The Ballarat Diocesan Schools Advisory Council (BDSAC) has held four meetings in 2017, visiting schools across the Diocese.

On Wednesday November 8, the Diocesan Principals’ End of Year dinner was held.

Three school leaders from the Catholic Diocese of Ballarat have been officially recognised for their dedication to education and professional learning.

How does one celebrate nine Sisters of Mercy and their 500 Years – for four, 50 years and for five, 60 years - of service to our wide world in the footsteps of Catherine McAuley?

Sisters of Mercy gathered in Warrnambool to honour those of their Order who called Warrnambool, Terang and Camperdown home at some time during their lives and to remember the fifty-one Sisters of Mercy buried there.

The evening of November 2 was a truly inspiring, emotional, supportive and challenging one at Emmaus Primary School, Mt Clear.

Recently, there was a reunion of Patrician House Sacred Heart Teacher’s College Ballarat graduates for the years of 1967, 1968 & 1969.

Francesca Hickman (Cororooke Parish) and her partner Aidan Long are currently volunteering in Kenya at the Ruben Centre. The centre provides education for children from the Mukura slums and the director is Br Frank O'Shea, originally from Warrnambool.

The Parish Open Air Mass at the Bungaree (Pootilla) Cemetery was held on a beautiful sunny November morning.

In July, the parishes of Lismore, Derrinallum, Cobden and Camperdown received a visit from Bishop Paul Bird as a part of his visits around the diocese program to allow for all voices to be heard.

The conclusion of 2017 will see the ‘end of an era’ in the history of the Sacred Heart Parish Mildura Bingo held by the parish’s schools.