Townsville will host the launch of this year’s Queensland Catholic Education Week, celebrating “Communities of faith, hope and love”.
Celebrated annually in week 3 of term 3, Catholic Education Week is an opportunity for all 313 Queensland Catholic schools – and their 154,000 students and 22,000 staff – to celebrate and promote their distinctive mission and ethos.
Catholic education strives to make a difference in the lives of those in our schools and in the wider community by challenging young people to live out the message of Jesus and to reach their full potential as compassionate, contributing, life-giving members of society.
Each Catholic Education Week recognises outstanding staff with the Spirit of Catholic Education Awards.
Marymount College, Burleigh Waters prayer coordinator Mary Dolores Maitland has received an award.
Demonstrating outstanding service in the education community and beyond is just one of Dolores’ admired traits.
Dolores began her role as Prayer Co-ordinator at the College this year, after 12 years’ service as Assistant Principal Religious Education (APRE). Dolores initially embarked on the role of APRE because it was the most powerful way she could see of sharing the gospel and the things that are important to Catholic education. She never sought leadership, rather it sought her, and she accepted it as her vocation.
Dolores has left her mark on all with whom she has worked. Her great interest in theology and spirituality means she has always made herself available to assist in this aspect of school life in whatever way it demanded. In her own words, Dolores said her personal faith had often been commented on. “This pleases me, as it is the fuel of my daily existence,” she said.
“In my vocation as teacher, I am aware I am the messenger. My faith is a mix of the theological, relational and the experiential and my interactions with staff, students, and the wider college community have been instrumental in effecting where it’s at right now.”