Diocese launches new emblems for all agencies
In an exciting move forward, the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle and the Catholic Schools Office (CSO) have launched brand new websites, complete with new emblems for the diocese and its agencies the CSO, CatholicCare and the Catholic Development Fund (CDF).
While the logos showcase a different look for each agency, they are clearly aligned and share a striking simplicity. The relationships that have always existed across the various facets of the Church are reflected in their colour and style.
The full colour diocesan logo can be seen at the top left of this page and the agency logos at the bottom of this page.
Bishop Bill Wright, who is thrilled with the 'new look', hopes the emblems' fresh minimalism will heighten recognition and "remind people of the variety of areas in which the Church is engaged in the local community".
Forming the foundation of each emblem is flowing water. Some will see the Hunter and Manning Rivers, the ocean and the many creeks and dams that dot our map. Others will be reminded of Baptism, which marks the beginning of the Christian journey. And of course, water is the basis of creation and essential for life, regeneration, transformation.
The figure common to each emblem represents the individual, believed by Christians to be made in the image and likeness of God. The stylised figure has open palms and outstretched arms, reaching out to the community and embodying the sign of the cross. There is an exuberance which captures the joy and passion that are integral to the Church's mission.
Enhancing the Catholic Schools Office emblem is the image of the open book, representing learning, knowledge and understanding, especially of the Word of God.
The silhouette of a church on the diocesan emblem represents the fact that all the services of parishes, schools and agencies are under the auspices of the diocesan church, which itself is the servant of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Catholic Church is currently the fifth largest employer in the Hunter region (as revealed by a recent MAP Marketing study) and is currently educating more than 17,000 young people.
In the social services and justice areas, the Church offers crisis accommodation and food, disability services, counselling, foster care and more. CatholicCare's original logo has been kept but slightly modified to be consistent with the other logos and incorporate the figure and water symbols.
The new emblems will be rolled out across the diocese and its agencies by 2013 and will be incorporated into a new styleguide which will see the emblems for each agency present on letterheads, business cards, stationery, promotional banners and on correspondence from the diocese. The CDF will launch their new website in 2013.
Visitors to the diocesan website are also encouraged to visit the new Catholic Schools Office website to learn about the education offered to more than 17,000 students across 55 Catholic Schools in the diocese. Visitors to the site can meet parents, teachers and students, learn about the educational initiatives on offer, support available to students and the uniqueness of Catholic education.
