'Changing times': Catholic education opts for new governance

Archbishop Christopher Prowse said the move to a civil framework of incorporation would "better support the church's mission in education" and "further enhance regulatory compliance and transparency."

"Reviews of Church governance have shown we need to have additional transparency in the processes of governance canonically and civilly," he said in a statement.

"Other diocesan education entities around Australia have moved to alternative civil governance arrangements for their education ministries. I am convinced this is the right path for us at this time.

"The contemporary situation of the church, the nation, and in education, together with the prophetic call of Pope Francis to be open to change, demand that we respond in a new and dynamic fashion."

As of January 1, 2025, there will be a transition from the church trustees as the owner and operator of catholic education to a new not-for-profit company, registered as a charity. It will have full responsibility for the existing system of 56 schools, comprising more than 22,000 students.

Archbishop Prowse said the "core pastoral and sacramental relationships" between priests and schools would not change.

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Four initial board members have been appointed but more would be recruited in 2025. Archdiocesan financial administrator, Helen Delahunty and vicar of education, Dr Patrick McArdle are among them.

Dr McArdle said the church had sought to be more accountable and transparent with aspects such as school funding for many years but incorporated status was a better understood process in the community. It would also be overseen by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission.

"For us the added benefit is the increased participation of lay people explicitly in governance," he said.

The shift also follows a 2023 audit of the archdiocese relating to safeguarding standards for children and vulnerable adults. It met all benchmarks and Dr McArdle said some processes had been improved as a result.

Staff and clergy already attend regular safeguarding seminars but Dr McArdle says the audit is useful in identifying emerging needs and how to address them.

"What safeguarding meant even at the end of the Royal Commission had an exclusive focus on child sexual abuse," he said.

"Now safeguarding is how do you create a safe environment for anyone who feels vulnerable and that's much more challenging."

The church also had to consider how it handled mental health presentations, accessibility for those with restricted mobility and young people with neurodivergent needs, among other aspects.

Dr McArdle said the company board would be responsible for financial and curriculum management and be a point of contact for government. It would also oversee school needs into the future.

"In some areas we have schools that are 100 years old so how can we ensure they operate in a 21st century education system?" he said.

"The board will ask questions like what will this look like by 2075 and what are our infrastructure needs."

Members will be accountable for the governance of catholic education and "the advancement of its mission of evangelisation".

Dr McArdle said the Archbishop's responsibility under Canon Law for the operation of catholic education would not change. He would have to be assured that civil functions were fulfilling the church mission.

"Nobody is telling us to do this. It was the Archbishop's decision to be proactive in this space, recognising that it will become a requirement in future," he said.

"...We do think it's time to have a model that is managed exclusively or predominantly by laity."

Meantime, Dr McArdle said enrolments in Archdiocesan schools had increased. He reported record enrolments in 2024, including at Goulburn's Trinity Catholic College, which enrolled a further 60 students.

He attributed this to "some pretty amazing educational outcomes," the values and sense of community.

"That is not a criticism of public education but there appear to be increasing numbers perceiving that their child can get that in the independent and catholic sector," Dr McArdle said.