Special Character

Cullinane College is a Catholic community that strives to deliver quality education based on the Gospel values of Jesus Christ according to the tradition of the Catholic Church.

Our College has a vision of education that is based on our common faith in Jesus Christ and a belief in his teachings as well as a commitment to his values expressed in the Scriptures and in the life of the Church.

We affirm the uniqueness of each individual and encourage students to grow in a personal relationship with God that helps them be confident in their self-worth and cultural identity; to recognize the rights of others and be concerned for the common good. Develop self-discipline, responsibility and accountability for their personal actions.

As a Special Character school, we promote within our classrooms and within our students the ideals of peace and harmony, justice, respect and love for each other. We promote a caring attitude toward the universe, concern for the disadvantaged and a strong sense of community and acceptance of cultural difference as basic values of personal and College life.

Christ taught that every person has value that we should care for our neighbour and help those less fortunate than ourselves, that we should actively seek justice for all.

Students are encouraged to care for each other and to accept each other as they are, in spite of differences. Everyone has their own special talents. These are gifts which have come from God.

Here at Cullinane we try to enable students to find and develop their gifts, sharing them with others as God intended. In this way they can develop their full potential.

The Sisters of St Joseph of Nazareth

The order was founded in Australia in the 1860s by Mary Mackillop and Fr Julian Tenison Woods to meet the needs of poor families with a focus on education. The sisters lived simply and moved where the need arose. In 1880 four sisters began the New Zealand branch in Whanganui. Today the sisters no longer teach in the schools, however, they continue their mission of seeking fullness of life for the earth and its people by working in a variety of areas. St Joseph provides a role model for the Sisters. Foundress Blessed Mary Mackillop is to be canonised on October 17 this year. For more information on the sisters visit their website:

http://ssj.org.nz/

The Marist Fathers

The Society of Mary (Marists) was founded in Lyon, France by Fr Jean-Claude Colin in 1816. The goal was to make Mary present in the world through their attitude of service and humility. The Marists first came to New Zealand in 1838 with Bishop Pompallier and were present at the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Today their work in New Zealand is focused on three areas- Youth and Education, Missionary Parishes and Foreign Lands. For more information on the Marists visit their website:

http://www.sm.org.nz/

Cullinane College

We have continued links with the Sisters of St Joseph, particularly assisting with their work in reclaiming the wetlands at Mount St Joseph. Our links with the Marist Order has been with the prefects attending a Young Leaders course annually (MYL) with follow-up throughout the year by the MYL leaders. Consequently servant leadership and fullness of life for people and the environment are important aspects of the developing Cullinane charism. We are certainly fortunate to have Mary and St Joseph as our role models.

Links to our affiliated primary Catholic Schools and Parish:

St Marcellin School
https://sites.google.com/a/welearn.school.nz/st-marcellin/

St Anne’s School
https://stannes.school.nz/

St Mary’s School
https://www.stmarys.ac.nz/

St Mary’s Parish
http://catholicparishwhanganui.org.nz/