27 March 2025

Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you (Is 60: 1).

Thousands of students and teachers from Catholic schools across the Archdiocese of Melbourne came together on Friday 21 March to celebrate the culmination of a fantastic Catholic Education Week.

St Patrick’s Cathedral was filled to overflowing for the annual Mass for schools, as more than 2000 students and staff joined Archbishop Peter to celebrate the feast of St Patrick and to witness the unveiling of a new icon – the first painted image of the saint to be displayed in the cathedral.

Beaming students proudly led the way into the cathedral, carrying their school banners in a moving procession to the sound of Celtic pipers.

Victorian senators, members of parliament, and civic and Church leaders gave their support to the gift of Catholic schools in Melbourne and the light our students share with the world.

Students from Aquinas College, Ringwood, complemented the Celtic pipers with a beautiful showcase of singing and music.

A video of the Mass is available on the Catholic Education Week website.

Following the Mass, secondary school students made their way to the Catholic Leadership Centre for a Young Speakers Colloquium, where several senior students shared ideas on leadership and the future of education.

The weather couldn’t dampen the spirits of our primary school students, who descended on Treasury Gardens for the Concert in the Park, where they were entertained by senior school bands from Padua College, Mornington; De La Salle College, Malvern; and Kilbreda College, Mentone, and games and activities run by students from Caroline Chisholm Catholic College, Braybrook.

The Creative Arts Exhibition was a highlight of this Catholic Education Week, achieving a record-breaking attendance of 1532 people across the week. Artworks from more than 100 schools were showcased, made by students from all year levels in a diverse range of media. On Sunday 23 March, an awards ceremony was held to celebrate the artistic achievements of our students.

Don’t miss out on your own piece of the exhibition – our Arise and Shine 2025 Creative Arts Exhibition book can be purchased here.

Earlier in the week, we shared a joyous evening with our School Advisory Council Chairs as they met and mingled with Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) leaders. Guests were wowed by the vocals of MACS student, Zoe Desmier from Bethany Catholic Primary School in Werribee North.

Our Executive Director, Dr Edward Simons, expressed his gratitude to parents taking the Catholic mission forward with wisdom, passion and commitment.

It was also a treat to hear from the newly appointed Auxiliary Bishop, Thinh Nguyen, who shared his incredible experience of emigrating from Vietnam as a child with his 12 siblings. He urged us all to welcome strangers and always extend compassion.

Further highlights from Catholic Education Week 2025 can be found on our social media channels: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook.