‘What an honour’: Dr Terry McCarthy happy to be back at CET
By Catherine Sheehan
When Dr Terry McCarthy was asked if he would come out of retirement and step into the role of Interim Executive Director of Catholic Education Tasmania, his initial thought was that he would be there “in a heartbeat”.
“What an honour to be in this position,” he said. “That was my response. Couldn’t disguise it.”
Dr McCarthy started in the role of CET Interim Executive Director on 22 December last year following the retirement of Dr Gerard Gaskin.
He has enjoyed a long career in education and says the desire to teach young people was always “in” him from an early age.
“It was in me. When anyone would ask me what I wanted to do, it was always teaching.”
He was born and raised in Melbourne and educated at Christian Brothers College in St Kilda and later St Bede’s in Mentone. He is grateful for his Catholic education which he says was an “overwhelmingly positive experience”.
“I remember the fine young men and older men who guided me in my growth spiritually and as a human being.”
He moved to Tasmania in 1977 to pursue a teaching career. He settled in Hobart and undertook teaching training at the University of Tasmania, where he met his wife Angela.
They both taught in the state school system in the north-west of the state in regional communities. Angela is currently a teacher at St Aloysius Catholic College in Kingston.
After only six years teaching he became a principal at a small school in Preolenna, about 25km inland from Wynyard. He went on to serve as principal for a total of 17 years in several schools.
He also completed a PhD at Curtin University researching educational leadership.
After a ten-year stint working for the state government, Dr McCarthy moved into Catholic education. He worked as deputy director and acting director for the Diocese of Armidale before moving back to Hobart in 2019 and taking up the role of assistant director with CET until his retirement in 2022.
A practising Catholic his whole life, Dr McCarthy said his personal faith was greatly influenced by the late Fr Terry Yard who challenged him prior to his marriage to Angela, a Baptist, about how serious he was about living his Catholic faith.
“That was a pivotal moment in my Catholicism, and I would like to think I’ve honoured it since.”
Dr McCarthy’s four children attended Catholic schools and “thrived” he said.
He believes Catholic schools offer meaningful “rituals” that nourish the spirit of students.
“That’s unique to us,” Dr McCarthy said.
He hopes to bring a sense of direction and collaboration to his interim role at CET.
“Even though it’s only a short-term appointment, in my mind, I have to be here forever, nurturing in people their sense of joy and service… and honouring our collaboration with them and setting an exciting direction for the future together.”