Penola is a great place for students to grow in faith and learning.
Our Catholic faith is an integral part of the culture of our college, following in the footsteps of St Mary MacKillop as we promote the values of courage, compassion, hope and integrity in every aspect of school life. We value each student as an individual and share the values of the Gospel to help them discover the hope that is within and to experience a meaningful and flourishing life.
Students in our school come from a variety of religious backgrounds and beliefs - a student will not feel out of place if they do not share the Catholic faith.
All schools in the Diocese of Parramatta:
Sharing our Catholic tradition
We ensure that students come to know Jesus Christ through the promotion of Catholic tradition and teaching. The faith formation of the young men and women who attend this school is central to the daily life of the college. Students are involved in a diverse range of faith experiences that reflect and enhance our Catholic heritage, mission and enthusiasm for social justice, ecology and school initiatives that enliven Catholic faith and morals.
Daily prayer, the celebration of the liturgies, Reconciliation, the Eucharist and the sacraments are fundamental to the college. Year groups participate in a reflection day organised around a particular theme each year dealing with the development of students’ spirituality.
Celebrating our faith
We place great importance on the contribution of visual and performing arts to the liturgical life of our school. Live music, singing, drama, symbols, visual art works and liturgical movement are incorporated into celebrations, providing meaningful and relevant faith experiences for young people. The annual Penola Day liturgy and celebrations link the school to the region’s Catholic history and heritage.
Staff and students are encouraged to both celebrate and model the gospel values in their daily relationships. Students live out this example as Catechists (scripture teachers) in local state primary schools coordinated through Our Lady of the Way Parish, Emu Plains and contribute effectively to church, society and culture.
Celebrating our faith
Religious Education
Students at Penola take part in formal Religious Education based on a new Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese curriculum that is relevant to our students and to the world they live in. We provide opportunities for students to connect with the Catholic faith and traditions in a meaningful way.
Based on contemporary research, the new approach to Religious Education across the diocese is focused on addressing questions students have about their faith and life.
Religious Education
Social justice initiatives
Our students are offered a wide variety of local community activities to help develop a sense of pride, respect and responsibility for themselves and others. Staff and students reach out to our modern world through non-profit organisations such as Caritas, St Vincent de Paul and Jesuit Social Services. Each providing experiences that enrich the life of students, staff and those whom we serve.
Social justice initiatives
Our reconciliation strategy
Schools in the Diocese of Parramatta are at the beginning of an important journey, endeavouring to make significant contributions to reconciliation within the community, locally and nationally.
Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD) recently launched its first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). We will be guided by the CSDP RAP as we work to embed practices that further support members of our learning community who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, engage meaningfully and respectfully with members of the local Aboriginal community, and make contributions to the national journey towards reconciliation.
We look forward to welcoming you
Find out about enrolment TODAY and take the first step towards a brighter future.