Emmanuel College is a Catholic community in the Marianist tradition, promoting learning for life. It encapsulates the Marianist vision of nurturing, respecting and caring for oneself and others while fostering and promoting a sense of belonging and community where faith and values are important. As a College we support and encourage students on their personal faith journey, and provide and environment that highlights the importance that faith has in life.

Education in faith

Education in faith is central to the life of the College. Through our Religious Education program, liturgical celebrations and actions expressive of Christian values, students experience faith that completes us and gives meaning to our lives.

By employing a Pedagogy of Encounter, students are encouraged to learn about and engage with aspects of the Catholic faith tradition and the traditions of other world religions.

As a College, we work in partnership with students, teachers and parents in supporting parish and community service. We foster our Catholic identity, promote and understanding of Church, and create strong partnerships among school, family and Church communities.

Liturgical life

Liturgical life takes a high priority at the College, beginning with the Opening School Mass held at St Patrick’s Cathedral.

Regular class masses, seminar days, eucharistic celebrations, parish masses, class liturgies and staff and parent prayer evenings all form a central part of our Catholic identity and faith tradition. Parents and friends are always welcome.

Social Justice

We aim to actively live out the gospel message in true service to those in need within our local and wider community. In living out this message, students, staff and families participate in a wide variety of social justice activities.

The College has a vibrant student-led Social Justice Group at each campus. The groups are focused on providing support to those in need, as well as providing volunteer opportunities for those who wish to participate. Led by our student Social Justice and Liturgy Captains, the College is always striving to make a difference in supporting the most vulnerable in our community.

Throughout the year our Social Justice Groups organise and support;

• Project Compassion
• Live Below the Line
• Winter Appeal
• Christmas Hamper Appeal
• Winter Sleep Out
• Catholic Mission Australia
• Caritas
• Joseph’s Corner
• Corazon Counselling
• Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
• Camino for Caritas

Ministry & Justice Immersions

Emmanuel College has a proud tradition of providing ministry and justice immersion opportunities for staff and students that involve working within communities interstate and abroad.

We believe that it is important to look more broadly than just what is around our immediate surroundings. We can also support and learn from cultures and traditions different from our own, as we open ourselves to new experiences of faith.

Annually we have a range of these opportunities, such as;

• Friends of Alice - working with Indigenous Australians in Alice Springs
• World Challenge - supporting local communities in Cambodia
• Caritas Staff Immersions - supporting communities in Uganda, Bolivia, Cambodia and the Philippines
• Catholic Missions - working in Cambodia
• Catholic Youth Festival
• Juraki Surf Invitational - working with Indigenous Australians at Tweed Heads
• World Youth Day

Community Engagement

We place great importance on the connections that we have with our local parishes, primary schools and wider community and in doing this we are enabled to build strong community connections.

At Emmanuel College, we actively participate in:

• Year 10 Community Engagement Program
• Sharing College resources
• Healthy living partnerships
• Sunday parish masses
• Primary school visits by former students
• Healing masses
• Support of primary school community events
• Project Based Learning presentations
• Justice activities and fundraisers
• Family information evenings at primary schools