Principal's Report

Pandemic.

As you are aware, this is a rapidly changing situation and in a fortnightly newsletter I am not going to attempt to outline the measures that the College is taking, and will be taking, in order to do what it can to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all members of our College community, staff, students and parents/carers.

What I will do, is urge everyone to make sure that you monitor your CareMonkey and email accounts, as well as accessing SIMON and/or PAM, to ensure that you keep up-to-date by accessing updates as they are made.

Can I also express how much I appreciate working with the Leadership Team and staff here at St. Joseph’s during a time like this? Their professionalism, flexibility and calmness under the circumstances is very commendable. The uncertainty surrounding how we might be expected to work in a very significantly different way in the coming weeks and possibly months is being faced with courage and flexibility. There is an enormous amount of goodwill and focus on both everyone’s wellbeing and our students’ learning. Our students and families are also largely remaining calm, cooperative and flexible.

Thank you one and all.

“Happy Easter!”

The Gospels tell how on a number of occasions Jesus raised people from the dead; the most famous was His friend, Lazarus. However, when the time came for Jesus, Himself, to die, it at first seemed that He had no power to prevent it. As He hung dying on the cross, some of the rulers mocked Him by saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.” Luke 23:35. Similarly, the soldiers tell Jesus, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself.” Luke 23:37. 

Lastly, one of the criminals also being crucified asked Jesus, “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us.” Luke 23: 39. Finally, Jesus died and was placed in a tomb.

Behold, after three days Jesus did rise from the dead at the place and time of His choosing. This was not what everyone had hoped for nor expected. The Resurrection showed to everyone that the way the “upside” Kingdom of God works is not what everyone expects. The Resurrection is a celebration of the anticipation of the life to come, that there is eternal life for all. On a personal level, Easter reminds us that even when hope seems as if it is dead and buried, Christ is there to call it from the grave; Easter is available to us every day.

According to St. Paul, who wrote his letter to the people of Corinth between 53 and 57 A.D., only 20 years after Jesus’ death, the Resurrection is so central to Christianity that, without it, our entire Christian faith is empty: “… If Christ has not been raised from the dead, then we have nothing to preach and you have nothing to believe … And, if Christ has not been raised, your faith is a delusion …” 1Cor. 14, 17.

Such significant problems as the current pandemic are not easy to deal with at the best of times. What does help considerably is the knowledge that there is the support of a community that is caring and compassionate. In coming weeks, we are going to need to call on that care and compassion to support each other and our students through some difficult times.

Jesus is our hope. Christ has died, Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

Long Service Leave

At the end of this term and the beginning of next I will be absent for a few weeks to access some Long Service Leave.

Kildare Education Ministries has made the following arrangements to cover this short absence.

Mrs Kirrilee Westblade and Mr Grant Kemp to be Acting Co-Principals for the end of Term 1 and first week of school holidays, 18th Mar – 5th April.

Mr Adam Prime and M. Tim Campbell to be Acting Co-Principals for second week of the holidays and first two weeks of Term 2, 6th April – 26th April.

I am very well supported here at St. Joseph’s College by an extremely competent Leadership Team and staff. They will no doubt do a wonderful job in my absence.

As we ponder the Easter mystery, pray for those in need and begin to look forward to the Term break, I would like to congratulate the student body for the way that they have settled into the 2020 school year. By far the vast majority of students have focussed on getting into good study and homework habits.

This Term has passed very quickly, and my thanks go to all members of our community for the part they played in making it a successful one.

Enjoy a well-deserved break.

God bless.

Michael Delaney

Principal