The Association of Ministerial Public Juridic Persons (AMPJP) has announced the membership of a new national committee representing Religious Institute and Ministerial Public Juridic Person school authorities.

The members are:

• Philomena Billington, educationalist member and interim chair
• Sr Catherine Slattery SGS, educationalist member and National Catholic Education Commission nominee
• Emeritus Prof Marea Nicholson AM, educationalist member
• Jeffrey Burn (Kildare Ministries) from Victoria/Tasmania
• Dr Frank Malloy (Marist Schools Australia) from NSW/ACT
• Dale Morrow (Mercy Partners) from QLD
• Sr Brigette Sipa RSJ (Josephite Sisters) from SA/NT/WA
• Br Peter Ryan FSC (De La Salle Brothers) from SA/NT/WA
• Lawrie Hallinan (AMPJP) ex-officio interim secretary

The role of the committee is to:

• focus on the mission of Catholic Education
• promote the unique contribution of Religious Institute and Ministerial Public Juridic Person education
• strengthen, and engage collaboratively with the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) and state Catholic education structures/processes
• facilitate Religious Institute and Ministerial Public Juridic Person School Authority communication and collaboration

Religious Institute and Ministerial Public Juridic Person school authorities educate around 149,000 young people, or 17 per cent of all Catholic school enrolments, including in rural and metropolitan schools, boarding schools, flexible learning centres for disadvantaged students, scholarships for Indigenous and other students, and multi-modal experiences.

In a media release, interim chair Philomena Billington (pictured) said, "Religious Institute and Ministerial Public Juridic Person schools have a rich heritage of spiritual charisms, innovation, educational pedagogy and social justice and continue to contribute to the mission of Catholic education across Australia in partnership with all schools".