Catholic Identity
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Bulli 
Welcome
Welcome to Term 4, what promises to be another term of incredible growth in faith, learning and wellbeing! We began the term with our annual Feast of St Francis liturgy and awards ceremony.
The Annual St Francis of Assisi Award is presented to one student from each class who shows a great love for and stewardship of God’s Creation both in their words and actions. This student is seen to:
align their environmental beliefs with the Gospel Values through their words and actions, at school and at home
reflect St Francis' devotion to God through their love and appreciation for all of God's creation. This includes showing care and concern for those less fortunate
demonstrate great interest in nature, the environment, conservation, stewardship, ecology and sustainability.
2026 is a significant year for St Francis as we celebrate 800 years since Francis’ death and
this year is marked as the Jubilee Year of St Francis
Congratulations to the following students:
KJ: Aiden, KM: Harper, 1J: Grace, 1M: Lilia, 2J: Eddie, 2M: Addison, 3J: Saskia, 3M: Benny, 4J: Maggie, 4M: Max, 5J: Caleb, 5M: Acacia, 6J: Will, 6M: Harlan, and Mrs Welsh!
October: The Month of the Rosary
This term, we continue the beautiful tradition of the SJB Rosary Bags. It has been incredibly heartwarming to have students and parents of St Joseph’s talk about how they have prayed the Rosary as a family. Well done! Each day, a student in each class will be selected to take home a Rosary bag, inside the bag contains some Rosary beads, an image of Mary, a marker and a booklet on how to pray the Rosary. Families are invited to pray the Rosary and write their family’s name on the bag and return to school. During this time, classes will be praying the Rosary and students are welcome to bring in their own set of Rosary Beads. Rosary beads can also be purchased from the school office for $1.00.
See below an image sent in from a family in Kindergarten and a student in Year 2 modelling how to hold the Rosary Beads. Thank you again for your commitment to this initiative!
Pray for Pope Leo
At the conclusion of the Angelus on Sunday, Pope Leo XIV thanked all those who have been praying for him in recent days, saying, “I have truly felt your support. Thank you!” He went on to express “special gratitude to the doctors, nurses, and all the staff at the Gemelli Policlinic”, where he underwent surgery on Tuesday to remove a cancerous nodule from his lung.
“This experience has allowed me to feel, in a particular way, a closeness to all those who are living through illness or a state of infirmity”, the Pope said on Sunday. We will continue to keep Pope Leo in our prayers.
Christmas Story Art Competition
Last term, students in Stage 3, under the leadership of Mrs Brooks and supported by the Stage 3 teachers, completed the Christmas Story Art Competition. It involved a rigorous process of delving deep into Scripture Passages and composing an artwork and reflection. Congratulations to Aleria G, Zali M, Noah P, Ella G, Zane N and Cristiano H for being selected as finalists at our school level. Zane and Cristiano’s artwork have also been shortlisted by judges from the Catholic Diocese of Wollongong and will be featured in the Art Gallery of Wollongong from Wednesday October 21. All families are invited to view the selection of outstanding artworks from across the Diocese!
Over the next few weeks, the artworks and their reflections will be shared in this newsletter. Keep an eye out!
Catholic Mission - Socktober
Last week our leaders, Harry and Grace, met with me to eagerly share their thoughts and ideas around Socktober. They were supported by the SRC team who visited each class and built excitement around the day, but also explained the purpose of our fundraising. This year, the students of St Joseph’s have been invited to "Kick goals for good” and support the people of Malawi.
| When: | Friday 30 October 2026 |
| What: | Students are invited to wear crazy socks and/or a Soccer jersey in exchange for a gold coin donation. |
| On the day: | Students will participate in a penalty shootout competition, earning tokens for their house as well as participating in a lolly jar guessing competition. 50c per guess or 3 guesses for $1.00. |
So why are we doing this? This year, as we learn about the people of Malawi, we see what it means to live on this mission every day. Known as the Warm Heart of Africa, Malawi is a country rich in faith, culture, and community spirit. Yet many families face challenges such as poverty, food insecurity, limited access to education, and the effects of natural disasters. Despite these difficulties, the people of Malawi continue to show remarkable resilience, hope, and trust in God. As a school community we are invited to raise money to support this country so that they can get access to things like food, water, and education that we take for granted every day!
Well done to Harry and Grace as well as our SRC team for their student agency!
Sacrament of Reconciliation
This week students in Year 2 will begin their new unit of learning focused around the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This aims to prepare them well for the Sacrament on November 12. Only students who are enrolled through the Parish will be able to make the Sacrament.
Enrolment forms can be collected and returned directly from and to the parish office or at a Sunday Mass.
If your child has not been Baptised into the Catholic Faith and you wish for them to participate in the Sacraments (Reconciliation, Eucharist, and Confirmation), please contact the Parish Office as soon as possible to ensure that your child can participate alongside the rest of their grade.
Parish Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 9:30am to 3:00pm
Phone: 4284 3000
For more information on how you can prepare your child, please follow this link.
In Conversation with Paul Field AM:
A social evening for the men of our parish and school communities.
Thursday 5 November, from 6:30pm at St Joseph's School Hall.
Our school dads and men of the parish are warmly invited to an evening with renowned Australian musician, producer, author and former managing director of The Wiggles, Paul Field. Paul will reflect on his faith, career and achievements and how the tragic loss of his infant daughter 38 years ago deeply influenced his life and outlook.
We will also have a selection of pizzas and drinks to enjoy together. Feel free to BYO beer or wine.
Book now: https://stjosephsbulli.eventbrite.com.au/
Contact Jonathon James for further details or to RSVP : 0419 906 328, jonathonjames@live.com.au
Mr Alexander Walker
Religious Education Coordinator