Religious Education at Hennessy Catholic College
Hennessy Catholic College is a co-educational Christian school in the Catholic tradition.
In this way, we hope to inspire our students to strive for truth, beauty and goodness in their everyday lives with Christ as our centre.
Our college retains the beautiful buildings that were the former convent of the Presentation Sisters, and the legacy of our Catholic roots is evident across the grounds and the community.
Students at Hennessy Catholic College are provided with a formational and educative curriculum during Years 7-10 (stages 4 and 5), which introduces them to the life of Jesus, scripture, prayer, social justice, expressions and history, as well as a holistic education around the stories and example of our house patrons.
Our house patrons are Venerable Nano Nagle (founder of the Presentation Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary), Blessed Edmund Rice (founder of the Christian Brothers), Venerable Catherine McAuley (founder of the Mercy Sisters) and Bishop John Gallagher, the first Bishop of the region.
The senior curriculum (Years 11 and 12, or, Stage 6) allows students to do the NSW NESA approved HSC subjects of Studies of Religion I and II. There is also a stream called Studies in Catholic Thought, a unit that focuses on Catholic thinkers from the early Church onward.
Whilst the HSC subjects are less catechetical in nature, they still allow our students to get a basis and understanding of our multi-faith society, and give a rigorous presentation of the importance of religion in society and of the need for tolerance and understanding of other faiths.
In Years 11 and 12, our students are given retreat and in-service opportunities to develop Christian leadership skills that prepare them well for the future. Retreats are also in other years
Masses, Liturgies and Retreats
It is a key part of any Catholic school’s educational program to provide opportunities for our students to be involved in Masses and Liturgies throughout the year.
We prioritise our Opening Mass, where often we see more than 60 students participate in a special way through reading, altar serving, the offertory procession and the music ministry.
We celebrate feast days and events on the liturgical calendar such as Ash Wednesday, Easter, Stations of the Cross, Hennessy Day, Graduation Masses, and various special occasions throughout the year.
We also embody our Catholic tradition through service programs, social justice initiatives and fundraising, and more information about this can be found on the Mission section of our website.
Hennessy Catholic College is currently working with the Archdiocese and the local parishes to develop a more streamlined approach to Youth and Young Adult Ministry, and we hope to be able to engage our students with some unique and targeted opportunities to grow in their own personal faith and put that faith into action.