Religious Education & Faith Life

ST VINCENT DE PAUL

At St Helena’s, we live out our motto, “Something Beautiful for God,” in many different ways. One of the ways we do this is by supporting St Vincent de Paul.

As a school, we work closely with the Ellenbrook Chapter of St Vincent de Paul, which is part of our parish community. Twice a year, we collect food to help restock their pantry. These donated items are given to families and individuals in our community who are in need. We also support St Vincent de Paul by welcoming them to run a sausage sizzle at our Christmas Concert. This fundraiser helps raise money so they can continue assisting others. Our student Sustainability Team also helps by collecting recyclable drink containers from students. These are donated to Ellenbrook Vinnies, who take them to Containers for Change as another way to raise money for people in need.

Our school’s Mini Vinnies Team meets weekly and is led by Miss McGovern. The students learn about the challenges faced by people in our community. When they are not organising food drives, they help in other thoughtful ways, such as knitting blankets for wildlife and creating cards for elderly people.

St Vincent de Paul was a Catholic priest who lived in France over 400 years ago. He is remembered because he spent his life helping people who were poor, sick, or lonely. St Vincent believed that every person is important and loved by God. He worked hard to make sure people had food, care, and hope. Because of his kindness and service, he is now a saint in the Catholic Church.

Almsgiving is an important part of the Catholic faith. It means giving money, food, or help to those in need. As Catholics, when we give to others, we are sharing what we have and showing love, just like Jesus did. Almsgiving is not only about giving things, but also about giving our time and kindness.

Supporting St Vincent de Paul is a perfect example of almsgiving in action. When we donate items, raise money, or volunteer, we are helping people who need support. We are also showing God’s love through our actions.

St Vincent once said that we should “give ourselves to God to love Him and serve Him in the person of the poor.” This reminds us that when we help others, we are also serving God.

Next Friday, 3 July 2026, all students and staff are encouraged to wear pyjamas to school and bring a gold coin (or more!) donation for St Vincent de Paul. This donation will go towards the Winter Appeal, which helps Vinnies provide emergency accommodation for people who are doing it tough.