Churchill Avenue News

The notion of mission is core to the Catholic charism and forms a pillar of the Religious Education curriculum. Over their time at Caroline Chisholm Catholic College, students explore the key ideas of mission. They examine how the faith grew as a religion, how it developed in early Australia, and how it has responded to the multiculturalism of our shared country. 

In Year 7, students have explored the birth of Christianity. In Year 8, they have learnt about the foundations of Christ’s teachings and how these spread through the early Christian world. In Year 9, they examined the arrival of Christianity in Australia and its early develop as it navigated its often-fraught interactions with the indigenous First Peoples of the country. The VCE Unit 1 Religion and Society course that runs in Year 11 gives deeper insight into the development of religion and Catholicism in particular. The “Religion in Australia” Outcome, which we are just coming to, offers the chance to appreciate the place of Catholicism in the world we inhabit.

Mission also embodies the teaching of how a faith expresses its core values. The fundamental belief in the dignity of the human being is central to the Year 8 course, where the students have been exploring issues such as homelessness and child slavery. The classroom learning is brought to life though participation in charity events such as the Vinnie’s appeal and the Winter Sleepout, which directly impact on poverty and homelessness. The key ethical values of Christ, who emphasised the love of our neighbour, have been examined in detail in Year 10 Religious Education. Also at Year 10, our Youth Ministry curriculum has afforded students the opportunity to serve the broader school community. These students have led the various liturgies of the school. Their Easter Passion play was a highlight. These students also practice service through leading the Year 8 Reflection Day. 

The notion of service is central to the idea of mission. This is evident in Catholic Social Teaching, which form a pillar of the curriculum. Year 7 students examine the question of how we can care for our environment. Year 8 students consider service through love of our neighbour. The Year 9 Catholic Education and Personal Development course presents opportunity for service to self, through the development of self-respect and personal identity. The role of students in the liturgical and spiritual life of the Church is not restricted to the Youth Ministry team. Our Year 12 Religion and Art students practice service through the production of magnificent pieces of art that adorn the school. The Year 12 Religion and Music students have given great joy through numerous performances. 

To talk of mission is to talk of the growth of the Church, the lived understanding of the Catholic faith, and the loving practice of service for the world and for others. Through our Religious Education curriculum, its interaction with liturgies, reflection days, the experience of our natural world on Camp, and the practice of prayer, art, music and charity, we live a life of mission in our community.

Timothy Scott
Head of Learning - Religious Education