Program Overview

Introduction to the Cardinal Pell Leadership Program

The Cardinal Pell Leadership Program, established in 2018 as the ACU School Leavers Program, is a formation program designed for Catholic school students who have completed their HSC exams and demonstrated a record of leadership and service. This program provides an immersive experience in the Catholic tradition and Western civilization, based in Rome and London.

Program Overview

The program runs concurrently with the ACU School Leaders Program for Year 11 students from Catholic schools. The combined program aims to deepen young leaders' understanding of how Christianity, politics, and culture have shaped the Western world and modern society. It is a three-week program, with two weeks in Rome and one week in London.

Program Structure

The program comprises a structured series of:

• Short readings from key historical texts
• Lectures and discussions
• Guided visits to significant sites in and around Rome and London related to the Catholic faith and the development of Western culture and society

Exploring Themes

The program explores various themes, including:

• The transformation of the ancient Roman world by Christianity
• The role of monasteries in preserving learning and education after the fall of Rome
• The impact of Christian ideas and art during the Renaissance
• The Reformation and subsequent religious conflicts
• The entanglement of religion and politics in Western history
• Changing ideas of politics, religion, and society following the Enlightenment and the French Revolution
• The influence of Christianity on Western concepts of law and parliamentary democracy
• Catholic social teaching and the modern papacy up to Pope Francis

Collaboration and History

The ACU School Leavers Program has been running annually since 2018 in collaboration with Sydney Catholic Schools and, since 2022, with Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools.