Marrickville's Casimir Catholic College raised a school record amount of $14,700 during lent this year in order to help care for AIDS orphans in parts of South Africa; establish fish farms in Bangladesh and provide counsellors with training to help people in developing countries recover from domestic violence.
"We are not in the business of breaking records - but this happens to be a record," said Br John Mitchell, the Coordinator of this year's Project Compassion - a Catholic Lenten appeal which provides relief aid and development to poor communities overseas.
Br John says it's the highest amount the school's 690 students have ever raised in the history of the College, simply by bringing in gold coin donations each morning to class.
"We are not a big school by today's standards, but we have a big heart by anybody's standard," he said.
"Our students are living examples of the school's spirit of generosity. The staff and students just continue to be ultra generous year after year!"
The Years 7 - 12 students have raised consecutive amounts over the past 11 years, raising $13,800 last year, $13,000 in 2005 and $10,000 in 2004.
Br John, who was awarded the Principal Certificate - the school's highest award - for continued leadership and coordination of Project Compassion, says the school hit over the $100,000 mark for the first time in its combined efforts over the past 11 years.
"I have kept records of their generosity since 1997. This Lent we broke what one might call the six-figure barrier!"
In a special school assembly last week in the presence of Morris Hanna, Mayor of Marrickville, and Adrian Doyle, the Archbishop of Hobart and Chairperson of the Australian Bishops' Committee that oversees Caritas Australia, the school presented the large $14,700 cheque to the Archdiocesan Director of Caritas Australia, Mrs Patricia Burke.
Principal Tony MacDougal says each year the Lenten appeal illustrates the importance that students place on social justice.
"They're generous compassion and richness of spirit is evident every year."