Setting out on the road to Sydney

By Melissa Meehan
CATHOLIC Education Week 2008 runs from 9 to 16 March under the theme Living Witnesses.
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses (Acts1.3)”
This year’s theme has been inspired by World Youth Day (WYD08) which will be held in Sydney in July.
Major celebrations during Catholic Education Week include the Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral on 13 March and the Visual Arts Exhibition.
As a lead up to WYD08 many of the 30,000 young Catholic pilgrims from overseas will be visiting Melbourne for a series of local parish and city based celebrations.
The Mount Lilydale Mercy College’s theme for 2008 “Inspire our spirit, Ignite our passion, Witness our future” chosen by the prefects, encapsulates the broad vision of Catholic Education Week and the focus of WYD08.
Approximately 60 students and 12 staff will make the journey to Sydney to embrace a faith experience, which may not be held in Australia again.
The college community considers the event of such importance that it is providing financial assistance for three young teachers in training at a Mercy School in Papua New Guinea to respond to Pope Benedict’s invitation for all youth of the world to gather.
Catholic Education Week 2008 signals the start of very significant months in the life of the Church in Australia which many hope may culminate in the recognition of our first saint, the founder of the Sisters of St Joseph, Blessed Mary MacKillop.