News from our Catholic Schools…The new academic year begins

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” – Nelson Mandela

"Wednesday 18 January saw the doors of our schools open for the new academic year, with

much joy for our students and relief for their parents! There is something magical about the

beginning of a new school year… the weather is perfect, the pupils are excited about their

new classes, the parents are pleased that their children are back in the school routine, new

school uniforms and books have been bought… all in all, a spirit of happiness pervades in

our schools. This quote from Meister Eckhardt epitomizes the spirit in our schools in this first

quarter of 2023: “And suddenly you know: it’s time to start something new and trust the

magic of new beginnings”.

Within the Catholic network the term began at a run – literally – with the Inter-Catholic

Athletics taking place on 26 January at the Green Point track. Twenty-seven of our

Archdiocesan Junior Schools participated, together with a team from the schools of the

Oudtshoorn Diocese. The weather was perfect, the spirit was high, the competition for

medals was great, and a fun time was had by all. Over a thousand young people from our

network went to bed very tired that evening!

Just a week after that, on 2 February – the feast of The Presentation of the Lord – the annual

Teachers’ Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Brislin in Immaculate Conception Church in

Parow, with over three hundred teachers present. At the conclusion of the Mass, Archbishop

Brislin, together with Father Shaun Addinall, the Chair of the Western Cape Catholic Board

of Education, handed certificates to each school in our Archdiocese for compliance in Child

Safeguarding – a great achievement indeed!

The collage of photographs with this article tells the story of life in our schools, making a

difference to the hundreds of young people in the Archdiocese on Cape Town. Other events

include:

- We congratulate the Oblate Sisters and staff of St Vincent’s in Koelenhof on the

opening of their Grade R block.

- Our Religious Education Coordinators had their first meeting of the year at St

Michael’s Hall in Rondebosch.

- Our annual Matric Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Brislin in the garden at

Springfield for matriculants from our seven Catholic high schools.

The six Catholic Schools in the Oudtshoorn Diocese also fall under the umbrella of the

Western Cape Catholic Board of Education, and we are pleased to welcome onto our staff

Mr Jonny Claassen who will be working as Education Officer in that diocese.

We ask you to peruse our newly updated website of the Catholic Schools Office, where you

will find information and photographs of all our schools and activities. The website address

is: www.catholicschoolsoffice-ct.com.

We all look forward to a full and happy year ahead in our schools. John O’Donohue’s

blessing would fit perfectly into the heart of our Catholic schools as they provide safe spaces and rich education for our young people: May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder.”

- Alison Dunn

Religious Education Coordinators’ Forum Meeting

Religious Education Coordinators’ Forum Meeting

Matric Mass 2023

Child Safeguarding Training – Sister Kathy Gaylor and Sister Brid Roe