Our Catholic Identity
Pentecost Sunday
Last Sunday we celebrated the Feast of Pentecost. The Christian holy day of Pentecost, is celebrated fifty days after Easter Sunday, and commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem.
“After the disciples received the Holy Spirit, they transformed from a group huddled together in fear, to a body of people who could stay in communion with each other even when they were as far from each other as Rome is to Jerusalem. So when it is the Spirit of God that unites us in community and not fear, no distance of time or place can separate us.”
Henri Nouwen
May we as followers of Jesus be filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit as we journey in faith together. Through spending time with God and with one another we find the hope, comfort, guidance and certainty that our loving God and Father wants to share with us. Jesus wants to be with us and care for us during these days.
National Reconciliation Week 2023
National Reconciliation Week is held each year between 27 May and 3 June.
The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2023 is "Be A Voice for Future Generations". St Joseph's School Community has invited Uncle Kev to acknowledge Reconciliation Week during a Liturgy this Friday 2 June at 2pm as part of our afternoon school assembly.
All are most welcome!
World Environment Day
World Environment Day is celebrated annually on 5 June, which is next Monday.
The theme for World Environment Day 2023 is Beat Plastic Pollution with the focus of addressing the significantly destructive impact of plastics on our natural environment and on human society and health. The statistics and case-studies provided about plastics by the United Nations are indeed alarming! The following examples reflect why we all should be concerned:
- Over 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced annually with half being “single-use”.
- Less than 10% is recycled, with an estimated 19-23 million tonnes ending in waterways.
- Each person in the world takes in more than 50,000 microplastic particles per year – each up to 5mm in diameter - from our food, the air we breathe and the water we drink. As the United Nations indicates, “Environmental health is inextricably linked to human health.”
- The amount of plastic entering the seas in the world will triple by 2040.
Our Year 5 WEN (Wollongong Environment Network) student representatives will lead the school in prayer focusing on World Environment Day during next week’s school assembly.
2023 St Joseph's Parish Sacramental Dates
| 2023 St Joseph's Bulli Sacramental date for First Penance (Year 2) is: |
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Year 2 Term 4 Week 7 Thursday 23 November at 9:45am in the Church.
Enrolment forms will be available at the Parish Prayer Evening early Term 4 (date tbc)
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| 2023 St Joseph's Bulli Sacramental dates for Confirmation are: |
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Year 6 Term 2 Week 9 Tuesday 20 June 2023
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Year 6 Term 2 Week 9 Friday 23 June 2023
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Year 6 will participate in a Confirmation Retreat Day on Thursday 15 June, during school hours facilitated by Mr Matthews, Miss O’Donoghue, Mr Aguilera and Mrs Smith. |
| 2023 St Joseph's Bulli Sacramental dates for First Holy Communion in the Church are: |
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Year 3 Term 3 Weeks 5-7 Sunday 13 August 2023 at 8.30am or 5.30pm Year 3 Term 3 Weeks 5-7 Sunday 20 August 2023 at 8.30am or 5.30pm; Year 3 Term 3 Weeks 5-7 Sunday 27 August 2023 at 8.30am or 5.30pm
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Mrs Christine Smith
Religious Education Coordinator