Living with Strength and Kindliness

Catholic Identity News

Last week we marked the Feast of the Assumption, which commemorates Mary being taken body and soul to heaven at the end of her life. Students celebrated the day with prayer in their Learning Mentor groups.

One of the hallmarks of our Catholic ethos at St. Joseph's College is our willingness to volunteer to help others. We often receive requests for assistance from the community, and I'm delighted that the response of our students is so enthusiastic; we see very large numbers engaged with all sorts of volunteer activities around our community. This suggests that our values of justice and compassion are really being lived by our students. 

Participation in the Year 8 Retreat was high. Students were engaged by Mr Phillips who facilitated the day of reflection on the Murray-Darling Basin. Students explored the spirituality of creation in the light of Pope Francis's Encyclical 'Laudato Si'. In particular, the idea that all people are intimately connected to the earth was reinforced. Pope Francis speaks about an 'integral ecology'; he means that we all belong to each other and to the earth - the 'poorest of the poor'. Our students have been inspired to think about how they can better live out this commitment.

Our students are regularly involved in House Masses on Friday mornings. These give students an opportunity to connect what they learn in class with the sacramental life of the Church. We are grateful to Fr. Tink and Fr. Des for generously celebrating Mass with us.

God Bless,

James Rogerson

Acting Catholic Identity Leader