On 18 August we proudly gathered to celebrate 50 fabulous years of the Catholic Education Sandhurst Office. Past and present members of the Catholic Education family gathered in Bendigo for a commemorative Mass and luncheon to celebrate 50 years of the Catholic Education Sandhurst. All five lay Directors who have led the office for a combined fifty years joined the gathering; a testimony to their dedicated leadership and commitment to Catholic education.
History of the Catholic Educcation Office – Sandhurst Diocese 1974 – 2024
Although Catholic Education began in the Diocese of Sandhurst more than 170 years ago, the history of the Catholic Education Office spans the past 50 years.
During this time there have been six Directors, five Bishops, 56 schools and more recently, five Early Learning Centres. The staff numbers have also grown over the past five decades, from three to more than 100.
Monsignor Peter De Campo was appointed as the first director. At the same time, other Catholic Education Offices were set up in the other dioceses, with the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria being the state body for Catholic education, taking over from the Catholic Education Office Melbourne.
From the beginning, the task of the office was to provide infrastructure and regulated financial advice to Catholic schools, so they could focus of the core business of educating children. The geographical challenges of administrating more than 50 schools across the diocese, from Kerang in the northwest, to Corryong in the northeast required many hours in the car.
Each director faced challenges, and through hard work and adversity, shaped the system of Catholic Education that exists today in the Sandhurst diocese. Each Bishop also had an impact on the direction of Catholic Education.
When the Catholic Education Office was established the fight for equal opportunities and improved conditions for teachers in Catholic Schools was a notable one. When taking into consideration that 50 short years ago every school in the Sandhurst Diocese was exclusively run by religious congregations, and every Principal was a Sister or a Brother, you can imagine that as the numbers of religious orders dwindled, the need for non-religious staff was the only way to ensure the future of the Catholic system.
Along with funding issues and equality for teaching conditions, three of the most significant events in the history of Catholic Education in the Sandhurst Diocese occurred in the past four years.
Covid 19 was an extraordinary time for schools and the Catholic Education Office took the lead in providing direction and support for schools during this global pandemic. Remote learning was untested on that scale, and those in ‘the Office’ held a collective breath as one by one every school in the Dicoese went online, virtually without incident. Through the extreme efforts of those in the office, incredible teachers and the support of parents, the show went on!
The second most significant occurrence in the recent history of the Catholic Education Office was a change in governance with the incorporation of Catholic Education Sandhurst Limited. This has been a time of significant change and the system is thriving with a Board of Directors guiding the future.
Anther recent change has included the expansion of services to provide Early Learning Centre’s in the Sandhurst Diocese, operating through Sandhurst Catholic Early Childhood Education and Care Ltd with their own Board of Directors.
These are exciting times for Catholic Education in this diocese. From humble beginnings, the Catholic Education Office continues to look to the future, committed to providing clear direction for Sandhurst schools and Early Learning Centres.
In our jubilee year, we acknowledge and thank all those who have played a role in the development and success of our organization. We honour the directors and the significant contribution each has made to the growth, purpose, and service of the Catholic Education Office in Sandhurst.
Image: Sandhurst Catholic Education Leaders gather symbolically in chronological order of their leadership. (L-R) Adrian Sexton, Denis Higgins, Philomena Billington, Paul Desmond and Kate Fogarty.
