The Catholic Weekly 2 January 2021

catholicweekly.com.au 2 NEWS 2, January, 2022 I n this edition News Editorial, Letters Archbishop’s homily Comments 1-5 6-7 14-15 17 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Kenny (02) 9390 5348 EDITOR Peter Rosengren (02) 9390 5400 REPORTERS Marilyn Rodrigues (02) 9390 5410 Debbie Cramsie (02) 9390 5396 Adam Wesselinoff (02) 9390 5400 SUBSCRIPTIONS Rita Ng (02) 9390 5411 ADVERTISING AND MARKETING Steve Richards (02) 9390 5404 Katie Clarke (02) 9390 5402 DESIGNERS Renate Cassis Mathew De Sousa Faith in the trajectory of life catch it now at: thiscatholiclife.com.au Our story begins in 1839 with the Australasian Chronicle, continuing with the Freeman’s Journal in 1850. Level 13, Polding Centre, 133 Liverpool Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. Phone (02) 9390 5400 | Vol 73, No 5216. The Catholic Weekly is published by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney ABN 60 471 267 587 and is printed by Spotpress Pty Ltd, 24-26 Lilian Fowler Place, Marrickville NSW 2204. DOWNLOAD THE OUR FAITH OUR WORKS APP Your one-stop location for Mass and Confession times, spiritual reflections and meditations, podcasts, local Catholic news, the Go Make Disciples mission plan, and much more. To download the app visit ourfaithourworks.org/app or scan the QR Code. Call 02 9649 6423 or visit www.catholiccemeteries.com.au Consecrated lawns and chapels Sydney’s only Catholic crematorium Monthly mass for the Repose of Souls Funeral directors available for a Catholic service Bereavement pastoral care Serving the Catholic community for over 150 years A NEW collaboration with education students at two of Australia’s biggest Catholic universities seeks to inspire a new generation of teachers equipped to inspire holiness as well as excellence in their students. Education students from the University of Notre Dame and Australian Catholic Uni- versity collaborated to host an online games and trivia festival during lockdown to mark 200 years of Catholic education in Australia while supporting disadvantaged students to attend Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Sydney. Last week the student rep- resentatives gave the $1900 raised through the event to the Catholic Education Foun- dation based in Leichhardt. The foundation’s program assists financially disadvan- taged, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and refugee students, and even provides emergency assis- tance such as grocery ham- pers to families in need dur- ing the COVID lockdowns. James Tran, president of the Education Society at UNDA and a final year edu- cation student, said the col- laboration is also intended to inspire Catholic education students to appreciate their future career as a vocation in the best sense as part of the Church’s broader mission to evangelise. “I think many education students in Catholic universi- ties haven’t been exposed to this idea before, and we want- ed tohelp educate our students on the significance of a Catho- lic education because it is dif- ferent to being a teacher in the ¾ Marilyn Rodrigues Inspiring a new generation state system,” James said. “We also wanted to try to build and foster community and authentic relationships among the education stu- dents of both universities as we can support each other in many ways as we share this common mission.” He said the student leaders were inspired by the Church’s teaching on Catholic schools expressed in the pastoral let- ter by the Sacred Congrega- tion for Catholic Education, Lay Catholics in Schools: Wit- nesses to Faith , which says that “true education is not limited Catholic Education Foundation manager Liz Fenech, with the cheque presented by education students of ACU and UNDA, Sydney. PHOTO: FRANK IENCO/SYDNEY CATHOLIC SCHOOLS to the imparting of knowl- edge; it promotes human dig- nity and genuine human rela- tionships”. Annalise Thurstan, presi- dent of the Education Society at ACU, said she was shocked that a simple afternoon of on- line games went so well. Having completed her first year of studies specialising in primary and special educa- tion, Annalise is passionate about helping young people gain a quality Catholic educa- tion whose families may not otherwise be able to afford it. “There are many worth- while organisations we could donate to, but we kept coming back to the Catholic Education Foundationas it represents the same Catholic values we have as education students of the country’s two biggest Catholic universities,” she said. “It is quite unique and not as well known as other chari- table works.” Liz Fenech, manager of the foundation, said she was “so chuffed” to receive support from the trainee teachers. “We’re here to help our families across the archdi- ocese’s schools who due to financial, social or cultural hardships find it hard to afford a quality education for their children,” she said. “We’re a small team doing work which has a tremendous impact and it’s just wonderful that education students from our two Catholic universities chose to support us.” ... we wanted to help educate our students in the significance of a Catholic education because it is different to being a teacher in the state system.” James Tran, President, UNDA Education Society Students aim to create a new, authentic culture of Catholic education