Vatican investigation into former Perth Bishop
Archbishop of Perth, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Timothy Costelloe SDB has released a statement addressing several serious allegations made against former Bishop of Broome, Christopher Saunders.
‘It is right and proper for them to be thoroughly investigated,’ Bishop Costelloe said.
‘The Catholic Church’s investigation into allegations against Bishop Saunders could not commence until the Western Australia Police Force concluded its inquiries’.
The Church’s subsequent investigation was overseen by Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge, but carried out by an independent specialist investigations organisation.
That independent report has been provided to the Holy See, with the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith continuing the investigation. Read the statement here.
Teacher resource to support student mental health and wellbeing
A new online resource for teachers to help students develop their understanding of the factors that influence their mental health and wellbeing and that of others, has been developed by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority.
The ‘Curriculum Connection’ resource was designed with support from experts from Beyond Blue and Headspace.
The resource support teaching about mental health and wellbeing through a range of Australian Curriculum learning areas. Find out more.
Support for the induction of early career teachers
The University of Newcastle has launched its Strengthening Induction through Quality Teaching Rounds (QTR) program to improve the morale, confidence, job satisfaction and retention of early career teachers across Australia.
Funded by the federal government, the program will support an additional 1600 teachers to participate in professional learning as part of Action 18 of the National Teacher Workforce Action Plan. Find out more.
Australian delegation set to participate in indigenous conference
Five Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will attend an international Catholic gathering in Washington DC, along with indigenous people from the US, Canada and New Zealand.
Sabrina Stevens, who serves as the youth representative on the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC), is among the five Indigenous Australians who will attend the conference.
‘The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, and our Catholic community, is growing and it is younger than the overall Australian population,’ Ms Stevens said.
‘It is a privilege to bring the voice of Australia’s young First Peoples to this event and to share our hopes and our dreams, but also our challenges.’
Over the course of the week, participants will share their local stories, including the work of Catholic indigenous organisations and the historical relationship between the Church and First Nations peoples. Read more.
ACU pays tribute to Irish teaching nun at campus anniversary
Australian Catholic University (ACU) is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its McAuley campus in Brisbane’s north. The week-long celebrations pay tribute to the Sisters of Mercy, whose commitment to preparing women to teach in Catholic schools helped establish the Banyo campus as a leading provider of graduate teachers in Queensland.
In 1955, the Sisters of Mercy formed McAuley College, a teacher training college for fellow Sisters of Mercy. For the next 20 years, the McAuley College established itself as a leading non-government teachers’ college.
In 1991 McAuley College formally handed responsibility for the college to ACU, and in 2003, relocated to its current site in Banyo, previously home to the Pius XII Provincial Seminary.
After relocating to Banyo, the campus was renamed McAuley at Banyo, as a tribute to the founder of the Sisters of Mercy, Irish-born Catherine McAuley.
In brief
Catholic Education has appointed Kate Fogarty as the executive director of Catholic Education Sandhurst. Kate is currently the principal of Assumption College, Kilmore.
What’s On
Australian Catholic Education Symposium with special guest speaker Prof Anne Graham followed by a panel discussion: Wednesday, 25 October 2023. Time: 3.30-4.50pm AEDT; 4.30-5.50pm AEST and 12.30-1.50pm AWST.
Topic: Are we listening? How can Catholic schools respond to student views for wellbeing, faith formation and learning
AI in Education Mini-Conference: Explore the possibilities and challenges AI presents in education, build capacity in using AI technologies for learning and teaching, and hear from experts in the field, including Prof Matt Bower from Macquarie University. Hosted by Western Sydney University’s School of Education.
Time: Monday, 13 November 2023, 8.30am-3.30pm
Register.
Mastery in Mathematics project: The National Catholic Education Commission and Ochre Education are looking for secondary teachers from selected Catholic schooling systems interested in developing curriculum resources for Years 7 and 8 mathematics teachers.
Teachers will be drawn from dioceses in South Australia, ACT, Victoria and New South Wales. and will be employed directly by Ochre to complete the development work flexibly outside of school. Express interest by 24 September.