religious education | Sydney Catholic Schools

Building faith and community spirit

John Coppola planned to use his piano and songwriting skills in a music career, before following his heart into teaching and then a Religious Education Coordinator role at Trinity Catholic College Auburn.

“In my early 20’s I had a couple of personal faith experiences that changed my life,” he said.

“I wanted to do something that made a difference and helped to lead people to Jesus” – John Coppola

The role is a busy one, and varied.

A Religious Education Coordinator, better known as an REC in Catholic school circles, teaches religious education classes, and organises masses, liturgies, retreats and spirituality days to help staff and students to develop their faith.

They often have a hand in coordinating social justice initiatives, and also sit on the school leadership team.

“It is a challenging role when you have this multitude of hats on as well as being in the leadership team,” Mr Coppola said. “I see it as a privilege.”

Religious Education Coordinator at Trinity Catholic College Auburn, John Coppola.

SCHOOL SPIRIT

At Holy Spirit Catholic College Lakemba, students and staff grow through a faith formation framework that Petah Foran introduced when she became the school’s REC three years ago.

The six-year student framework includes six themes for each grade’s annual spirituality day. Each theme is built around a question Jesus asked and is attached to a gospel value.

“For Year 7 the question is ‘What do you seek?’ and the value is ‘community’,” Ms Foran said.

“Their Spirituality Day happens in Week 4 of their first term, so it’s all about getting to know the college.

“We can tweak the programs as …

Accreditation Policy to Work, Teach and Lead in Sydney Catholic Schools

Type: Policy
Classification: Operational
Policy Number: SCS2024007
Released: 1 March 2024
Review Date: 1 March 2027
Replaces: RE201801-1.0

In their pastoral letter Catholic Schools at a Crossroads the Bishops of NSW and the ACT challenged educational leaders and staff to dedicate themselves to ensuring that our schools:

Are truly Catholic in their identity and life
Are centres of the ‘new evangelisation’
Enable our students to achieve high levels of Catholic religious literacy
Are led and staffed by people who will contribute to these goals.

This policy endeavours to address and meet this challenge.

The distinctive character of the Catholic school is that it is a community animated by the spirit of the Gospel. The choice to work in Catholic education brings both a privilege and a challenge…”It demands a special commitment of caring service to students, parents and colleagues within the mission of the Church” (Workplace Realities in the Catholic School, p11).

“Teachers in Catholic schools, then, are in a most privileged position. It is they who can provide vital guidance and support to parents and students, and instill in them a sense of the Gospel challenge to acknowledge God’s integral place in their lives to believe in [his] Word. This challenge demands certain essential qualities. It requires careful preparation, a facility for reflection, and a constant readiness for professional renewal and conversion of heart. Such teachers bring to their task an extraordinary giftedness and a profound sense of mission which significantly impacts on their school communities, on their students and on their own effectiveness.”

The Privilege and the Challenge: the Teacher in the Catholic School, p6; (cf The Catholic School, n78; The Religious Dimension of Education in a Catholic School, n22; Declaration on Christian Education, n8)

It is the responsibility of all who work, teach and lead in Catholic schools to “nurture a partnership in faith, hope …

Building faith and community spirit

Accreditation Policy to Work, Teach and Lead in Sydney Catholic Schools

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which our schools and offices now stand. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.

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