Priests, Principals and RECs Forum 16 August 2015
Clergy, Principals and Religious Education Coordinators (RECs) from the Diocese of Parramatta gathered for the annual Priests, Principals and RECs Forum on Thursday 6 August at Rosehill Gardens.
The Archbishop of Vancouver, Most Rev J. Michael Miller CSB, was the keynote speaker for the forum focusing on “Educating for today and tomorrow: A renewing passion”. In his address, Archbishop Miller said Catholic schools play a vital role in the evangelising mission of the Church asking the question, ‘is personal witness to the gospel evident in the life of a school?’.
‘It is more necessary now than ever to make people aware of the responsibility to give witness to Christ and the Gospel,’ Archbishop Miller said. ‘In addition to all the other things Catholic teachers do they have the proclamation of the Gospel at the centre of everything they do.’
‘The best way anyone supports it is by personal witness of life, being a joyful Christian around students and on occasion to share explicitly what makes their own heart sing,’ he said. ‘Teaching is one of the noblest vocations because you touch the minds, the heart, the souls of the next generation.’
The Executive Director of Schools, Greg Whitby, said the visiting Archbishop challenged leaders in their work of Catholic schooling.
‘Archbishop Miller brings an understanding of the universal Church and affirmed our direction of “renewing and adapting”,’ Greg said. ‘In a simple, yet powerful, way he asked the hard questions and laid before our leaders four challenges if they are to truly lead schools that live up to the evangelising mission of the Church.
‘At the heart of his challenge, is the call to act and be Church, not just talk about being Church,’ he said.
Following the forum, clergy from the Dioceses of Parramatta and Broken Bay and the Archdiocese of Sydney, celebrated the Feast of St John Vianney, the patron saint of priests, at a special lunch attended by Archbishop Miller.
Educating for Today and Tomorrow: A Renewing Passion - Archbishop Miller Address.
Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
www.parra.catholic.edu.au
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11 Nov 2026
From Facebook
The Stage 1 duckies are having such a delightful time in the paddling pool. And Stage 1 children are also having a delightful time cheering them on and clapping for them as they dive and zoom under the water! Go Duckies go! How lucky are we to share our learning with 3 adorable fluffy friends? We are lucky duckies!11 Nov 2026
From Facebook
🎉 Lots of exciting things happening at St Canice’s this Term 4! 🎶 From special events to wonderful performances, there is plenty to look forward to as we enjoy a busy and exciting end to the year! Be sure to check your Compass Parent Portal regularly for all the latest updates, dates and details. We don't want you to miss a thing! 💙💛 #StCanicesKatoomba #Term4 #SchoolCommunity #ExcitingTimes
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11 Nov 2026
From Facebook
The Stage 1 duckies are having such a delightful time in the paddling pool. And Stage 1 children are also having a delightful time cheering them on and clapping for them as they dive and zoom under the water! Go Duckies go! How lucky are we to share our learning with 3 adorable fluffy friends? We are lucky duckies!
