What a spectacular day we had last Friday to celebrate our 40th year of providing quality Catholic education to girls in the Penrith area.
Our Mass, concelebrated by Fr Robert Riedling Parish Priest of Padre Pio Parish and Fr Zvonimir Gavranovic Parish Priest of Luddenham and Warragamba parishes, saw over 1,000 staff and students and over 100 ex staff and students fill the church with prayer and song.
In his welcome, Mr Greg King, our Assistant Principal asked 39 of our Year 7 students to stand up as a visual reminder of that first small group of pioneering students and their teachers. It was certainly a stark contrast to the size of the current day college.
The gospel from Matthew 25:31-40 was proclaimed thoughtfully by Fr Zvonimir with the final phrase “ …when you did it to one of the least of these … you did it to me …” poignantly and deliberately spoken in a hushed tone. In his homily, Fr Robert, after congratulating the college for its achievements to date, reminded us that when the reminiscing is all done, the core that will and must remain is our strong Catholic identity, built on the person of Jesus Christ. He reflected on the life of Caroline Chisholm and said that just as she was a woman of great faith, motivated by love of God, that we in turn should use her as a model of the life of love and service to which we are called.
At the end of Mass, Sr Elizabeth from Mt Schoenstatt Sisters of Mercy spoke about her recollections of being part of the foundational years and Professor Margot Kearns, Pro Vice Chancellor of Notre Dame University spoke of the “special quality” that marked out the school from its beginning – she named that quality as the Catholic values upon which the school was built. Special anecdotes were met with laughter from both past and present students.
Each year group created an item for a “time capsule” and wrote a reflection about what they had chosen and why it was significant.
At the very end of Mass, to affirm that the College is still built on the foundation of Christ who was servant par excellence, Ms Bernadette Murray led us in a reflection and acknowledgement not only of what we do, but how many of us are involved in Caroline’s Footsteps – our faith at work - within our school. By the end of the reflection, every girl and staff member was standing.
A sumptuous morning tea followed for our guests and staff, which had been very professionally prepared, by our Hospitality team and their students. From a display of memorabilia, one could hear roars of laughter as 40 year old hairstyles and “those brown socks“ were remembered. Our College leaders hosted tours for any of our guests who had not seen the extent of the growth of the college.
Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
www.parra.catholic.edu.au
-
07 Dec 2023
Join our Alumni Association
Former and current staff and students are invited to register today!
Instagram | CCC
Latest News More news
15 Dec 2025
From Facebook
SPECIAL REPORT: Trauma Recovery Following the tragic events at Bondi Beach, many children and young people may be feeling unsettled, anxious or confused, particularly if they have been exposed to media coverage or conversations about what occurred. Even indirect exposure to such events can disrupt a child’s sense of safety and lead to emotional or behavioural changes, with each child responding differently depending on their age and individual needs. The brain stores traumatic events as powerful emotional memories, influencing a young person’s behaviour through mechanisms beyond their conscious awareness. By providing them with support and equipping young people with coping mechanisms to handle uncertainty, parents and carers can greatly enhance a child’s capacity to recover and build long-term emotional resilience. This Special Report offers practical guidance to help identify the signs of trauma and outlines ways we can support young people through recovery. Here is the link to your Special Report http://cccglenmorepark.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-trauma-recovery God bless Mrs Tania Cairns Principal Leader
15 Dec 2025
From Facebook
What a special and joy-filled morning we experienced as our wonderfully talented choir brought Christmas cheer to the residents of Glenmore Park Care Community. Led by Ms Wall and Mr Caws, our students performed a beautiful selection of carols that truly captured the heart of the season. Their music, smiles and warm conversations after the performance created a memorable moment of connection with our nearby neighbours and friends. We are so proud of the generosity and spirit our students shared. ❤️✨
15 Dec 2025
From Facebook
Led by our Year 12 Leaders, Dilpreet and Rachel, and generously supported by the Caroline Chisholm community, 120 shopping bags—creating 40 Christmas hampers and gift vouchers have been thoughtfully assembled. Again this year we are working with the Nepean Hub of St Vincent de Paul who will distribute 21 hampers and gift vouchers to families in need in Emerton, St Clair and St Marys. The remaining hampers and vouchers will be donated to Padre Pio, Glenmore Park and Sacred Heart, Warragamba parishes to distribute. Thank you to the wonderful Caroline Chisholm community! Your generosity and compassion in supporting this initiative will help brighten Christmas for many families facing hardship this year. We are so grateful to George and the team at Woolworths Glenmore Park for generously again supporting our appeal by donating 200 Woolworths shopping bags for us to pack our hampers.
12 Dec 2025
From Facebook
Earlier this week, Sophie McLaughlin (Year 12, 2025) returned to UNSW to inspire the 2025 cohort of the School of Economics’ STEP UP Playconomics Competition. Sophie was the 2024 national winner - finishing in the top 0.5% of students across Australia - an extraordinary outcome that reflected her passion for business and economics and her firm aspirations to study at UNSW. https://www.unsw.edu.au/news/2025/04/Caroline-chisholm-college-success-in-playconomics Sophie's address was as impressive as it was inspirational, bringing both wisdom and warmth to the prestigious Sir John Clancy Auditorium. She shared how Playconomics became a turning point in her journey, proving that she could rise to a challenge, think strategically, and thrive in a university learning environment. It cemented her passion for business and economics and further strengthened her determination to study at UNSW in 2026. Speaking to students from across Sydney, she encouraged them with this powerful message: “You are 1000% capable of more than you think.…If you enjoyed the challenge or felt even a tiny spark of excitement while playing, that feeling matters. It could be pointing you toward a future passion, a career direction, or even just the confidence to try something new.” She closed with an inspiring reminder: “Don’t underestimate how valuable this program has been or what it says about your potential… your success will bring you further than you think.” Also speaking at this impressive occasion were Professor Isabella Dobrescu, Head of School of Economics, Professor Alberto Motta (Chair, STEP Up Program), Paul Andon (Interim Dean UNSW Business School) with a keynote address delivered by The Hon Adrian Piccoli, former NSW Minister for Education. Our College celebrates Sophie's success and achievement in the competition and her inspirational speech this week. She represented Caroline Chisholm College with such grace and confidence and is a wonderful ambassador for our community. She is a role model and shining example of what it means to embrace every opportunity. We look forward to hearing where her career takes her next year and beyond!
