The Victorian Catholic Education Authority (VCEA) held its Annual General Meeting at the Catholic Leadership Centre on Friday 28 June.
Archbishop Peter A Comensoli chaired the AGM and was joined by the other four Company Members: Bishop Paul Bird, Bishop Greg Bennet, Bishop Shane Mackinlay and Sr Eileen Ann Daffy rsm.
Noting that it was the Feast Day of Saint Irenaeus, Archbishop Peter led the Company Members, VCEA Board and executive in a prayer inspired by the Doctor of the Church, who did so much to set forth the lift of our Christian faith.
Chair of the VCEA Board, James Merlino, and VCEA CEO Professor Elizabeth Labone then provided the Company Members with updates on governance, stakeholder engagement and important work to come in the year ahead.
Mr Merlino said that the creation of VCEA had been ‘momentous’ for Catholic school education, which had brought together a new skills-based Board with exceptional skills and enabled good processes for dialogue that were supporting the sector to come together and solve challenges more effectively.
In her report, Professor Labone thanked the Company Members for their support and for entrusting her with this important role. She said that she was pleased to be working with a Board with such deep expertise and was delighted by the goodwill and unity that exists across Catholic school education in Victoria.
Bishop Greg spoke of the ‘sense of joy’ across the sector and how the creation of VCEA would provide opportunities to go forward and show the ‘beauty of our schools’.
Bishop Shane expressed that he was pleased that the ‘big transition’ from CECV to VCEA had occurred so effectively.
Bishop Paul noted that the communication and increased engagement around the sector following the renewal into VCEA had been ‘fruitful’.
The Company Members thanked James and the Board and Elizabeth and executive team for their efforts over the past year.
VCEA is the peak body for Catholic school education in Victoria.
VCEA provides a number of services and undertakes various functions for Catholic school proprietors and Catholic schools in Victoria, working in close collaboration with proprietors. The services and functions relate to government funding of Catholic schools, school regulation, enterprise bargaining, communications and advocacy, Catholic mission, and research and data analysis.
More information on the VCEA is available at vcea.catholic.edu.au
