Religious Education & Pastoral Care 

Prayer

Dates for Sacraments 2022

This year our Year 2 and Year 3 students will be involved in Sacramental Programs for Reconciliation and First Holy Communion  respectively. These are important events in the life of our students, School and Parish and we look forward to sharing these occasions with our children. 

First Reconciliation - Year 2 - Tuesday 24th May 2022

First Eucharist - Year 3 -  Sunday 5th June 2022

For new students who are baptised Catholic, are in Years 2 - 6 and are beginning at St Joseph's in 2022, if there is a Sacrament that they have missed receiving please contact Mrs Bearman as soon as possible.

St Patrick's Day:

St. Patrick's Mufti Day - Thursday 17th March. Please wear green and bring a gold coin donation for Project Compassion/Caritas. Stage 3 (years 5 and 6) will need to wear their sports uniform on this day as they are attending the Science & Engineering Challenge.

Caritas - Project Compassion

Students brought home the collection boxes for Project Compassion last week. Caritas Australia undertake amazing work for those in need, both here in Australia and overseas. The Caritas Australia website outlines how funds are distributed; 

"Your contribution will go towards supporting people where the need is greatest. Project Compassion also supports our emergency responses to natural disasters and humanitarian crises. The general emergency response fund that is in part funded by Project Compassion means that we can respond immediately to any emergency ahead of receiving funds through a dedicated emergency appeal." 

The conflict and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine have been added to the list of places that Caritas is now supporting. Please give generously this Lent to help those in need.

Mission Statement

Over the past 2 years, the staff  have worked extremely hard to develop a new mission statement for our school community. Below is our new revised mission statement which will guide us in our work each day.  It also underpins the values encompassed in the Living Well, Learning Well Framework, which is a focus again this year. 

Leadership Mass

On Tuesday the 1st March we held our annual Leadership Mass. During the Mass our Year 6 Leaders received their badges and made a leadership pledge to the school. It was also a significant mass for our Kindergarten children who were officially welcomed into our school with a special candle.

Ash Wednesday

On Wednesday the 2nd March our whole school celebrated Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent with a liturgy celebrated by Sr Kathryn Sweeney. Ash Wednesday is a solemn reminder of human mortality and the need for reconciliation with God and marks the beginning of the penitential Lenten season. It is commonly observed with ashes and fasting.

Armidale Diocesan Men's Gathering

All men of our school community, Catholic or Other-than-Catholic, are invited to attend the ARMIDALE DIOCESAN MENS' GATHERING (ADMG) to be held at McCarthy Catholic College, Tamworth,  on Saturday morning, 19th March, starting over breakfast at 7.30am and finishing at lunchtime.  Those living distant from Tamworth are welcome to join on line, perhaps gathering with fellow local  participants in a 'hub". The morning will be built around faith & families. The principal speaker, Tim Davis, is a father of primary school children and pre-schoolers.

There will be an open forum with plenty of time for you to raise things that are important to you – perhaps mental health issues in children and families – perhaps how hard it is to be a man of faith today – perhaps helping children and teenagers navigate the on-line world in a safe way.

Saturday morning can be a busy time for kids and families with  sporting commitments etc. If you need to leave early that is OK.

You can register here.

It can be hard being a father today. Those who have heard Tim or who have attended similar gatherings throughout Australia  endorse the experience. 

Yourself, your family and our school community may benefit by your attendance.

Parish Mass Times

Please join our Parish to celebrate the Eucharist.  Our Parish offers three Mass times every weekend.

Saturday - 5.30pm

Sunday - 9.00am and 5.30pm

Living Well, Learning Well