Mission and Wellbeing (AP)

ACYF - Australian Catholic Youth Festival 

The Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools (DLCS) will be co-ordinating the participation of up to 130 parishioners from across the Diocese to attend the Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF) in Melbourne from the 30th November – 2nd December, 2025. 

The Australian Catholic Youth Festival is a national gathering of young, Catholic people established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC). It exists to provide young people with opportunities to deepen their relationship with Jesus, be empowered to be disciples in the world today and encounter and celebrate the vitality of the Church in Australia. The first ACYF was held in Melbourne in December 2013, followed by Adelaide in 2015, Sydney in 2017 and Perth in 2019. Young people are invited to attend the 2025 AYCF hosted by the Archdiocese of Melbourne.

Young people from across Australia in Year 9 (in 2025) to young adults 25 years of age are invited to attend the event. The school group from the Lismore Diocese will consist of students from Year 9. Participants will be asked to make a co-contribution of $750.00 each. This cost will help subsidise transport, accommodation, registration and some meals.

McAuley Catholic College are able to send 6 Year 9 students. Interested students are to complete a written expression of interest, and from there, students will be interviewed and shortlisted. 

Expressions of Interest Forms are available from Mr Howard, Mrs Don and our CYM Jacob. To secure a place on the trip, students must hand the EOI form to Mrs Don by Friday, 4th April. Successful applicants will be asked to pay their $750 contribution in instalments once announced.

Further details on the ACYF can be found at the website: https://acyf.org.au

Parish Mass

Parents and families are invited to the Family Parish Mass at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Victoria Street on Sunday 30th, March, at 8 am. A morning tea will follow. Please come along and join in with our families and parishioners for the Eucharistic celebration and to be a part of our parish community.

Year 9 LoveBites - Focus on Positive Relationships 

In Week 9, students in Year 9 will undertake LoveBites. The program, developed by NAPCAN (National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect), is a Respectful Relationships Education Program for young people and aims to provide young people with a safe environment to examine, discuss and explore respectful relationships. All Love Bites programs take a strength-based approach and view young people as active participants who can make choices for themselves and their relationships when supported with information and opportunities for skill development. 

The overall aims of the program are to equip young people with the knowledge needed to have respectful relationships, encourage and develop their skills in critical thinking, and assist them in problem-solving and communicating effectively. 

The Year 9 program explores gender expectations and relationships, responding to jealous feelings, love and control, warning signs of a controlling/abusive relationship, supporting friends, seeking help and breaking up with respect. These sessions will be facilitated by our Pastoral Care team and our College Counsellors. 

Prohibited Weapons Procedures

The Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools (DLCS) is committed to ensuring that schools are safe places for students, staff and other school community members. As part of our ongoing commitment to maintaining a safe environment for all students, staff, and visitors within all our schools, we want to emphasise the importance of adhering to our school policies and procedures regarding prohibited weapons. 

It is unlawful for any student to possess a prohibited weapon within our school premises or during off-site school events or activities. We firmly believe that carrying a weapon in these settings is unjustifiable and contrary to the safety and wellbeing of our school community. Every student deserves to feel safe and secure while at school, and we remain committed to ensuring that this right is upheld.

What is a prohibited weapon?

Prohibited Weapons include all knives and blades, (with the exception of those required for school lessons), guns, gel blasters/gel guns, 3D printed guns, slingshot, darts, batons, machetes, laser pointers, or similar articles and anything else that can be used as a weapon to intimidate or cause serious injury or harm, e.g., a screwdriver, chisel or hammer.

Consequences

Students found in possession of prohibited weapons face both legal consequences and disciplinary actions as per our Student Suspension, Expulsion, and Exclusion Policy.

What steps can parents and carers take to contribute to the safety of our school?

• Ensure awareness of laws and regulations: Familiarise your child with laws and regulations regarding weapons and knives.
• Monitor lunch box contents: Avoid packing knives or tools in your children's lunch boxes, pencil cases, or craft kits.
• Communication with school: Reach out to the school principal if you have any concerns regarding your child's safety, wellbeing, or any instances of bullying behaviour.
• Supervise online activities: Restrict and supervise the online device use of primary-aged students, and monitor and discuss the online activities of secondary-aged children.
• Be vigilant of social media use: Keep an eye out for signs that your child may be using social media in unhealthy ways, including accessing disturbing content such as violence, extremism, hate speech, or the promotion of criminal actions.

We encourage all parents and carers to have open and ongoing conversations with your child about their learning and wellbeing. As members of our school community, we are called to protect and nurture one another, both spiritually and physically. Your cooperation in reinforcing these safety measures is invaluable in maintaining a secure and nurturing environment for all members of our DLCS community.