Celebrating Catholic Schools Day 2025
On 28 May, schools across our diocese celebrated Catholic Schools Day 2025. The theme this year was ‘Shine like stars in the world: E tīaho ana koe hei rama i te ao.’
Our schools marked the day in a variety of creative and faith-filled ways. Here are some highlights.
St Peter’s Primary School, Beckenham
St Peter’s began Catholic Schools Day with a prayer service, featuring their school band. A group of students from Catholic Cathedral College visited for the morning, joining in a shared Religious Education session. Some students from St Peter’s also spent time at Catholic Cathedral College, fostering connection and community between the two schools. Afterward, St Peter’s students enjoyed a variety of games.
Sacred Heart Primary School, Addington
Sacred Heart Primary School enjoyed a wonderful morning together, reflecting on why being at a Catholic school is so special.
The school gathered for prayers in the morning, and then they put aside their busy programmes and worked together to create collaborative pieces of art that showed their love for Jesus. Sister Gael Henry, a Mission Sister, came to help.
Sacred Heart School, Timaru
For Catholic Schools Day Sacred Heart, Timaru celebrated the many diverse cultures that make up their school family. They prayed in many languages and the children wore clothes that celebrated their cultures. They look so proud!
St Alban’s Catholic Primary School
St Alban’s Catholic started the day with a prayer service on the theme "Shine Like Stars in the World". Then all students decorated a star with their name and ways they can shine to contribute to a wall display.
John Paul II High School, Greymouth
John Paul II High School joined in a mass with their two nearest primary schools on the Coast, St Patrick's, Greymouth and St Mary's Hokitika and it was great to see the church full to bursting! Then all except the Year 1-3 students came back to JPII for a sausage sizzle and
kai for the staff followed by fun activities led by the student leaders to celebrate their connectedness through Catholic Education and their values and beliefs.
