St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Bulli

    Catholic Identity

Parable of the Lost Sheep: A book reading by Bishop Brian Mascord

The Council of Catholic Schools Parents (CCSP) warmly invites all families to join Bishop Brian Mascord in a very special online reading of the classic Bible story ‘The Parable of the Lost Sheep’.

 

This unique online event, organised as part of the Jubilee Year of Hope, will take place on Tuesday 27 May from 7.00 pm to 7.30 pm.

 

The first 100 registrations for the reading will be posted a free copy of the book to read along with Bishop Brian!

Bishop Brian Mascord - Statement on the passing of Pope Francis

A link to Bishop Brian’s statement on the passing of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, is available here.

Happy Easter! 

As we begin another term of growth in faith, learning and wellbeing, the celebration of Easter seems a distant memory. The truth is that we are currently immersed in the Easter Season, lasting 50 days between Easter Sunday and Pentecost. This season calls us to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus, the essential essence of our faith as Catholics. We began the term with a beautiful liturgy led by Kindergarten students who joyfully proclaimed “Alleluia, He is Risen!” Well done Kindergarten!  We see this season evident in our classroom prayer spaces as they change from purple to white. Each class was presented with their own Paschal Candle and image of Pope Francis to help students connect with the Easter Season as well as the life and legacy of Pope Francis.

 

During his papacy, Pope Francis has referred to himself simply as the Bishop of Rome. In contrast, his predecessors—Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI—had nine and eight titles respectively listed after their names. Pope Francis’s choice to adopt only one title reflects his commitment to a decentralised and humble approach to leadership, emphasising his pastoral role within the local Roman Church, rather than positioning himself solely as the supreme leader of the universal Church.

 

We can learn lots from Pope Francis in the way he chose a humble way of life: 

  • He could’ve had gold shoes. He chose black ones – worn, practical, and ordinary. 

  • He could’ve lived in a palace.  He chose a small apartment, ate in the staff dining room, and carried his own bag. 

  • He could’ve stayed behind the scenes. He stepped into prisons, refugee camps, and slums. 

  • He bent low to wash feet – of the poor, of women, of people society forgets.

While on our Pilgrimage to America at the beginning of the year, we were extremely fortunate to attend a Catholic School- St Genevieve. This school has recently made the news as Pope Francis’ shoes were gifted to a member of the community. What an honor to be in the presence of the very shoes worn by the Pope who made a difference. I encourage you to view the following news report by clicking on this link. 

 

During the Easter season, our hearts fill with hope and joy. The Resurrection of Jesus reminds us that light always comes after darkness and every ending can be the beginning of something wonderful and new. As we grieve the loss of our Holy Father, we also look forward with hope and faith. We pray for the repose of his soul and ask God to grant him eternal rest. We also pray for the College of Cardinals as they prepare to elect his successor, that the Holy Spirit guide them in choosing a new leader for our Church who will continue to build upon the foundation laid by Pope Francis and those who came before him.

 

In our classrooms over the past week, students have been learning about Pope Francis and the fascinating process of the Conclave. Students in Year 4 took time to brainstorm qualities of a great Pope, made their own coat of arms and even voted for a new Pope themselves! Well done Year 4! 

 

In this time of mourning, let us unite in prayer and support for one another. As bearers of Christ’s love, may we carry forward the legacy of Pope Francis by living out the Gospel with the same love, compassion, and courage that he exemplified.

 

Year of Hope Passports

Last week, I was fortunate to visit every class from Year 2 to Year 6 to gift each child with their personalised Year of Hope Passport, each with an individual child’s name handwritten on the front. The enthusiasm and excitement generated was fulfilling and gave me HOPE! I spoke to the children about how they can go on their own pilgrimage around the Diocese of Wollongong to celebrate the Year of Hope, and I thank families in advance for their involvement in this. I encourage students to let me know when they have attended one of the Pilgrimage sites, just like Charlotte who ran up to me on Monday afternoon to excitedly tell me where she had been on the weekend! 

 

I wonder if anyone else has stamped their Passport this week? 

 

Project Compassion

Thank you to everyone who donated the 2025 Project Compassion Appeal. Donating to Project Compassion is a small way in which we, as a thriving Catholic Community can demonstrate pastoral outreach and service within and beyond the school community in partnership with families, the school staff, students and parish. In total, we raised over $820. Thank you also to Grace M who coordinated the collection of 10c cans which not only contributed to a sustainable school, but also raised an additional $65! Well done!

 

When you consider that, $100 can help a community member set up a small grocery kiosk, generating household income by selling essentials like bananas and $500 can give the gift of vocational training, offering somebody the skills they need to succeed in their chosen field- we have done an outstanding job and your generosity has created a lot of good in the world and lives will have been saved or improved exponentially.

Sacraments 

The planning between the school and parish is well underway for the Sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation. An essential and necessary part of this planning and preparation is the parent information and prayer evening. This evening, held in the church, is a special time for parents of candidates to receive necessary information, (including enrolment forms and booking information) about their child’s Sacrament and how they can support them on their journey. 

 

The evening is scheduled for Wednesday May 21 at 6:00pm 

 

In addition to this evening, Year 6 students and families are invited to attend a special Mass just for Year 6 on Sunday May 25 at 8:30am. Students are encouraged to actively participate through the readings, offertory, collection and welcoming. Please inform me if your child is able to participate. 

 

Additional dates for your diary: 

  • Thursday 15 May (11:50): Year 6 Parish Mass- All families are welcome to attend 

  • Wednesday 21 May (6:00pm): First Holy Communion and Confirmation information evening

  • Thursday 22 May (11:50): Year 3 Parish Mass- All families are welcome to attend 

  • Sunday 25 May (8:30am): Year 6 Parish Mass- All families are warmly invited! 

  • Thursday 5 June (11:50): Year 2 Parish Mass- All families are welcome to attend 

  • Thursday 12 June (11:50): Kinder and Year 5 Buddy Parish Mass- All families are welcome to attend

  • Thursday 19 June (11:50): Year 1 Parish Mass - All families are welcome to attend

  • Sunday 22 June (8:30am): Family Mass with the Choir- All families are welcome to attend

  • Thursday 26 June (11:50) Year 4 Parish Mass - All families are welcome to attend

  • Wednesday 30 July at 7:00pm: Confirmation with Bishop Brian (Option 1)

  • Thursday 31 July at 7:00pm: Confirmation with Bishop Brian (Option 2)

  • Sunday 17 August at 8:30am or 5:30pm: First Holy Communion

  • Sunday 24 August  at 8:30am or 5:30pm: First Holy Communion

Finally, considering our Vision and Mission I encourage you to reflect on what an incredible school St Joseph’s is, and how well we go about to achieve this shared Vision and Mission. 

 

OUR VISION

Our vision at St Joseph’s is to ignite in all our students the passion for learning with a Catholic ethos.

 

OUR MISSION

Our mission at St Joseph’s is to develop in our students:

 

  • Active and creative minds

  • Understanding and compassion for others

  • Courage to act upon their beliefs

We are guided in our mission by the example of Jesus and we surround our students with the traditions of our Catholic faith.

 

Mr Alexander Walker

Religious Education Coordinator