Catholic Identity
Yesterday, we joyously celebrated Palm Sunday, marking the start of Holy Week; a time where triumphant joy meets profound solemnity. Your incredible turnout at the 8:30 Mass truly showcased our thriving Catholic School Community! Seeing so many students process in, waving their palm branches and singing "Hosanna!" was truly wonderful.
I was sincerely proud of the children, and deeply thankful to the family members who brought them. The joy radiated across the church, and it's something we aspire to continue every month.
As we now enter Holy Week, the most solemn period in the Church's calendar, we warmly invite all family members to attend the many special events happening in our church and school. The Year 4 children have been busy hand-making beautiful palm leaf crosses and have delivered these, along with a special invitation, to every student in the school.
Below is a summary of the events—we can't wait to see you there!
| Day/ Time | Event | Location |
| Monday 9:00am | Year 1 and Year 2 Palm Sunday Liturgy | School Grass Area |
| Tuesday 7:00pm | Diocesan Chrism Mass | St Francis Xavier Cathedral |
| Wednesday 9:00am | Year 3 Last Supper Liturgy | School Hall |
| Wednesday 9:00am | Year 5 Jesus Praying in the Garden Liturgy | School Adventure Playground |
| Thursday 9:00am | Year 6 Stations of the Cross | School Hall |
| Thursday 7:00pm | Mass of the Last Supper | Parish Church |
| Friday 10:00am | Parish Stations of the Cross | Parish Church |
| Friday 3:00pm | The Passion of the Lord | Parish Church |
| Saturday 7:00pm | Easter Vigil Mass (Lighting of the Paschal Candle) | Parish Church |
| Sunday 8:30am | Mass for Easter Sunday | Parish Church |
Project Compassion Update
This year has been our most vibrant with student involvement into Project Compassion. So far, we have raised $1324 towards Project Compassion. There is still a little more work to go to reach our goal of $2000! Some students across our school have taken great initiatives in raising money in our community and really showcases great examples of how we are people of service towards each other and our community! Fantastic work!
Vision and Mission
One of the focus areas from last year’s Cyclic Inquiry Process was to “Review and renew the school’s Vision, Mission and Values statement to ensure it is Christ-centred, current and formative of all aspects of school life as part of the Catholic community of believers.” Over the last 2 weeks, we gathered as a staff community to reflect on what are our own beliefs and how do we put them into action. We reflected on these questions around 3 topics: Faith, Learning and Wellbeing. Our reflections were then summarised and shared back to discuss: Is this what we believe and know St Joseph’s to be about?
We look forward to working with the wider community in this process to ensure that the following goals are met:
- The schools Mission and Vision are visible and actively shape all aspects of school life.
- Students, staff and parents can articulate how the Vision, Mission, and Values shape their actions and decisions.
Preparation for Sacrament of first Holy Communion
Students in Year 3, with the support of their teachers will soon be busy preparing for the Sacrament of First Holy Communion. This is significant as the students will receive the Body of Christ for the first time. We thank the parents of the students who attended our parent information and prayer evening led by Fr Patrick and we value your commitment.
If you wish for your child to participate in this Sacrament through reading or Offertory, please contact myself and your child’s classroom teacher. To support your child in this preparation, families are encouraged to discuss the importance of receiving the Body of Christ as spiritual nourishment.
The following resource could be beneficial in these conversations with your children.
ANZAC DAY
We are delighted to announce that for the first time in many years, students and families of St Joseph’s are warmly invited to attend the Dawn Service on ANZAC Day at Woonona Bulli RSL. This is a wonderful opportunity for our community to come together to show respect and remembrance. Students are asked to wear their full school uniform.
Finally…
As this term draws to a close, I wish to extend my personal and sincere thanks to the families of St Joseph’s for their ongoing support of the Catholic Life and Culture of the school. Thank you for your participation in our many Masses and Liturgies, for your positive feedback and for your engagement in your child’s learning, particularly in Religious Education. Our goal is to ensure growth in faith, learning and wellbeing and this cannot be possible without the strong parent and community partnership. I wish you all a blessed break away from the routines of school and if you are travelling, ensure that you pray to St Christopher- the patron saint of travel.
Take care, and God bless!
Mr Alexander Walker
Religious Education Coordinator