During the 2025 Catholic Schools Week, the Sisters of St Joseph Emmaus Award for Women’s outstanding innovative leadership in faith was presented by Sr Patricia McCarthy to Elizabeth Stokes.
Bishop Michael with teachers, students and parents celebrated the Catholic Schools Week Awards Ceremony which recognises the outstanding contributions of individuals and communities to the life and mission of our Catholic Schools
The presentation of the Emmaus Awards is one of the features of the week. It honours those who have excelled in various areas over the past year. Recipients may be students, teachers, support staff or parent bodies. Indeed, an award can honour anyone who has furthered the mission of the Catholic school.
One of the Emmaus Awards is the Sisters of St. Joseph Lochinvar Award, given each year in honour of the Sisters’ contribution to education in the diocese over many years. It recognises Women’s outstanding, innovative leadership in faith.
The recipient of this year’s award, Mrs Elizabeth Stokes until recently was the Assistant Principal and Co-Principal at St Joseph’s College, Lochinvar. Currently, she is the System Lead Curriculum and Pedagogy for Secondary schools across the Diocese.
Sr Patricia McCarthy, Congregational Leader, was delighted to present Elizabeth with the Sisters’ Award and to congratulate her on behalf of all the Josephite Sisters.
The following quotes taken from the citation read to all at the ceremony highlight Elizabeth’s strengths as a leader:
- an exceptional and creative educational leader,
- possesses remarkable emotional intelligence,
- builds strong relationships with students, staff, and families,
- has a profound faith that informs her every action,
- is a visionary educator.
The citation ended with the following words: Liz embodies the three pillars of this award: exceptional leader, innovative educator, and authentically faith-based leader.
The Josephite Sisters know Elizabeth as a person with a deep appreciation of the Josephite charism as established by St Mary of the Cross MacKillop and Father Julian Tenison Woods, its history and the positive influence it can have on young people.
Congratulations Elizabeth!
