A new K-12 college for 1,800 students in southwest Sydney will be named after the newly minted saint, Carlo Acutis.
“We have chosen to place this new college under the patronage of Carlo Acutis for several reasons that resonate deeply with the challenges and aspirations of today’s young people,” Wollongong Bishop Brian Mascord explained in a statement.
“Carlo Acutis is the first millennial saint, making him an incredibly relatable figure for our students.
“He was a young man who navigated the digital world, not by shying away from it, but by using technology as a powerful tool for good.
“He related to his peers with the utmost respect, recognising the person of Jesus in everyone he encountered.
“Carlo exemplified authenticity, encouraging everyone to ‘be an original’ rather than conform, a powerful message for young people seeking meaning and purpose in our complex world.
“Carlo’s devotion to the Eucharist will be central to the spiritual life of our college, encouraging students to develop their own personal relationship with Jesus.”
The new co-educational school is scheduled to open before 2030 with classes for kindergarten and Year 7. Enrolments for Years 1 to 6 will be considered based on community demand. It will be located on the corner of Heath and Rickard Roads, in Leppington.
The Macarthur region of outer southwest Sydney, from Liverpool out to Camden and beyond, is booming. The new airport, rail links and rapidly expanding infrastructure are magnets for young families seeking affordable housing.
It could have 600,000 people by 2036 – possibly more than Wollongong or the Sunshine Coast.
According to figures in the 2021 census, it is also one of the most Catholic areas in New South Wales, with 29 percent describing themselves as Catholic, compared to 20 percent for Australia.
It is also highly diverse, with strong Vietnamese, Chinese, Iraqi, Lebanese, and Italian populations.
The head of schools in the Wollongong diocese, Peter Hill, said: “This is a direct response to the growing demand from parents for Catholic schools in southwest Sydney and a wonderful opportunity to invite more families to experience a high-quality Christ-centred education in the Catholic tradition.”
