Queensland Catholic Education Commission
Official Launch of Catholic Education Week 2010 - "Called to be Stewards of a Sustainable Future"
and
Annual Presentation of the Spirit of Catholic Education Awards
28th July, 2010
Archbishop of Brisbane, The Most Reverend John Bathersby AO,
Auxiliary Bishop, Archdiocese of Brisbane, Bishop Joseph Oudeman,
Chairman, Queensland Catholic Education Commission, Emeritus Professor Peter Sheehan AO,
Executive Director, Queensland Catholic Education Commission, Mr Mike Byrne,
Principal, Mary MacKillop Catholic Parish Primary School, Mr John Carroll,
Acting Assistant Director General, Tertiary and Non-State Education, Department of Education and Training, Mr Ian Kimber,
National Director of Catholic Earthcare Australia and Ambassador for Catholic Education Week 2010, Ms Jacqui Remond,
School Leaders, Mary MacKillop Catholic Parish Primary School, Jordan Adam and Jannica Cornelissen, and Student Leaders, John Osborne and Darcy Summers,
Executive Officer, Catholic Religious Australia (Qld), Sister Mary Lowcock,
Principals, teachers, Staff and students of the Catholic education system,
Spirit of Catholic Education Award Nominees and Recipients,
Catholic Education Week Supporters and sponsors - the Queensland Teachers' Credit Union, the Australian Catholic Superannuation and Retirement Fund and the Australian Catholic University,
Our MC's today - Carmel College Captains, Kelly Boyd and Hayden Maher,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen, girls and boys - and may I acknowledge in particular the members of the lovely choir which has sung so beautifully for us this morning. Both songs were wonderful and very appropriate for the theme of this year's Catholic Education Week. One of them encouraged us all to make a difference. I can tell you that with your singing, you have already made a difference in my day!
In the spirit of national reconciliation, I join others in paying tribute to the traditional owners of the Redlands region, the Quandamooka people. I recognise their ancient and enduring cultural connection with these lands and acknowledge their ongoing role as its custodians, and I thank Jemma Mi Mi of Carmel College, Thornlands, for her eloquent "Acknowledgement of Country".
Although this acknowledgement is now customary in our State at major public events, it seems especially appropriate on this occasion, with "stewardship" the chosen theme for this annual Catholic Education Week celebration. It's a felicitous and timely choice, consistent with the State Government's designation of 2010 as the ‘Year of Environmental Sustainability' and with what I know to be the strong focus of the Catholic school system on environmental and ecological responsibility. Caring for our environment is an admirable and, indeed, essential course to pursue (it is a cause I have championed vigorously for many years, most prominently in my role as Australia's Ambassador for the Environment), but as we gather today to celebrate the spirit of Catholic education, I am also mindful of the spiritual dimension of this theme - of the commitment and conviction that Christians feel that we must care for creation.
With that deep commitment clear in my mind, I am pleased, once again, to have been invited to attend the launch of Catholic Education Week, to present these awards and to share with you this annual celebration of the distinctive spirit and mission of Catholic education.
I know that it is an important event for the Catholic education community, as an opportunity to recognise the best within the community, but it also has a broader significance, demonstrating to the wider Queensland community the contribution that Catholic schools make to education in our State and highlighting the commitment to excellence and the ethos of responsibility that drives Catholic education, and drawing attention to the innovative work that is occurring within the Catholic education system to help prepare the children and young people in its care to take their place as responsible, caring and committed members of the Queensland community - with an awareness of the importance and significance of protecting our environment and achieving sustainability.
In this regard, the choice of Mary MacKillop Catholic Parish Primary School - or "Mary Mac" as it is fondly known to its community - is a very appropriate venue for these awards. Its motto of "Reach Out - Embrace - Achieve" and its ongoing commitment to sustainability practices demonstrates the practical way that schools and school students can assist the rest of the community on our collective journey to sustainability.
When we speak of sustainability and sustainable development, we think most immediately of our natural resources - of the land, air and water that sustain life, of the plants and animals, the biodiversity and ecological systems that make up our planet - and the need to protect and preserve these systems for the benefit of future generations. But actually, the call to be "Stewards of a sustainable future" is a much larger challenge, one that is enormous in scope and dimension, because the true expression of the concept of "sustainability" obliges all our decisions to be made in light of the future as well as the exigencies of the present. One might be tempted to think that this would be easier for schools, because schools are all about the future - about educating and shaping the next generation, like the wonderful young people involved in today's event - but in truth I think it is something that is difficult for all human beings; caught up in the daily pressures and demands of life, to find both the energy and strength to look over the horizon, to consider our obligations to the future and to act upon those obligations.
The scale of this challenge is one reason that I, along with everyone here, I am sure, have been so delighted by the achievements of each of the six individuals honoured with these Spirit of Catholic Education Awards. In diverse fields - very diverse fields - all of our awardees have truly acted as stewards of the future, using their talents, their education, their resourcefulness and their faith to support all the students in their care, and to give each student the fullest of opportunities to develop their potential. Potential is a marvellous word - it is actually quite difficult to define in words, but something that is implicit in every school day for every child, and which is also implicit in the concept of being stewards for the future - of taking care not to destroy potential, but to nurture it and to allow room for its fullest expression as the future demands. Such a large challenge can be daunting, which is why it is so critical that we recognise and reward the ‘role models' such as the six individuals who have received awards today, who have put this spirit into practice in their communities, and in so doing, have created a series of road maps for others to follow, and, as well, serve as an inspiration to others.
I suspect that many, if not all of our award recipients, feel similarly to Anne-Maree Spalding of St Anthony's Catholic Primary School, who was reported in the Toowoomba Chronicle as saying she felt "lucky" to receive the award. It is in the nature of Australians to ascribe our good fortune to "luck"; a sort of native modesty that prevents us from taking recognition as our due. But I am not so constrained, so I would say to Mrs Spalding, and to our other five winners of the Spirit of Catholic Education Awards - Dr Jim Hanley, Kim Hogan, Isikeli Kubunameca, Paul Lucas and Tom Rolfe - that I share with your respective school communities great admiration for and pride in your achievements. Each of you, in your personal commitment to nurturing the next generation of students - and in the case of Dr Jim Hanley, to nurturing the next generation of teachers - have demonstrated different paths to excellence, and most importantly, have demonstrated that with goodwill, determination and faith, all things are possible.
In your lives, your work and your teaching, you are giving expression to Mary MacKillop's wonderful exhortation that was cited earlier, that "we should do everything in our power to lead others to life". I thank you for this and congratulate you on your achievement.
Although my pleasant task this morning has been to present awards and extend special congratulations to six outstanding individuals who embody the spirit of Catholic education, I want also today to extend my congratulations and thanks to all those who were nominated for this year's awards. These 94 persons, from all spheres of the Catholic education community in Queensland - in their numbers and diversity -as clergy, religious, teachers, support staff, parents and volunteers - demonstrate the depth, strength and breadth of this community, and underline what I talked about earlier, the significant contribution the community makes to our State.
As Head of the State, I am pleased to have this opportunity formally to acknowledge and recognise this contribution and to endorse this important annual celebration of Catholic education in Queensland.
I wish all Catholic Schools in Queensland and all members of the Catholic Education community a joyful and fulfilling celebration of Catholic Education Week in 2010.
Thank you.