Bishop Michael McKenna has established a Catholic Education Council as his chief advisory body for developing policies in this important work of the Diocese of Bathurst.

The Council's work will be devoted to the oversight of the Catholic schools system, as well as to the catechesis of Catholic children and young people more generally.

The members bring to their task a wide range of expertise in education, theology, law and management, as well as their experience as Catholics and, in many cases, parents.

The Council's constitution may be viewed on the Diocesan website www.bathurst.catholic.org.au.

The Bishop has told the new councillors: "I write as we bask in the glow of the canonisation of St Mary of the Cross. She and Father Julian Tenison Woods had a vision of education that offered an integrated human, intellectual and spiritual formation for all Catholic children, regardless of their family’s circumstances. It is true that we fall short of achieving that fully today, but so did they then. However, they did not despair of the vision, just because its realisation was imperfect. Neither did all those other religious, lay faithful, bishops and priests who built up Catholic education in Australia. And neither should we.”

Father Paul Devitt, Episcopal Vicar for Education, will be President of the Council. Mr Paul Crennan (Bathurst) is the Chair. The Bishop has appointed the following to three-year terms on the Council: