One hundred and twenty Year 12 leaders from Catholic, Independent and Pared schools have had the opportunity to share some of their joys and hopes of Catholic education at the annual LIFTED Breakfast with the Bishop on Thursday 27 June.
Formerly known as the Student Leaders Forum, the annual gathering of Year 12 leaders provides the space for honest conversation and sharing about their years in Catholic education across Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains.
Year 12 student leaders and executives from Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese and the Diocese of Parramatta at the 2024 LIFTED Breakfast with the Bishop at the Novotel West HQ, Rooty Hill. Image: Alphonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta
With the prevalence of conflict around the globe, the student leaders heard from Professor Francis Campbell, Vice Chancellor of the University of Notre Dame, about the current Israel-Palestine conflict, grounded in his background as a diplomat for several decades.
Speaking of his own history with conflict in Northern Ireland, Professor Campbell told students of the importance of removing emotion from the equation when finding solutions to conflict.
“Sometimes, the solution to issues comes from walking in the shoes of the person who you disagree with or the culture that you disagree with,” he explained.
Professor Francis Campbell, Vice Chancellor of the University of Notre Dame, speaks during the 2024 LIFTED Breakfast with the Bishop at the Novotel West HQ, Rooty Hill. Image: Alphonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta
“The notion that we are dealing with homogeneity is something that we have to shatter when we look at a conflict. When we reduce it to a sound bite or a short piece, we apply labels of uniformity that crease false communities in many senses.
“When it comes to negotiations, here are some lessons or observations, having served on two sides of the peace process. How do you resolve peace? Firstly, persist. Never give up. You have to be impartial, you have to take the emotion out of it, you have to be independent.
“You cannot see it as one side being right and the other side being wrong. The parties themselves need to be in a position where they have reached a conclusion that violence and war does not achieve their end. They may not acknowledge that publicly, but they need to have that mindset.
“Step out of your comfort zone. Do not rush to judgement. Don’t think in frameworks of one side being good and the other bad. Think of the good people on either side who want to achieve peace.
“You may, in your life, achieve an end to violence, but that is simply the end of the beginning. And you will have to ask yourself the question, what will your contribution be to create peace from conflict either in this area of the world or in another.”
What stood out about Professor Campbell’s presentation was that there is no victory when it comes to war, said Year 12 leader Jewel, from St Agnes Catholic High School, Rooty Hill.
Year 12 student leader Jewel from St Agnes Catholic High School, Rooty Hill, speaks during the 2024 LIFTED Breakfast with the Bishop at the Novotel West HQ, Rooty Hill. Image: Alphonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta
“Everything is about negotiation and how it is more than just picking sides, and understanding that both sides have tragic things going on and should be seen without bias,” she said.
Jordan, from St Luke’s Catholic College, Marsden Park, was impressed by the openness and sensitivity of her peers in discussing the Israel-Palestine conflict.
“The objectiveness that Professor Campbell spoke about was really refreshing. There was no bias in the way that he spoke,” she said.
In the second part of the gathering, the leaders were able to share openly and honestly about their most valued aspects of Catholic Education and how they would shape Catholic education in the future.
Students expressed an appreciation for the sense of community developed within their schools, the opportunities to express their faith through liturgies and daily prayers, the importance of service and the supporting of social justice initiatives and being able to learn and listen from each other.
Year 12 student leaders in discussion during the 2024 LIFTED Breakfast with the Bishop at the Novotel West HQ, Rooty Hill. Image: Alphonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta
Some areas that they hoped would be explored further in the future would be providing sacred spaces on all school campuses, encouragement of students to develop personal relationships with God, interaction with people of different faiths and culture at a younger age and allowing students who may not be Catholic to be comfortable to express their own faith.
Ethan, from Oakhill College, Castle Hill, appreciates the opportunity throughout his schooling to learn about the morals and ethics of Jesus Christ and His teachings.
“I hope that when I graduate, future students will understand the beauty of Catholicism and Christianity as a whole, that they understand that Jesus is the Way and that Jesus has a plan for all of us,” he said.
Jai, from Xavier College, Llandilo, was grateful for being raised in a school community that shared the same faith, hopes and admiration as him.
“I hope that future students learn the importance of diversity. To my knowledge, I’m the first Indigenous college captain at Xavier, and we have a very strong Indigenous community and I hope to see that community continue to thrive,” he said.
Year 12 student leader Jai from Xavier College, Llandilo, speaks during the 2024 LIFTED Breakfast with the Bishop at the Novotel West HQ, Rooty Hill. Image: Alphonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta
Jack de Groot, Executive Director of Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD), was amazed by the students’ sharing of their own stories of faith and their searching for meaning in a pluralised, secularised world.
“I welcome the challenge of our need to be people of hospitality in Western Sydney because of the diversity of our school communities and how we live out the vision of being a Catholic education not just for the promotion of Catholic identity, but one that welcomes and celebrates all in our communities.
“I was also struck by the call for faith to be integrated into our learning and not just segregated to the issues of religion, but into all of the learning agenda. I like the new challenge that Catholic education becomes more an education of relevance to what it means to grow up in Western Sydney and what it is to then go out into the world with a faith-based education in the name of Jesus Christ – that has to be one of relevance.
Jack de Groot, Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese Executive Director, speaks during the 2024 LIFTED Breakfast with the Bishop at the Novotel West HQ, Rooty Hill. Image: Alphonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta
“We have extraordinary expectations for each of you with the gifts that you’ve already shared and that you will share as you go from Catholic education into other levels of education and into work and training.
“We have these expectations of you because of your extraordinary generosity of gifts to your own school communities, which I thank you for.”
Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv, Bishop of Parramatta, thanked the students for the level of maturity they showed throughout the day and for the leadership in their respective communities.
“Catholic education is not just about one aspect of a person, it’s about the whole person – the physical, the academic and the spiritual. It’s also about how we can use our gifts in service of our society, in the service of the Kingdom of God, because that’s what drove the ministry of Jesus Himself,” he said.
“I hope that Catholic education, whether it has been several years since primary school or a portion of that, has been really beneficial for you and conducive to your journey towards a realisation of who you are meant to be in the sight of God and the sight of society.
Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv, Bishop of Parramatta, poses with Year 12 student leaders from Nagle College, Blacktown, Patrician Brothers College, Blacktown, and St Andrews College, Marayong, during the 2024 LIFTED Breakfast with the Bishop at the Novotel West HQ, Rooty Hill. Image: Alphonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta
“I hope that you leave your Catholic schooling with not just the knowledge that you have acquired or even the friendships you have created, but also this Gospel commitment, this passion for the Kingdom of God, for justice, for peace, for reconciliation and in so doing, we extend the mission of Jesus.”
The LIFTED Breakfast is part of a series of initiatives for Year 12 student leaders organised by Catholic Youth Parramatta and CSPD, following on from the annual LIFTED Leaders program run in February.
View images from the LIFTED Breakfast with the Bishop here or below:
