There was a true sense of joy in the air when Holy Family Primary, East Granville celebrated its 80th anniversary on the same day as St Mary of the Cross MacKillop was remembered for establishing the first Catholic school in Australia.
The celebrations began with an inspiring Mass and included a special blessing of a new learning space at the school.
Diocese of Parramatta Bishop Vincent Long Van Nguyen OFM Conv DD reflected on some of the famous sayings of St Mary MacKillop including “never see a need without doing something about it”, “we are but travellers here” and “find happiness in making others happy.”
He said St Mary MacKillop saw a need to serve the poor and from that she founded the first Catholic school in rural Penola in South Australia and so Catholic education was born.
Australia’s Catholic education story includes the establishment in 1938 of Holy Family Primary East Granville Trongate Hall, newly purchased by Fr Halpin.
Holy Family’s Principal Yvette Baird said Fr Halpin asked the Sisters of St Joseph to look after the new school, and they did so for 50 years before the first lay principal Carmel Cannon took over the reigns.
Other past principals include Bernard Holland, Kevin Etherington and Sue Guilfoyle.
“However a school would be just bricks and mortar without one essential and valuable asset: the children who walk through the gates each morning with a smile on their face ready to live, love and learn,” Mrs Baird said.
“This has been our school motto - to live with hope, to love in hope and to learn for the hope of our world.”
In the spirit of the occasion Mrs Baird, along with her wonderful team of teachers, took to the church podium to add a splash of colour, music and song.
Following the Mass, Bishop Vincent blessed the school’s new learning space with the assistance of Holy Family Parish Priest Fr Andrew Bass.
Mrs Baird said she is very grateful of the new learning space which has already provided new possibilities and opportunities to cater for the learning needs of all the students.
Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
www.parra.catholic.edu.au
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22 Jul 2026
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๐ Every child deserves a place where they are known, valued and inspired to thrive. ๐ Come and experience the heart of our school at our Open Days! Step inside our classrooms, meet our passionate teachers, explore our vibrant learning spaces, and discover how we nurture every childโs academic, social, emotional and spiritual growth. Whether youโre starting your childโs school journey or looking for a new school community, weโd love to show you what makes our school so special. ๐ See our learning in action. ๐ Experience our welcoming Catholic community. โจ Imagine your childโs future with us. We canโt wait to welcome you and your family!
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๐ชด๐ช From garden to harvest! ๐งโ๐พ๐ฉโ๐พ We carrot believe how much our Garden Club harvested today! ๐ฅ๐ Our little green thumbs have been hard at work, and the veggie patch certainly delivered. As we continue to reflect on the teachings of St Francis of Assisi, weโre reminded to care for Godโs creation with gratitude and love. What a wonderful way for our students to put his message into action! ๐๐ Well done to our budding gardeners, we can't wait to see what's ready to harvest next! ๐ฑ๐
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From Facebook
๐ Every child deserves a place where they are known, valued and inspired to thrive. ๐ Come and experience the heart of our school at our Open Days! Step inside our classrooms, meet our passionate teachers, explore our vibrant learning spaces, and discover how we nurture every childโs academic, social, emotional and spiritual growth. Whether youโre starting your childโs school journey or looking for a new school community, weโd love to show you what makes our school so special. ๐ See our learning in action. ๐ Experience our welcoming Catholic community. โจ Imagine your childโs future with us. We canโt wait to welcome you and your family!
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๐ชด๐ช From garden to harvest! ๐งโ๐พ๐ฉโ๐พ We carrot believe how much our Garden Club harvested today! ๐ฅ๐ Our little green thumbs have been hard at work, and the veggie patch certainly delivered. As we continue to reflect on the teachings of St Francis of Assisi, weโre reminded to care for Godโs creation with gratitude and love. What a wonderful way for our students to put his message into action! ๐๐ Well done to our budding gardeners, we can't wait to see what's ready to harvest next! ๐ฑ๐
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โจ Looking for the right school for your child? Weโd love to welcome you! โจ Join us at our Open Days and discover what makes our school such a special place to learn, grow and belong. ๐ Tour our classrooms, meet our dedicated teachers, chat with our friendly students, and experience the warm, faith filled community that makes our school feel like home. From inspiring learning opportunities to strong values and meaningful connections, thereโs so much to see. Come and see the difference for yourselfโwe canโt wait to meet you! ๐
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