - Andrew Kania Letters: New evangelisation - Retired Queensland Priest Letters: Religious liberty - John Young Letters: Infallible teaching - Fr Brian Harrison OS Letters: A rejoinder to John Young - James Bogle Books: Edith Stein Discovered / Edith Stein and Companions - Terri Kelleher (reviewer) Books: LETTERS TO A NON-BELIEVER, by Thomas Crean - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: MEETING JESUS AND FOLLOWING HIM: A Retreat, by Cardinal Francis Arinze - Br Barry Coldrey (reviewer) Books: THE TEMPLARS: Knights of Christ, by Régine Pernoud - Br Barry Coldrey Formation: MacKillop College: Wagga's educational showcase - Joanne Andrews Books: Order books from www.freedompublishing.com.au Reflection: Accepting the reality of sin: a cornerstone of Christian faith - Fr Dennis Byrnes

A common area of concern among young Catholics is that of education. We have been aware of the difficulties faced by our own parents in ensuring we received a good education, and the problems we encountered as students. I have found the question of what to do about our children's future education to be quite a popular topic of conversation.

Often we turn to the possibility of independent schools. One such promising school is the Blessed Mary MacKillop College in Wagga Wagga, NSW, which is a privately owned, independent school (K-12) that teaches the Catholic Faith.

The school has grown from the original seven students to over 80 at present with current plans to relocate the colleges to a new site on 27 acres that will secure the school's future development. The colleges also enjoy the approval and support of the local Ordinary Bishop Gerard Hanna and the Sydney Archbishop, Cardinal George Pell.

At present, plans are in train for offering residential accommodation, in a good Catholic family setting, for boys from Years 9-12 whose parents want for them what the school has to offer, but who live at too great a distance for daily travel to and from the school.

The school offers a strong Catholic formation and solid educational advantages (the school was ranked last year in the top 50 schools of NSW in the national literacy and numeracy tests, and in the top 100 across the nation in literacy).

There will not be many places offered, so parents who are interested should enquire about the details as early in 2010 as possible. It is hoped that this advantage will also be offered for girls in Years 9-12 provided a local Catholic couple or family is willing and able to accommodate them. Hence inquiries are also invited by parents of girls in that year range.

From 2011 the school will offer students the option of studying university units by distance via Open University Australia, alongside their peers who choose to do the Higher School Certificate Course. Students in both of these "streams" will attend regular classes in the school and sit for exams in Catholic Moral and Dogmatic Theology, Philosophy, and Church History.

The school is looking for more maths/science teachers - particularly those capable of teaching at the senior school level. Are there any good, committed Catholic teachers out there who would relish working in a school strong on Catholic faith and culture, serious about academic excellence and with few disciplinary problems? If so please apply promptly for 2011.

If you are interested in teaching at the school, sending your children there, or making a financial donation, please phone me on 0419 698 692 or email: blessedmary at bigpond.com

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 23 No 8 (September 2010), p. 18