St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Bulli

    Catholic Identity

Reflection on the Religious Education Congress in LA.

I encourage you to read the reflection that Mrs Duffin and I wrote about our learnings from the Religious Education Congress in Los Angeles found on the first page of this newsletter.

The Liturgical Season of Lent

This week, we begin the season of Lent, starting with Ash Wednesday. The students joined in a beautiful Mass and Liturgy and received ashes on their foreheads. During this time, we are encouraged to pray, fast and give alms. Students have changed their prayer spaces to purple to reflect this season. The colour purple symbolises penance, repentance, and renewal. An addition to our classroom prayer spaces is the class Project Compassion box. Classes this week have been learning about Caritas Australia and the significant impact that their small donation can have. 

 

During Lent, we are called to be good news for the poor. Project Compassion is a wonderful way to do this. This year, I will be sharing 3 challenging yet inspiring stories. We will meet Toefuata’iga in Samoa, Lam from rural Vietnam, and Irene from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I encourage all students to discover the power of giving and the impact that their contribution, however big or small, can have in the lives of others. This week, I have overheard some classes discussing ways in which they could raise money such as doing extra jobs around the house, helping a neighbour, baking and selling cookies.

 

Let us come together once again in this Year of Jubilee as pilgrims of hope and Unite Against Poverty!

Year of Hope Passport 

The Catholic Diocese of Wollongong has produced a unique Jubilee Pilgrim Passport. The goal of the passport is to encourage all to attend the specified pilgrimage sites across the Diocese of Wollongong. 

 

These sites include:

  • St Francis Xavier Cathedral- Wollongong

  • Shrine of the Immaculate Conception- Unanderra

  • Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church- Rosemeadow

  • St Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church- Milton 

  • St Joseph’s Catholic Church- Kangaroo Valley

  • Shrine of Our Lady of Mercy- Sutton Forest

Each page of the passport is dedicated to a particular pilgrimage site which gets ‘stamped’ when you attend that site. I believe that we, as a thriving Catholic School can have our very own school passport filled up. I encourage families to notify me if they have attended one of the pilgrimage sites so that we can stamp our own St Joseph’s Bulli Passport. Click the link HERE to view the digital copy of the passport. There are also copies of the passport available on the prayer space in the school office. Please take one. 

 

Parish of St Joseph’s Bulli- Lenten Program 2025 

All are warmly invited to attend the Parish Lenten group beginning on 14 March 2025. Everyone is welcome to attend after 9:30am Mass each Friday morning in the Parish Hall.

Feast of St Joseph  - Wednesday 19 March

On Wednesday 19 March, we will be celebrating the Feast of St Joseph- the Patron Saint of our school. We will begin the day with a whole school Mass at 9:30 which parents are invited to. Students will then engage in a number of fun and hands-on activities learning about St Joseph and his qualities of a father and husband. Students are invited to wear mufti for this day. We look forward to seeing you at our whole school Mass.

Parish Family Mass - 30 March

We warmly encourage families to attend the Parish Family Mass on Sunday 30 March at 8:30am in the St Joseph's Church. Morning tea will following mass.  We hope to see you all there! 

Sacramental dates 

More information will be communicated closer to the date. 

  • Wednesday 30 July at 7:00pm: Year 6 Confirmation with the Bishop 

  • Thursday 31 July at 7:00pm: Year 6 Confirmation with the Bishop

  • Sunday 7 August at 8:30am and 5:30pm: Year 3 First Holy Communion 

  • Sunday 24 August at 8:30am and 5:30pm: Year 3 First Holy Communion 

  • Thursday 6 November at 9:30am: Year 2 First Reconciliation 

Quick Quiz

Which statement is NOT part of the Apostle’s Creed?

  • I believe in God, the Father almighty

  • I believe in God’s commandments  (Correct Answer)

  • I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord

  • I believe in the Holy Spirit

St Joseph’s Bulli Mass times 

We are so blessed to have a church so closely connected with our school. Please see below this week’s Mass times.

 

Sunday 8:30 am

Sunday 5:30 pm

 

 

Mr Alexander Walker

Religious Education Coordinator