Catholic Identity
Catholic Education
St Gabriel’s School is proudly a Catholic school. This means that our school supports the teachings and ethos of the Catholic Church and is based on the values of the Catholic faith.
Our school has a rich heritage and is built on the strong faith foundations passed on through the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. Building on this heritage, we aim to prepare the students in our care for their future by assisting them to know God and to nurture their relationship with God.
The support of parents is essential in this task. By choosing to educate your child in a Catholic school, you are choosing to accept the values, morals and teachings upon which our school is based. In our school, opportunities are provided for children to develop their faith through Religion lessons, celebrations, prayer and liturgies. Students are also given the opportunity to celebrate their faith as part of the Clearview Kilburn Parish Community.
The greatest support of Catholic Education comes from within the family itself. Children will grow up with the morals, respect and practices regularly modelled to them within the family. Prayer and Mass attendance play an important role in developing healthy faith practices.
OLSH History
Fr Jules Chevalier founded the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in 1985 and Daughters of the Sacred Heart in 1874. Marie Louise Hartzer was then appointed to lead by Fr Chevalier in 1882.
Fr Chevalier lived by the risk 'mission without limit's which encourage the five sisters to set out a great mission to the Oceania in 1884.
Their story began in in Botany where they arrived in 1885. Sister M. Xavier Ryan was one of the five sisters, started a small school in Botany Road soon after their arrival.
The Sisters broaden their outreach and are full of heroic stories as they touched the lives of others in distant places of the world.
We are Heart people who are
Faith-filled
We believe in God’s personal love for us. This gives us meaning and purpose in our lives and enables us to help others find meaning in their lives too.
We value:
• The Incarnation (Jesus becoming human) as foundational to our personal faith journey
• Prayer, our Catholic tradition, and involvement in the wider church community
• Relevant liturgy and retreat experiences;
• A spirit of reflection
We are Heart people who Reverence Relationships
We believe in the dignity of every human person. Our OLSH family is both local and international and we make an effort to build and support community.
We value:
• Hospitality and a welcoming spirit
• Gratitude, simplicity, integrity, compassion and forgiveness
• Inclusion of all
• Collaboration and consultation
• Discernment and the sharing of wisdom
• Teams and team leadership
We are Heart people who Pursue Excellence
We believe in Jesus’ words ‘I have come that you may have life and have it to the full’(John 10:10). We pursue excellence in everything we do.
We value:
• Striving for our personal best
• Academic Achievement
• Creativity, Resilience and Perseverance
• Education of the whole person and life-long learning
• Critical thinking and the provision of a dynamic curriculum
• Pushing the boundaries of our capabilities
• The development of leadership skills
We are Heart people who Touch the Hearts of Others
We believe in our call to be united with the mission of Jesus. Together we seek to build the Kingdom of truth and life, of holiness and grace, of justice, love and peace. Our tradition of service and outreach and our option for the poor are vital aspects of our OLSH identity.
We value:
• A vision that dares to be different
• Courage, hope, determination and vitality
• Global responsibility and stewardship of creation
• Reconciliation with our indigenous brothers and sisters
• Reaching out to others, locally and globally
• Leadership that serves and empowers others
