Campion College’s long-awaited academic centre and residential halls have been blessed and officially opened for a new generation of students. Source: The Catholic Weekly.
Based in Toongabbie in Sydney’s west, the liberal arts college celebrated the occasion with leaders from the Church, education, politics and business along with college benefactors, current students, staff and alumni, with the keynote address given by former deputy prime minister John Anderson.
Also in attendance were members of the Marist Fathers, reflecting the heritage of the site as a former Marist monastery and seminary, and Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in honour of the late Fr Paul Stenhouse MSC, a scholar and staunch friend of the college.
In his address Mr Anderson said the new Campion development was a significant moment not only for the college but for the nation, which is experiencing a “civilisational moment” marked by dangerous social and economic pressures, growing division and distrust, along with an abandonment of the Judeo-Christian foundations of the West.
College president Paul Morrissey thanked Campion’s many friends and benefactors for supporting its unique mission in higher education.
In honouring the work of the many involved in the college’s capital expansion, Dr Morrissey made special mention of architect Art Lohsen and Sr Josephine Marie of the Sisters of Mary Morning Star, the principal artist behind the library’s 35-panel stained glass skylight.
Dr Morrissey said it was also an occasion to honour “two great Australians” — the late Fr Stenhouse, who was formerly a trustee of the college, and mining magnate and philanthropist Gina Rinehart after whom the new library is named.
Wilcannia-Forbes Bishop Columba Macbeth-Green blessed the new residential buildings and academic centre, which includes a grand hall along with two-storey library, lecture theatre, media room and additional classrooms.
The $18.5 million project was made possible through private donations as well as funding from the federal and New South Wales state governments, with the college still to raise $2 million to meet its capital appeal target.
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Campion’s new academic centre nears completion (The Catholic Weekly)
