NEWS FROM RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
During Week 2, our Year 11 students took part in the much anticipated Senior Retreat at Stanwell Tops, spending three meaningful days away from the busyness of everyday life. The retreat provided a valuable opportunity for students to pause, reflect, and reconnect - not only with each other but also with themselves and their personal spirituality. Through a variety of activities, discussions, and quiet moments, students were encouraged to explore who they are, what they value, and how faith and reflection can guide them into their final year of school and beyond. It was a powerful experience of growth, connection, and renewal in a peaceful and inspiring setting.
RELIGIOUS LITERACY ASSESSMENT (RLA)
On Tuesday 11 November, our Year 8 students will complete the Wollongong Diocese Religious Literacy Assessment (RLA), an important part of their faith and learning journey. This online multiple-choice examination is designed to assess students' knowledge and understanding of key concepts covered in Religious Education across both Year 7 and Year 8. The RLA provides valuable insight into how well students are engaging with their RE learning and helps identify areas for further growth. It also supports the development of religious literacy, enabling students to articulate their faith with confidence and clarity as they continue to explore their spiritual and educational formation.
As we approach the end of the academic year, students in Years 7 to 10 are engaging with their final Religious Education topics, each designed to deepen their understanding of faith in a contemporary context. Year 7 is exploring "Stewards of Creation", a unit that highlights our responsibility to care for the environment as part of God’s creation, encouraging students to see themselves as caretakers of the earth. Year 8 students are studying "Striving for Goodness", which examines moral decision making and the importance of forming a well informed conscience guided by Gospel values. In Year 9, students are learning about "The Church in Australia", focusing on the history, role, and ongoing mission of the Catholic Church within our local and national communities. Finally, Year 10 is exploring "Ecumenism and Interfaith Dialogue", a topic that promotes respect, understanding, and collaboration among different Christian denominations and world religions, fostering a spirit of unity and peace in a diverse world.
This term our Year 11 students who are undertaking the HSC course in Studies of Religion will be exploring the topic “Religion in Australia Post 1945”, offering them a rich opportunity to understand how our nation's religious landscape has evolved in the modern era. In Australia today, while Christianity remains the most commonly identified faith at around 43.9 % of the population, this marks a significant drop from 52.1 % in 2016. Meanwhile, those reporting “No religion” have surged to 38.9 % - an indication of increasing secularism and diversity. At the same time, “Other religions” (including Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism) now make up about 10 % of the population, reflecting Australia’s growing multicultural and multi‑faith character. By situating their learning in this rapidly changing context, students will be challenged to reflect on the place and significance of faith - both personal and communal - in a pluralistic society, and to consider questions such as: How has migration shaped religious communities?
