St Mary’s Cathedral College held an opening Mass to welcome the students into the school year in February, heralding the first co-educational school Mass since 1967.
Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP in his homily said he was “delighted to see the expansion of this wonderful school” as the college welcomed girls from kindergarten to year seven.
“You are all part of a tradition of Catholic education that has existed on this site, attached to the ‘Mother Church’ of Australia for over 200 years,” he said.
Principal Kerrie McDiarmid says the reintroduction of girls to the school for the first time is an “exciting chapter” for the college.
“It’s actually been a really positive experience, to be honest,” she told The Catholic Weekly.
“We’re attached to the ‘Mother Church in Australia’ in the middle of the city and expanding that offering was obviously something that the community, and parents in particular, wanted.”
St Mary’s Cathedral College accepted a number of girls into their cohort at the beginning of the school year, leaving grades eight to 12 as all-boys’.
McDiarmid said the whole school has been welcoming and exciting about their new co-educational status and the girls have “hit the ground running.”
“They’ve done really well in terms of their first week of high school,” she said.
“The junior school girls are doing a fabulous job as well.”
She said the college had a good culture, which fostered respect and social cohesion.
“I think we at this school, like all students, you know, we welcome our coeducation students and all girls and boys,” she said.
“We want them to be the best version of themselves and to embrace the opportunities that come their way.”
