Over 200 students and teachers from Catholic Primary Schools across the Sydney Metropolitan region converged on Australian Catholic University’s Strathfield campus last Thursday for the 2025 Mini Vinnies Gathering. 

The annual event, hosted by the Society, saw students enjoy a fun day of faith, social justice and learning about the impact the Society NSW makes in communities every day. 

The highlight of the day was the launch of a new Mini Vinnies anthem, written and performed by the OLC Music Collective – comprised of people supported by the Ozanam Learning Centre. 

The Mini Vinnies anthem will be performed by students in schools for assemblies, commissioning ceremonies and more. As part of the recording of the song, students from St Anthony of Padua College, Austral, visited the Ozanam Learning Centre to perform backing vocals. 

The OLC Music Collective has performed throughout Sydney for many years, making appearances at the Vinnies CEO Sleepout and being featured on A Current Affair. Their new album ‘All Our Tomorrows’ is out now after a release performance on Thursday 31 July. 

“It’s wonderful to be able to bring together schools from across the Sydney Metropolitan region, allowing students to connect through shared faith and values,” Christina Gilio, Member and Volunteer Experience Manager, said. 

“We hope that students will carry what they experience as part of Mini Vinnies throughout their lives, living out values of compassion, social justice and a commitment to caring for the community.” 

“Having the OLC Music Collective develop a new song for Mini Vinnies will be a wonderful way to engage students. We were delighted to have them perform the song as part of the Mini Vinnies Gathering – it was certainly the highlight of the day,” Christina said. 

The Society NSW additionally held a Secondary Schools Gathering, bringing together 100 students from across Sydney, at ACU’s Strathfield campus the following day. Students had the opportunity to learn about the Vinnies Service Medallion, a newly-launched student-led service program being rolled out in secondary schools across the state. 

Acknowledging the Catholic Weekly with gratitude for their reporting