"Let us pray well and never grow weary." Catherine McAuley

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

During 2020 teachers at St Joseph’s College have spent a considerable amount of time revising our Religious Education curriculum based on the Awakenings guidelines published by the Catholic Education Office. This revision of our curriculum has required a great deal of hard work but has resulted in engaging courses that meet the needs of our students.

 

Our students undertake the following units in Term 3:

  • Year 7 - Early Christian Communities
  • Year 8 - Prayer and Mary: Mother and Disciple
  • Year 9 - Celebration and Eucharist
  • Year 10 - Religion and Diversity

In each unit, we also discuss a range of current issues. Currently in Year 10 we are discussing the Black Lives Matter movement.

 

VCE COURSES

All Year 11 students are studying either Unit 2 Religion and Ethics or RE Art Unit 1 for three periods per week with all students undertaking community service.

 

All Year 12 students have participated in seminar days and will attend a retreat as well as undertaking community service.

 

As a parent, I encourage you to discuss with your son/daughter the current unit that they are studying. Your interest and discussion is a key part of our students developing their full potential. 

 

If you require further information or have any questions please contact me via email popie@sjcmda.vic.edu.au  

 

Mr Philip Opie

Religious Education Key Learning Area Leader

WORLD DAY AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

In our Religious Education classes, we regularly discuss current issues. In July we will be discussing World Day against Trafficking in Persons.

 

 

The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that there are more than 40 million people in our world today who are victims of human trafficking.  Some are women and men trafficked into forced labour in factories, agricultural fields, hospitality and domestic servitude.

 

Some are children trafficked to pick our coffee or to work in dangerous mines for minerals to make our mobile phones, other electronic goods and cosmetics.  Some are young girls, boys and women trafficked into sexual exploitation in brothels, dance bars and the pornography industry.  The current Covid-19 crisis is impacting on people most vulnerable to trafficking because they often live in poverty and lack suitable housing and healthcare. 

 

Forced labour and human trafficking happens in every country including Australia. 

It is a billion dollar industry. Yet behind all the statistics is a human person and their story.

 

Pope Francis says that human trafficking is without doubt, a crime against humanity for its violation of human dignity and freedom. Trafficking constitutes an unjustifiable violation of the freedom and dignity of the victims. This is why it is considered a crime against humanity. Trafficking seriously damages humanity as a whole, tearing apart the human family and the Body of Christ.

 

What will you do personally or with others to stop human trafficking? 

Some specific actions to consider and discuss: 

  • Become an ethical consumer of coffee, chocolate, fashion and electronic goods etc; 
  • Ensure your school/workplace staff room and your own kitchen use only slavery free products; 
  • Talk with 4-5 friends or family members about the issue of human trafficking; 
  • Check out the following website to further educate yourself - https://acrath.org.au/; 
  •  Arrange a display or forum to raise awareness of the extent of the crime of human trafficking in in and beyond Australia; 
  • Put a notice in the school/parish bulletin about 2020 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons; 
  • Organize a fund-raising activity to support ACRATH’s work against human trafficking; 
  • Organize a letter-writing campaign asking federal politicians to support groups such as ACRATH who to work with victims of human trafficking in Australia.