It's lunchtime at Carlo Acutis Catholic Primary School in Wollert, part of Melbourne's northern growth corridor, and the sound of spirited play fills the air as children explore the grounds of their brand-new school. The red and blue of their uniforms, still fresh in the school’s foundation year, is a deliberate tribute to their patron's favorite colours.
Named after Italian teenager Carlo Acutis, who used his coding skills to document and celebrate Eucharistic Miracles before dying from leukemia in 2006 at just fifteen years old, the school embodies the spirit of a remarkable young man who will soon become the first of the 'influencer' generation to be canonised as a Saint on the 7th September 2025.
"He lived a life of faith, of service, of generosity and courage, and these are the values that we take for the life of this school," says Foundation Principal Damian Howard, who traveled to Assisi in Italy where Carlo is buried and had the honor of meeting Carlo's mother to learn more about her son's qualities and discuss plans for the school.
The primary school opened in February this year and was built with the assistance of a $10.3 million loan from CDF, creating a focus point for a new Catholic community.
“The mission of this school is to bring a sense of Catholic faith and mission to Wollert, and the great thing about the families here is that they understand we are building community together"
Damian Howard
Foundation Principal,
Carlo Acutis Catholic Primary School in Wollert
Carlo's influence is visible throughout the school's thoughtful design. The five striking arches of the main entrance emulate those of the church in Assisi where he is buried, while panels of beautiful stained glass depict locations from Damian's journey to Italy to learn about Carlo's life. At the reception desk, a large photograph of Carlo, showing a friendly looking curly brown-haired young man in red jumper with a blue collar against a backdrop of clear blue sky, serves as a daily reminder of the school's inspiration.
Comprising an administration wing, reception area, six modern classrooms, a spacious multi-purpose break-out area filled with color and light, basketball court and playground, the school has everything it currently needs. But as children play in the shadow of construction work happening a short distance away, the real growth story unfolds; progress is already underway on Stage Two developments.
"We've started Stage Two immediately so we can continue to meet demand, and working with CDF has made life much easier because I can get on with running the school and doing what is important and that is the education of the children," says Damian.
Just as Carlo used technology to serve his faith community online, the school continues to adapt and expand to serve its growing community in Wollert. Scheduled for completion at the beginning of the 2026 school year, Stage Two, which includes a further six classrooms, an admin extension, and two sports fields, doubles the school's enrollment capacity and is being built with the help of a $9.8 million loan from CDF.
As a further indication of the strong demand for Catholic education in the area, Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools Early Years Education (MACSEYE) is also building a kindergarten on the school site alongside the Stage Two expansion, providing a pathway for families to access Catholic education for their three- and four-year-olds from next year.
"Carlo's story has been transformative for the school, everyone involved has been inspired by him, we'll be forever entwined with Carlo and Assisi," says Damian.
When Carlo is canonised later this year, a further transformation will occur as the school becomes Saint Carlo Acutis Catholic Primary School, after their patron. "It's a big moment in the life of the Church and the life of this school," says Damian, who has the 'Saint' lettering ready and waiting.
With Wollert growing rapidly with new families and young children, Damian is already preparing for a time when the school can accommodate 550 students to meet demand, again with the assistance of CDF.
“It's been fabulous to have the support of CDF because creating a school has so many unknowns and you need trusted allies and partners to create a common vision and realise a new Catholic community"
Damian Howard
Foundation Principal,
Carlo Acutis Catholic Primary School in Wallert
As lunchtime ends and children return to class, Damian passes by reception and pauses for a moment of reflection beside Carlo's photograph. The image, reproduced thousands of times by devotees all over the world, serves as a daily reminder that even a teenager's faith and innovation can inspire entire communities - and that his legacy continues to grow, just like the school that bears his name.
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 Carlo Acutis Catholic Primary School, Wollert, and 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.