11 Nov 2026
From Facebook
🎉 Lots of exciting things happening at St Canice’s this Term 4! 🎶 From special events to wonderful performances, there is plenty to look forward to as we enjoy a busy and exciting end to the year! Be sure to check your Compass Parent Portal regularly for all the latest updates, dates and details. We don't want you to miss a thing! 💙💛 #StCanicesKatoomba #Term4 #SchoolCommunity #ExcitingTimes
11 Nov 2026
From Facebook
Remembrance Day at St Canice’s ❤️ Today, our St Canice’s community came together to commemorate Remembrance Day, pausing at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month to honour and remember the brave men and women who have served and sacrificed in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping missions. Our student leaders led a thoughtful and moving Remembrance Day prayer and reflection, reminding us of the importance of gratitude, peace, kindness and reconciliation. We also acknowledged the courage and service of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who have served Australia, often in the face of great challenges and unfair treatment. As a Catholic school community, we reflected on the words: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God." (Matthew 5:9) Together, we observed a minute of silence to remember all those who served, those who lost their lives, and the families who continue to carry their memories. May we carry the message of Remembrance Day into our everyday lives by striving to be peacemakers in our homes, our school and our wider community. They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old. Lest We Forget. 💙
10 Nov 2026
From Facebook
🐦💙 Little Lyrebirds Free Playgroup is on tomorrow! 💛🎨 Looking for a lovely morning of fun, creativity and connection for your little one? Come along to our FREE Little Lyrebirds Playgroup at St Canice’s Primary School, Katoomba! Welcoming children aged 0–6 years and their families, our playgroup is a wonderful place to play, explore, create and make new friends in a relaxed and welcoming environment. 🌈 ✨ There's plenty of fun to enjoy! 🎨 Arts, crafts and creative activities 📚 Stories and songs 🎶 Music and games 🧸 Playtime and new friendships ☕ A cuppa and a chat with other local families Whether you're a regular Little Lyrebird or joining us for the very first time, we'd love to welcome you! 📍 Where: St Canice’s Primary School, 158 Katoomba Street, Katoomba ⏰ When: Tomorrow, Wednesday, 9:00am–10:30am 💙 Cost: FREE – everyone is welcome! Bring your little ones, come as you are and enjoy a morning of play, laughter and connection! We can't wait to see you there! 🐦💛 #LittleLyrebirds #StCanicesKatoomba #FreePlaygroup #BlueMountainsFamilies #PlayLearnGrow
09 Nov 2026
From Facebook
The stage 1 duckies had their first swim today! We were super excited and a bit nervous. Would they be good swimmers? Would Speedy, our little black duckling, live up to his name? Stage 1 have been learning about animal instincts and they predicted that the ducks would know how to swim by instinct! And guess what? They were right! They took to it like a duck to water!
09 Nov 2026
From Facebook
🎶💙 Did you catch the St Canice’s Choir and Harmony Group performing live last week with Ms Frazer? 🎤 If you missed it, there's another chance to enjoy their wonderful voices! Join us on Wednesday 18th November at 2:20pm, at the base of the driveway on Katoomba Street, as our talented students share their musical talents once again. Come along, show your support and enjoy a little St Canice’s musical magic! 🎵💛 We'd love to see you there!
05 Nov 2026
From Facebook
So much excitement in Stage 1! Today we welcomed not one, not two, but three lovely ducklings! Meet Pikachu, Macaroni and Speedy. Speedy had wobbly legs but by this afternoon he had found his strength and was up walking around the box and pecking like the boss! We measured the ducklings and found Pikachu and Macaroni are 17 cm and Speedy is 10cm. We are sure he will catch up soon. We are all just a bit in love 😍 We are also very excited at just how much our chicks are growing and changing. They had to move into a bigger cage so they could practice their running and flying....and snoozing. Check out those new wing feathers! And finally, please read the amazing writing from Stage 1 superstars as we record like biologists the growth and change in our feathered friends each day. What a wonderful way to learn!
