Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF)

We are excited to announce that Sacred Heart College will be offering Year 9–11 students (aged 14+) the opportunity to attend the Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF), taking place in Melbourne from 30 November – 2 December 2025.

ACYF invites students to grow in their faith, strengthen their relationship with Jesus, and be inspired to live out Catholic values in everyday life. The three-day festival brings together thousands of young people from across Australia to celebrate and deepen their faith in Jesus Christ through prayer, liturgy, music, keynote speakers, social action opportunities, and workshops designed to inspire, challenge, and encourage.

Program Highlights include:

• An opening day urban pilgrimage from St Patrick’s Cathedral to the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre
• Daily plenary sessions featuring keynote speakers, musicians, and Church leaders
• Opportunities for prayer, Adoration, the Sacraments, and liturgical celebrations
• Workshops, forums, and breakout sessions covering contemporary faith issues and leadership
• The Expo and Justice Centre, where young people can engage with social justice organisations and take part in service-based activities

For our students, this will be an exciting and life-changing opportunity to grow in faith, connect with other young Catholics, and explore how they can live out the Gospel in the Mercy tradition of our College.

To make this opportunity accessible, the College will cover a portion of the cost, meaning that the price for students is only $100. Transport options will be finalised depending on numbers, and students will be accompanied by staff throughout the event.

There will be an application process, including a short interview, for those students interested in attending. Details about how to apply will be shared in the Daily Messages, so we encourage students to keep a close eye on these updates.

We encourage students to prayerfully consider being part of ACYF 2025. This is a chance to encounter Christ, celebrate our faith, and join with thousands of young people in building a future filled with hope.

Seeds of Justice Conference: Care for our Common Home

By Lila Ely, Chloe Cestina, Harper Collinge, Molly Ramselaar, and Scarlett Booth

On 14August, we went to the Seeds of Justice Conference in Anglesea, and we were excited for two days of learning, meeting new people, and having fun.

When we got there, we went on a beach walk and did some mindfulness activities. It was nice to slow down, relax, and enjoy being outside in nature.

One of the best parts was hearing from Juliet Talarico, a former Mercy student and eco-justice advocate. She spoke about how we can care for the environment and live more in harmony with creation. We also learned about Laudato Si’ and how our faith calls us to look after our world.

We spent some time learning about the Fire Carriers program too, and how it helps schools walk alongside First Nations peoples on the journey of reconciliation.

Across the two days, we joined workshops, met students from other Mercy schools, and made lots of new friends. We talked about justice, sustainability, and how we can make a difference back at school and in our communities.

On the way home, we stopped at the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie, which was a fun way to finish the trip.

Overall, the conference was fun and inspiring. We learned so much, met great people, and came away with new ideas about how to be leaders for justice in the Mercy tradition.

Expanding the Trial Religious Education Curriculum

Sacred Heart College has been selected to continue and expand our involvement in the Trial Religious Education Curriculum, which will now run across all Year 7 classes.

In Term 4, students will engage with the unit 'Ancestors in Faith,' exploring the stories of Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph. Beginning with Abraham’s journey of faith and God’s covenant, students then follow Jacob’s story of rivalry and reconciliation, and finally the dramatic narrative of Joseph, whose rise to leadership in Egypt shows God’s providence and forgiveness at work.

Each unit of work is supported by a detailed framework for teachers, including content for explicit instruction, guiding questions to check for understanding, activities for deeper learning, and opportunities for revision and assessment. The emphasis on deep learning invites students not only to know these ancestral stories but to consider their ongoing meaning for faith, covenant, and God’s presence in human history—pointing ultimately to their fulfillment in Christ.

This expansion is an exciting opportunity for our students to experience a contemporary, story-rich approach to Religious Education that is both academically rigorous and deeply grounded in Scripture and Catholic tradition.