Be Kind, Be safe, Be respectful, Be responsible, Be resilient, Be ready

Dear Parents and carers,

This Sunday the Church celebrates Social Justice Sunday. The theme is ‘Truth and Peace: A Gospel word in a violent world’. Peace is a word to describe Jesus throughout the Gospel. Being a Catholic School means that we have a responsibility to be aware and active when it comes to Social Justice issues.

Social justice is a fundamental aspect of the Catholic faith because it is deeply rooted in the Church’s teachings on human dignity and the common good. There are several key reasons why it is so important to Catholics:

-The Catholic Church teaches that every person is made in the image of God and possesses inherent dignity. This belief underpins the Church’s commitment to ensuring that all people are treated with respect and fairness.

-Catholic social teaching emphasizes the importance of the common good, which means that society should be organized in a way that benefits all its members, especially the most vulnerable.

-Throughout Scripture the principles of social justice are evident. For example, the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels, such as the Beatitudes and the parable of the Good Samaritan, highlight the importance of caring for the poor and marginalized.

-Over the years, various letters from the Popes and Church documents have articulated the importance of social justice. These include “Rerum Novarum” by Pope Leo XIII, which addresses the rights of workers, written between 1878 and 1903, Pope Pious XI in 1937, Pope John Paul 11 in 1981 and “Laudato Si’” by Pope Francis, our present Pope,which focuses on environmental justice.

-Catholics believe they have a moral responsibility to act justly and to work towards a society where everyone can thrive. This includes advocating for policies that protect human rights and promote social equity.

-The Church teaches that humans are social beings and that how society is organised affects human dignity. Therefore, Catholics are encouraged to participate in social and political life to promote justice and the common good. We show our commitment at Our Lady Star of the Sea by fundraising for different charities such as our sister school in Bali, Vinnies winter and Christmas appeals, Opening the Doors Foundation and Project Compassion, while also learning to be aware and understand about why we have such events as Sorry Day, NAIDOC week, National day against violence, World Day of Prayer and Bullying No Way day.

We are very proud of the compassion and inclusiveness our community shows.

Cathy

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