Catholic Identity
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Bulli 
“Never see a need without doing something about it.”
These words of Saint Mary MacKillop are often quoted – perhaps too often. Familiarity can dull their edge. But today, let’s hear them again, not as a motto, but as a challenge. Mary MacKillop wasn’t simply responding to need; she was disrupting systems of exclusion, and forging a new way of being Church – through education, through presence, through radical trust in God. She lived on the edge of what was comfortable and acceptable, and in doing so, opened up space for the margins to become sacred ground.
Last week, we gathered as a Catholic School community to celebrate the Feast of St Mary of the Cross Mackillop. We joined in with Mass, read lots about her life and consolidated our learning through a Kahoot. Congratulations to Abigail in 3M who was the overall winner in our K-6 championships!
First Holy Communion
We continue to pray for our Year 3 students who are in the last phases of preparing the Sacrament of First Holy Communion. Receiving Jesus for the first time can be daunting and it is natural for children to ask questions. Encourage these questions and the discovery of their answers as time progresses. I am more than happy to answer any question that you or your child may have about this Sacrament.
The dates and times for the Sacrament of First Holy Communion are:
Sunday 17 August at 8:30 am and 5:30pm
Sunday 24 August at 8:30 am and 5:30pm.
We look forward to celebrating this special Sacrament with you and your children!
Father’s Day Celebration: 4 September
With overwhelming positive feedback from our Mother’s Day Celebration, we are hosting the same for our Father’s and Father figures. The morning will begin at 7:45 with breakfast, followed by a Liturgy in the church at 9:15am and a performance by the Choir. During this time, we will also display a photo slideshow of all our dads, and father figures. The morning will conclude with open classrooms, an opportunity for students to showcase all the work that they are proud of!
If you would like to contribute one photo (in JPEG format) of yourself and your child/ren to our slideshow please email (info@sjbdow.catholic.edu.au) to the school office by Monday 1 September 2025.
We are looking forward to seeing all of our fathers and father figures!
Fr Chris Riley
Last week, news emerged of the Passing of Fr Chris Riley. Father Riley established Youth Off The Streets in 1991 with a single food van providing meals to young people experiencing homelessness in Sydney’s inner city. Like St Mary of the Cross Mackillop, he was the living example of “Never see a need without doing something about it.” He was a tireless advocate for homeless and disadvantaged youth, and he inspired and changed thousands of young lives. Father Riley will be remembered for his compassion, tenacity and unwavering belief that every young person deserves the chance to reach their full potential.
If you are interested in learning more about his life, I would strongly encourage you to read the book “Mean streets, Kind heart- The Fr Chris Riley Story”. It is inspiring and moving!
Mr Alexander Walker
Religious Education Coordinator