Pictured: Students at Holy Cross Primary School, Mickleham
Melbourne’s outer north is currently experiencing a once-in-a-generation growth phase, with two newly constructed Catholic Primary Schools to help meet the needs of their communities.
Built with funding assistance from CDF, Holy Cross in Mickleham and Mary Queen of Heaven in Greenvale have welcomed students to brand new facilities and provided a sense of belonging to families.
Holy Cross is the only Catholic primary school servicing Mickleham, Donnybrook, and Kalkallo where large green-field developments will see the area’s population double in under 20 years.
Since opening its doors in February 2022 with 140 students from Prep to Year 6, enrolments reached 156 within a year, and are expected to reach 680 in five years time, exceeding forecasts and helping meet strong demand for Catholic education in the area. CDF will again provide funding support for Stage 2 of development to ensure there are facilities to meet the the growth in enrolments.
Reflective of the area’s demographics, the school features a large proportion of Iraqi-Chaldean, Indian, and Sri Lankan families, and Mark Miatello, Foundation Principal, is aware of the importance a school can have on the lives of families, many of whom are recent arrivals to Australia.
“A school is such an important place in a young family’s life. I wanted to make sure our co-educators speak the mother-tongue of our students so they can come to the school for the help they need navigating a new life. It’s about building trust and being of service,” says Mark.
Mark Miatello, Foundation Principal at Holy Cross Primary School, Mickleham
As a first-time Foundation Principal, Mark has relished the chance to draw upon years of experience to create a culture of well-being and is aware that many parents took a leap of faith when enrolling their children in the school before the construction was completed.
"We are present around the school every morning and afternoon as we believe that being visible is crucial in establishing trust. We also value celebrating with our families as a way of building relationships and making connections", explains Mark.
The result is that Holy Cross is now the heart of its community and a place where students and parents can find the support they need and make it a positive part of their lives.

“I met a refugee family last year that did not feel connected to anyone. The kids were not engaged, but our school was not yet open, so we kept in touch and built trust. We’ve supported them financially, and now they are great advocates of the school as a welcoming place where people feel connected. We build strong relationships and show how we can bring hope, love, and unity to everything we do.”
Pictured: Class activity at Holy Cross Primary School, Mickleham
Strong relationships are also at the centre of the newly built Mary Queen of Heaven Primary School in Greenvale, led by another first-time Foundation Principal, Renae Gentile.
The third school in the Good Shepherd Gladstone Park Parish, Mary Queen of Heaven opened at the beginning of 2023 to meet growing demand in the local area.
Inspired by Mary MacKillop who ‘never saw a need without doing something about it’, Renae left a comfortable role at an established school to embrace the challenge of leading a new one in its foundational years.
“I looked heavily to Mary as a person of inspiration, her values of courage, respect, humility, and love really resonate here at school. We’re a school that was built on humble beginnings, many people showed real courage to make Mary Queen of Heaven happen, and we show love to everyone who comes into our school,” says Renae.
A more established suburb where often both parents are working professionals, Renae and her team turned to technology to help connect with families, often conducting interviews and tours online to meet the needs of parents.
“Everything we did in term one we celebrated. The first day of school was not just for the students, it was a first for everyone, so we really ensured we reflected on the best way to do things, keeping the community up to date with school events and made ourselves available to our families” says Renae.
While an impressive two-storey building with flexible teaching spaces, library, playground and admin facilities now complete, the Stage 1 development, arguably the most important component, is the dedicated sacred space where Mass is celebrated each week, and where parishioners can attend for private prayer and reflection.
“We have Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim families - not everyone is Catholic - it’s a faith filled community and they are deeply spiritual and have respect and reverence for religious practice and have really embraced the space - the prep mass was filled to overflowing,”
Renae Gentile, Principal at Mary Queen of Heaven Primary School
With enrolments expected to exceed 500 within five years, further capital investment with the help of CDF will ensure the Primary School continues meeting the needs of their growing community.
“We have a shared vision to see a need and do something about it and shared values to preserve the dignity of each person who comes into the school. It’s a great partnership with CDF and we serve a wonderful community,” says Renae.
To help CDF continue to meet strong loan demand from the Catholic community, you too can put your faith in action and save for a greater reward than money alone. Not only will you earn a competitive rate of interest, but your savings will assist schools like Mary Queen of Heaven Greenvale and Holy Cross Mickleham, along other Catholic organisations to continue the work the Gospel calls on them to do. Learn more and apply today.
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CDPF Limited, a company established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, has indemnified the Catholic Development Fund ABN 15 274 943 760 (the Fund) against any liability arising out of a claim by investors in the Fund. In practice, this means your investment is backed by the assets of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. The Fund is required by law to make the following disclosure. Investment in the Fund is only intended to attract investors whose primary purpose for making their investment is to support the charitable purposes of the Fund. Investors’ funds will be used to generate a return to the Fund that will be applied to further the charitable works of the Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Dioceses of Sale and Bunbury. The Fund is not prudentially supervised by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority nor has it been examined or approved by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). An investor in the Fund will not receive the benefit of the financial claims scheme or the depositor protection provisions in the Banking Act 1959 (Cth). The investments that the Fund offers are not subject to the usual protections for investors under the Corporations Act (Cth) or regulation by ASIC. Investors may be unable to get some or all of their money back when the investor expects or at all and investments in the Fund are not comparable to investments with banks, finance companies or fund managers. The Fund’s identification statement may be viewed here or by contacting the Fund. The Fund does not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence.
