Students join Mass

STUDENTS from Columba Catholic Primary School in Bunyip were among more than 200 students who gathered at St Mary’s Cathedral in Sale on Friday 30 April to celebrate the launch of Catholic Education Week.
The inaugural Diocesan Students’ Mass drew representatives from 34 Catholic primary and secondary schools across the Sale Diocese. Many students travelled between two and three hours to attend the special Mass, celebrated by the Bishop of Sale, Christopher Prowse.
Director of Catholic Education in the Sale Diocese, Peter Ryan, was among the attendees at the Mass.
“This has been a great event for the schools in the diocese, indeed for the whole diocese,” said Mr Ryan.
“It is the first time that we have formally celebrated the great contribution that Catholic education continues to make to the lives of individual students and to Australian society as a whole. Bringing so many students together in our cathedral, our ‘mother church’, with our bishop, Christopher Prowse, has been a real highlight in our year so far. It was a very special celebration.”
The Mass featured the Lavalla Catholic College choir, a procession of students carrying their school banners and student involvement in the readings and offertory procession. Lunch was provided afterwards by parents from St Mary’s Primary School in Sale.
The theme of Catholic Education Week, which runs from April 30 to May 7, is ‘Called to bring hope: The Year for Priests.’