| The Catholic Conference of Religious Educators in State Schools (CCRESS) provides a forum for the CCD Offices in the dioceses of NSW and ACT to come together. It was established in July 1987, with a meeting held at Vaughan College, Mansfield. Since then, meetings have been held twice yearly, usually during the months of May and November.
|
The initial meeting of the group that has evolved into CCRESS was held on 1-2 July, 1987 when CCD personnel from the following dioceses met at Vaughan College , Marsfield:-
Sydney, Broken Bay, Armidale, Bathurst , Canberra-Goulburn, Maitland-Newcastle, Wagga Wagga and Wollongong.
Name changes to the group:
1987-1989: Conference of Diocesan Directors/Coordinators of CCD
1989-1998: Conference on Religious Education in State Schools (CRESS)
1998-present: Catholic Conference on Religious Education in State Schools (CCRESS)
Officer bearers elected at the initial meeting were:
Chair: Sr. Mary Guilfoyle rsj(Dioceses of Wollongong)
Secretary-Treasurer: Rev. Richard Dixon (Archdiocese of Sydney )
Since that gathering there has been an ongoing adaptation on the part of CCRESS to changing situations. There have been constant efforts to assist SRE Teachers improve their delivery of SRE to students in state schools and to keep abreast of Departmental requirements in the delivery of SRE. We are looking to see how we can be become even more effective in supporting the ministry of SRE.
Recommendations from 1987
|
The Catholic Conference of Religious Educators in State Schools - CCRESS, CCD Directors, celebrated its twentieth anniversary on 22 June 2007 with mass at the chapel of St Patrick's Cathedral Parramatta followed by dinner. Bishop Kevin Manning from the Diocese of Parramatta, Bishop Peter Ingham from Wollongong and Fr Carol Grew from Diocese of Broken Bay concelebrated the mass of thanksgiving for the past and present CCD Directors. Friends were also in attendance.
The inaugural CCRESS meeting was lead by either clergy or religious sisters. Twenty years on the scene has changed with nine of the eleven dioceses having lay people in leadership positions in CCRESS. Currently CCRESS mets twice per year with the two days gathering in May held in one of the five metroploitan dioceses and in November in one of the five rural dioceses.
At the CCRESS dinner sixteen past and present members of CCRESS were presented with the inaugural Archbishop Francis Carrol Award for services to Catholic Special Religious Education in State Schools in NSW. Archbishop Francis Carroll was unable to attend but wrote the folllowing message to the recipients:
I\"I very much appreciate the invitation to the celbratory Mass and Dinner but regret that I am not able to accept. Please accept my sincere aologies and best wishes for the significant occassion. I particulalry appreciate the fact that the award is to carry my name and I feel deeply honoured by that decision. I have always had a very high regard for all those involved in the CCD Apostolate and especially for the faithful catechists at local parish and school levels - the "cream of the cream". Please convey my congratulations to those outstanding people who are to recieve these initial awards.
|
The recipients of the Archbishop Francis Carroll award were Sr Mary Flynn rsj and Sr Guiseppe Walsh rsj, Armidale, Sr Maureen Schiemer rsj, Bathurst, Sr Mary Hugh Smith sgs and Fr Carol Grew, Broken Bay, Sr Barbara Hallam pbvm and Sabina van Rooy, Canberra/Goulburn, Sr Shirley Fagan rsj, Lismore, Fr paul Mulconry, Maitland/Newcastle, Ms Sharyn Byrne Parramatta, Sr Carmel Clancypbvm and Mr Peter Ivers, Sydney, Sr maargaret Knagge rsj, Wagga Wagga, Mrs Colleen Matson, Wilcannia/Forbes and Bishop Peter Ingham, Wollongong and Sr Louise Wellbourne op from Australian Catholic University.
|
