Term 3 Week 9 - Thursday 18th September 2025
Note from the Principal
As we near the end of Week 9 of term, I acknowledge that students in Year 12 are approaching their final week of formal lessons before their HSC exams in mid October. For those in Year 12, this marks the end of their formal schooling, and there is both joy and sadness for them at this time as they prepare for their futures. Whilst they are eagerly looking forward to their next steps, they are also focussing on their last classes in each of their subjects, and they are thinking about how they will thank their teachers with grace and appreciation for all that they have done to prepare for exams and for what comes after for each student.
Next week will be a week of celebration for Year 12 students, with their Graduation Mass on Tuesday evening and their Graduation Ceremony on Thursday morning. We look forward to seeing their parents at these events.
I wish each of the Year 12 students a special and joyous week, and also the very best of luck as they prepare for their HSC exams following their celebrations.
Year 12 students hang their banner as the countdown to graduation begins.
In the meantime, students in Year 11 complete their Preliminary Examinations tomorrow, and they will receive feedback for these tasks next week. Students in Years 7 - 10 have completed their assessment program for Term 3. All students are encouraged to ensure they understand the feedback provided to them by their teachers and peers, and to apply it in future work. This is how they learn and improve.
In a short summary about the building works that are taking place at Catherine McAuley, both the car park and the classroom building works are ongoing. The car park has been completed, but is waiting for final approval from Transport for NSW. In terms of the building being shared by Catherine McAuley students and the new Sacred Heart Primary Catholic School, I am pleased to let you know that each of the five levels have been erected. The stair wells are still to be poured with concrete, and the building made watertight. It is an impressive structure, and will provide excellent facilities for students at Catherine McAuley once completed. The Catherine McAuley component of the building is still on target to be completed by the beginning of Term 4 next year.
Mary Refalo
Principal
News from the Director of Catholic Identity & Mission
On Saturday, 6th September our much loved Past Principal, Sr Barbara McDonough RSM gathered with her Sisters in Religious Life, family and friends to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee. Sr Barbara has been a fully professed Sister of Mercy for seventy years, Throughout her life, Sr Barbara has witnessed many changes within the Church and more broadly in society. In 1955 when Sr Barbara professed her final vows of poverty, obedience, chastity and service, Pius XII was Pope and Robert Menzies was serving his second term as Prime Minister of Australia.
In January 2022, Sr Barbara was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). Sr Barbara in her usual style was very modest about receiving this recognition and said, “It’s not just an award for me, it’s an award for the Sisters of Mercy, for it has been my role as a Sister of Mercy that has given me those opportunities to be there for others.” One of Sr Barbara’s many achievements was being instrumental in responding to the educational reforms of the early 1960s. At this time more subjects were introduced in the school curriculum and during this period Sr Barbara became a trailblazer as a female Science teacher. Today in Westmead, our students continue to benefit from Sr Barbara’s commitment to these changes.
At the celebration, Sr Barbara looked back fondly at her childhood and paid tribute to her parents for the wonderful start they had given her in life. While money was not plentiful, education was a priority for the talented and gifted young Barbara McDonough. Sr Barbara was dearly loved by her parents and now Sr Barbara extends this love to all. At Catherine McAuley Westmead, we pray for God’s blessing for Sr Barbara as she continues to reveal the way of Mercy.
Sr Barbara McDonough was School Principal from 1984-1987 and before that Deputy and teacher.
Sr Barbara started at the school in 1977.
On Sunday, 7th September, at St Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV canonised St Carlo Acutis. St Carlo is the first millennial saint and is only the second saint to have been canonised in the presence of his immediate family. In October 2006 at the age of fifteen, St Carlo developed pain in his throat and quickly became seriously ill. Soon after, he was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia, a rare and aggressive blood cancer, and died within a week. In his short life the “saint in sneakers” had lived what we would consider to be a normal life. He loved gaming, computer programming, football (soccer), Pokémon, and his dog Billy.
However, St Carlo always prioritised his love for God. Pope Leo said, “Carlo grew up naturally integrating prayer, sport, study and charity into his days as a child and young man.” Just as his hobbies and interests were available to all, St Carlo cultivated his love for God through the acts available to all including daily Mass, prayer and Eucharistic Adoration. A saying attributed to St Carlo is “In front of the sun, you get a tan. In front of the Eucharist, you become a saint!” St Carlo used his expertise in technology to develop an interactive website about Eucharistic Miracles. May we follow St Carlo’s example of sharing Christ’s love and especially by using technology to enhance the God given dignity of all people.
Genevieve Banks
Director of Catholic Identity and Mission
Teacher Rebecca Reynolds and student Aradhana Hyson placing prayers of petition from our school at the tomb of
Blessed Carlo Acutis in the Church of St Mary Major, Assisi, during World Youth Day 2023.
Pray With Us
Need to Know
Upcoming Fortnight
Term 3 Week 10
- Student Leaders' Conference
- Year 12 Graduation Mass and Supper at St Patrick's Cathedral - Tuesday 23rd September
- Year 12 Graduation Ceremony - Thursday 25th September
- Term 3 Ends - Friday 26th September
Term 4 Week 1
- Staff Professional Learning Day - Monday 13th October
- Term 4 Commences - Tuesday 14th October
- Year 12 HSC Written Examinations Commence - Thursday 16th October
- Year 8 English Incursion
- Year 8 Mathematics Enrichment Day
News Articles
Our School on Social Media
Follow Catherine McAuley Westmead on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for regular updates. A recent post is shown below:
AROUND THE CLASSROOMS - Year 10 Design & Technology students have been learning the art of book binding this term, creating their own books completely from scratch - from how the spine is joined to the cover, to the choice of materials and finishes. 📚 📚
The results have been impressive, with students taking different directions in their manufacture. Mr T. Munro said it was very interesting to see the creativity on display, especially through the use of unique fabrics and textures to make each book more personal and useful. Although the content of the book was not a large part of the task, many students did take the opportunity to fill their book with recipes, travel highlights, memories or planners and calendars.