12 Dec 2025
From Facebook
The final week of Term 4 has been a meaningful and motivating one for our Year 10 students, who have taken part in a specially designed program to inspire and prepare them for the next exciting stage of their journey. Throughout the week, students explored a range of sessions focused on mental health, wellbeing and mindfulness, prayer experiences, the season of Advent and the importance of service. There was also a focus on future readiness — including careers, team building and the key capabilities they’ll need as they move into Year 11 and 12. This tailored program has given students valuable time to reflect, strengthen their skills, and build the confidence needed to thrive in the years ahead. Our Careers and Pathways workshops featured activities centred on identifying transferable skills using the CADI Careers Clusters tool, exploring the twists and turns of their future career pathways, and hearing from special guest speaker Tim Hempel, Operations Supervisor at Garton Group (McDonald’s Blaxland, Lithgow, Emu Plains and the soon-to-open Mulgoa Rise restaurants). Tim offered practical, timely advice on interview skills, resume preparation, the value of initiative, teamwork and a strong work ethic, and the range of opportunities available within his organisation. Our Year 10s made the most of this experience, asking thoughtful questions and engaging in a rich conversation with insights relevant to whatever career path they choose to follow. We thank Tim for his valuable insights. For the week that was, well done Year 10 on your enthusiasm and positive attitude!
11 Dec 2025
From Facebook
Our Year 11 Hospitality 2 students ended the term on a wonderfully festive note with a Christmas-inspired dessert, a tasty mix somewhere between a brownie, cake, and biscuit! 🍫🎂🍪 While this dish wasn’t about showcasing technical skill, it was all about having fun, celebrating the end of the year, and enjoying the moment together. With Christmas music playing and plenty of festive spirit in the room, it was the perfect way to wrap up the term.
11 Dec 2025
From Facebook
A huge shout-out to our small but mighty group of Year 11 Hospitality students, who stepped up last week to prepare coffees and hot chocolates for our VIP guests from the Catholic Education Office. The students worked together to organise, prepare, and serve all beverages at the same time—a true test of teamwork, communication, and service skills. Their calm approach and commitment to quality made a fantastic impression on our visitors, and we couldn’t be prouder of the way they represented our school. 👏 Well done, Year 11 Hospitality! 🌟
11 Dec 2025
From Facebook
Our talented 8TECHA students have been hard at work this semester designing, building, and decorating their very own Cam Toys as part of our Materials—Timber & Engineering unit. From spinning cams to jumping, lifting, and dropping mechanisms, students were challenged to problem-solve, experiment, and refine their designs to get their toys moving just the way they imagined. 🛠️✨ We’re incredibly proud of the creativity, persistence, and technical skills they’ve shown throughout the project. Their finished products look fantastic—and move even better! 👏 Well done, 8TECHA! Ms Blundell
10 Dec 2025
From Facebook
Isabelle in Year 10 has taken a hands-on approach to exploring her future pathway in civil construction, gaining a front-row seat to the Mulgoa Road Upgrade Project, during a valuable week of work experience with Seymour Whyte. From observing this major road construction project up close, to developing valuable transferable workplace skills and gaining a wider perspective of her potential future pathway, Isabelle has made the most of this incredible opportunity to explore where her career could lead. A huge thank you to Seymour Whyte for supporting our students and opening the door to real-world learning!
10 Dec 2025
From Facebook
A wonderful group of our Year 10 and Year 11 students embraced a special opportunity to spread joy and kindness to residents at Glenmore Park Care Community, Hardi Aged Care (Mountainview, Penrith) and Summitcare Penrith, alongside Mrs Larsen, Ms Morley and Mr Adam MacNamara. On behalf of the hundreds of CCC students who wrote personal Christmas card messages, our students spent time meeting, chatting, and sharing festive cheer with residents — an annual tradition that means so much to us as a college community. Some of the residents at Hardi Aged Care were even treated to an impromptu singing of carols by Gianna in Year 10. Members of our College Choir will return to Glenmore Park Care Community later this week for a special Christmas Carol performance alongside Mr Caws and Ms Wall. This was a truly special morning, connecting generations through simple acts of Christmas kindness. Our social post below is based on a card design created by Year 7 student, Kiara. Her creation, along with designs by Olivia, Caitlin and Caitlyn (also in Year 7) were used for the cover artwork for this year's Christmas cards.
10 Dec 2025
From Facebook
Congratulations to Summer K of Year 11 who was recently awarded the following from the PDSSSC - PDSSSC Blue Awards for Oz tag and Hockey. PDSSSC Senior Sporting All- Rounder Award
09 Dec 2025
From Facebook
Congratulations to Amber S of Yr 11 who was recently awarded PDSSSC Blues Awards for Oz tag and Touch football.
Browse Categories