Catholic Identity

Happy Birthday- Church!  

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit ... (Acts 2: 4) 

During the celebration of Pentecost, crowds of Jewish people from many countries, speaking different languages, gathered in Jerusalem. But away from the crowds, in a quiet 

room, huddled Jesus’ followers, scared and sad. Then, a roar like thunder filled the room, and a fire appeared! It separated, coming to each person. This filled them with the Holy Spirit! Suddenly, they wanted to tell the world about Jesus. And, astonishingly, they could because now they could speak in many languages! About 3,000 people chose to become followers of Jesus that day. This miraculous day is called the birthday of the Church. You are the Church, too, so make sure to celebrate! 

Come, Holy Spirit, our teacher and Advocate! 

St Vincent De Paul Winter Appeal! 

This year St Joseph’s Winter Appeal, to help support needy families in our local area, will 

take place on Thursday, June 4  (Week 7). Students are asked to bring a requested food item to school, and give it to their class teacher. 

Students can wear a winter accessory on this day, such as a scarf, gloves, beanie and/or an Oodie! BUT you must wear your usual school uniform and school shoes. 

Thank you for your generous donations and we look forward to seeing you all in your Winter Woolies on Thursday June 4!

**if parents can spare a shopping bag for us to store donations in, it would be very much appreciated. These bags are then used by SVDP for people in need.

Mrs Judith Parker 

(Mini Vinnies Coordinator)

First Holy Communion

A huge and heartfelt congratulations to our wonderful students who have recently received Jesus for the very first time in the Sacrament of First Holy Communion. It was truly a joy to witness this milestone in your faith journey!

Evelyn, Noah, Margot, Miley, Spencer, Valentina, Blair, Mason, Eloise, Harriet, Jax, Hazel, Harrison, Hannah, Vincent, Finnick, Benjamin, Owen, Billie, Elliot, Savannah, and Harlequin

Just as we practise our favourite sports or instruments to grow stronger, receiving the Eucharist is vital spiritual nourishment that helps our souls flourish. We warmly encourage all our families to continue attending Mass regularly, as every celebration is a beautiful opportunity to stay connected to Jesus and his abundant love.

Our Year 3 students prepared so beautifully for this day through their classroom learning and last Thursday's special retreat. It was a day filled with prayer, reflection, and "starting afresh" through Reconciliation. I want to extend my deepest thanks to our dedicated Year 3 teachers, our wonderful School Support Officers, and Fr Patrick for their kindness and support in making this retreat such a meaningful experience for everyone.

We look forward to celebrating with the rest of our students next week and will keep them all in our prayers during this special time.

The Sacrament of Confirmation

Our Year 6 students are embarking on a truly exciting milestone as they prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation! We are absolutely delighted to announce that Bishop Brian will be joining us to administer this special sacrament on either the 10th or 15th of September.

To support our students on this journey, we ask all parents to attend a Parent Information and Prayer evening at 6:00pm on the 22nd of July in our Parish Church. This evening is an essential and beautiful step in our collective preparation. During this gathering, you will receive enrolment forms and have a wonderful opportunity to share any questions or thoughts as we look forward to this celebration together.

In class, students will soon begin exploring the inspiring lives of various Saints to help them select a meaningful saint name for their Sacrament. We encourage families to enjoy discussions about these choices, as this name will need to be included on the enrolment form. It’s such a lovely way for students to find a spiritual role model they truly connect with.

We cannot wait to welcome all our Year 6 families as we journey toward this joyful occasion!

The following Resource is a great place to begin https://mycatholickids.com/all-the-saints/ 

St Joseph Stained Glass Window

What an incredible effort made by St Joseph’s to help raise money for a new stained glass window in our church. Altogether we have raised over $1000, this was a combined effort from our mufti day as well as a very generous donation of $500 from the P&F Committee. Through this effort the Parish has made its target and work can soon begin on the purchasing and installation of this window. Fr Patrick expresses his sincere gratitude!

What is my child learning in Religious Education?

As learning wraps up this week on the Easter units, our prayer spaces turn to green and students begin to listen and learn about our church as well as put into action various stories throughout the Old and New Testament. 

In Kindergarten Students will:

explore the parish church and key objects in it: altar, lectern, tabernacle, presider’s chair, 

baptismal font, cross, paschal candle, chalice, paten, vestments and lectionary. 

In Year 1 Students will:

learn about the celebration of the Eucharist and listen and respond to the Feeding of the Five Thousand

In Year 2 students will:

explore the seasons of the Church’s year and listen and respond to the story of the Exodus

I encourage you to ask your children what they are learning in Religious Education and how they can apply their learning to everyday situations. Stay tuned for our next newsletter to hear what the focus is for Years 3-6!

Quick Quiz:

Answer from Week 4 

Which statement is NOT part of the Apostle’s Creed? I believe in God’s commandments

The Homily Occurs during the:

• Concluding Rite

• Introductory Rite

• Liturgy of the Word

• Liturgy of the Eucharist. 

Parents and family members are warmly invited to attend the following school and Parish events. Please note that due to the dynamic nature of school and parish communities, specific class Masses may change at short notice. If you are unsure please contact the school office on the day and we thank you for your understanding.

Mr Alexander Walker

Religious Education Coordinator