05 Nov 2026
From Facebook
💙🍎 Celebrating our wonderful teachers! 🍎💙 Today we celebrated World Teachers’ Day at St Canice’s, taking the time to recognise and thank the amazing teachers who make such a difference in the lives of our students every single day. Our teachers do so much more than teach. They inspire curiosity, nurture confidence, encourage creativity, celebrate achievements and create a place where every child feels known, valued and supported. From the big milestones to the little everyday moments, their dedication, kindness and passion help our students learn, grow and shine. ✨ A heartfelt thank you to our incredible teaching team for all that you do. We are so lucky to have you as part of our St Canice’s family! 💙🐦 Happy World Teachers’ Day! You are all gems! 💎 #WorldTeachersDay #StCanicesKatoomba #ThankATeacher #OurTeachersAreGems
04 Nov 2026
From Facebook
💙 A place to belong, learn and thrive! 💙 At St Canice’s Primary School, we are more than just a school – we are a welcoming community where every child is known, valued and encouraged to grow. We nurture a love of learning and support every student to achieve their personal best through engaging, contemporary teaching practices in a caring and supportive environment. ✨ From the classroom to the playground, there are so many opportunities for students to discover their interests, explore their talents and shine! 🎵 Music 🎨 Creative Arts 💻 Technology ⚽ Sport 📚 Engaging learning experiences There is something for everyone at St Canice’s! Come and see what makes our little school so special. We would love to welcome you and your family for a school tour and introduce you to our wonderful community. 💙 St Canice’s Primary School – a little school with a big heart! 🐦
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From Facebook
Stage 1 are loving being proud chick parents! Today we watched the chicks have a little run and start to flap and try a little fly. Two clever stage 1 people made a chicken maze and we gave them a go at trying to get to the end of the maze to find the chick food. No chicks managed it but we know in stage 1 that sometimes learning takes time and perseverence so we will try again tomorrow!
28 Oct 2026
From Facebook
Could school get any more exciting? Stage 1 welcomed 5 new chicks this morning. Meet Oreo, Steve, Lightening, Darth Vader and Bluey! We have started being biologists and tracking Cookie Pie's growth with a line graph. We will add to it each day. Cookie Pie was looking very proud of him or herself as she stood on the scales today having gained 16 grams! We were also most impressed by Lucky's feathery legs. What great legs for Katoomba weather! The highlight is definitely getting to hold or gently stroke a chick. The children have been so gentle and respectful of our delicate feathered friends.
27 Oct 2026
From Facebook
🐣 EGG-CITING NEWS IN STAGE 1! 🐣 We’re absolutely eggs-static to announce the safe and healthy arrival of SIX adorable little chicks this morning! 🐥💛 A huge congratulations to Ms Clarke and the Stage 1 team on welcoming these fluffy little bundles of joy into the world. We think there may have been a few extra peeps of excitement today! 😂🐣 Our Stage 1 students are learning all about living things and how to care for them. What better way to bring their learning to life than with some very cute, very fluffy and very pecky new arrivals? 🥰 We’re sure there will be plenty of chick chat over the coming days as our students watch these little ones grow! Welcome to the world, little chicks! We can’t wait to watch you grow! 🐥🌱💛 #StCanices #Stage1 #EggcitingNews
22 Oct 2026
From Facebook
💧 Water Safety at St Canice’s! 💦 Today, our students enjoyed a water safety presentation delivered by Becca, a representative from Blue Mountains City Council. With the warmer weather approaching and more opportunities to enjoy our beautiful local waterways, it was perfect timing to learn about the importance of staying safe in and around water. 🌊☀️ A big thank you to Becca and Blue Mountains City Council for sharing these important safety messages with our students! Stay safe, stay water wise! 💙 #StCanicesKatoomba #WaterSafety #BlueMountainsCityCouncil #StudentWellbeing #StayWaterWise
22 Oct 2026
From Facebook
🍳🥣 BREKKY CLUB IS BACK! 🥛🍎 Join us at St Canice’s Brekky Club on Thursday, 29 October! 💙💛 📅 Thursday, 29 October 2026 ⏰ 8:20 am – 8:40 am 📍 In the School Hall All St Canice’s students are welcome to come along, enjoy a yummy breakfast and start their school day feeling happy and ready to learn! 🥰 We look forward to seeing you there! 🐦💙
22 Oct 2026
From Facebook
📣 REMINDER: WHOLE SCHOOL ASSEMBLY TOMORROW! 💙 Dear St Canice’s Families, A friendly reminder that we will be holding our Whole School Assembly tomorrow morning at 8:50 am. We look forward to coming together as a school community to celebrate our students and their achievements! 🌟 We hope to see you there!