DEA 2026 SYMPOSIUM CELEBRATIONS TEN YEARS OF MISSION AND LOOKS BODLY TO THE FUTURE
The DEA 2026 Symposium was held on 8 and 9 September at the beautiful McLaren Vale in South Australia.
Dominican Education Australia’s 2026 Symposium brought together participants from across the entire DEA community for two days of reflection, formation, celebration and dialogue under the tenth anniversary theme, Faithful to the Mission. Bold for the Future. The gathering included representatives from every DEA ministry, Trustees, Board Directors, Principals, Mission Leaders, school executives, members of the founding Congregations, former leaders of DEA, invited guests and partners in mission.
Held in McLaren Vale, South Australia, the Symposium marked a significant milestone in DEA’s history, providing an opportunity to celebrate the organisation’s first decade while discerning how its shared Dominican mission may continue to flourish into the future. Throughout the gathering, participants were invited not simply to review the past, but to deepen their understanding of the living mission entrusted to DEA and their role in carrying it forward. The Symposium was intentionally designed as a formation experience rather than a planning conference, creating space for reflection, dialogue, prayer and discernment.
A keynote address from Sr Margaret Mayce OP invited participants to return to the deepest roots of the mission: the Gospel, the life of St Dominic and the founding vision that gave birth to DEA. Drawing on the Gospel image of the mustard seed, she encouraged participants to approach the future with freedom, humility and imagination while attending carefully to their inner lives and the movements of God’s Spirit.
Participants also entered into dialogue with DEA’s founding Congregations, reflecting on the courage, faith and generosity involved in entrusting the mission to a new expression of Dominican life. These conversations invited the DEA community to see itself not merely as a custodian of an inherited legacy, but as a co-creator of a mission that continues to evolve in response to the needs of the contemporary world.
A second keynote address by Louka Parry explored what it means to remain deeply human in a rapidly changing world. His reflections on belonging, truth, human flourishing and the future of education challenged participants to consider how Dominican ministries can continue to form people who are capable of contributing meaningfully to their communities and society.
Student voices at the heart of the Symposium
Student participation was a defining feature of the Symposium. Students contributed through panel discussions, videos, table conversations, prayer and the concluding liturgy, ensuring that their experiences and hopes helped shape the dialogue throughout the two days.
Students were invited to respond to the provocation: “There has never been a more important time to be Dominican.” Their reflections on truth, belonging, contemplation, justice, beauty and service challenged and inspired participants, reinforcing the importance of listening carefully to the voices of young people as DEA looks to the future.
One Symposium participant reflected that the gathering was a genuine experience of Christian community, marked by generosity, deep listening and a shared commitment to the mission entrusted to DEA.
A celebration of community and gratitude
The Symposium Dinner provided a joyful opportunity to celebrate DEA’s tenth anniversary and the relationships that have sustained the organisation throughout its first decade. The evening was marked by gratitude, storytelling, laughter and a strong sense of community, reminding participants that friendship and celebration are an integral part of the Dominican tradition and the life of DEA.
The dinner was attended by special guests including Archbishop Patrick O’Regan DD, Archbishop of Adelaide, and Dr Neil McGoran, Director of Catholic Education South Australia
The gathering also provided an opportunity to acknowledge two significant leaders who have made important contributions to DEA and Catholic education. Participants expressed their gratitude and best wishes to John Neate, who recently concluded his service as a DEA Trustee, and to David Raphael, Principal of St Lucy’s School, whose leadership has been instrumental in strengthening educational opportunities for students.
The Symposium affirmed that the future of DEA will be shaped not only through structures and strategy but also through ongoing formation, dialogue, encounter and collective commitment to the Gospel and the Dominican tradition.
“As we move into the final stages of this significant anniversary year, we do so with gratitude for all that has been achieved during DEA’s first decade and with hope for what lies ahead,” DEA Chair Tony O’Byrne said.
“May we continue to nurture the seeds planted during the Symposium, trusting that they will bear fruit in ways we cannot yet fully imagine.”
You can access resources and presentation materials from the Symposium on our Symposium digital capture site here. View our Symposium photos here
