Dear St Joseph’s Community, 

Welcome to 2025: The Jubilee Year of Hope in the worldwide Catholic Church  and the Year of Gratitude at St Joseph’s.

As always the beginning of the school year is very busy and exciting, and I have so much gratitude for how students, staff and families have participated in it.

Beginning of the Year Mass

We recently had our Beginning of Year Mass; a celebration of new beginnings, new students, new staff members and new school leaders. It was fantastic to see so many families and friends there, alongside many members of our parish. At this mass we also continued with our tradition of having a Staff Blessing and Commissioning during which Fr John reminded us of our mission as carers and Faith leaders. 

Sacramental Program

As you would have seen in the recent communication on SZapp, we are due to start this year’s sacramental program on the 16^th March. This will be the Presentation of Candidates to the community. If you are interested to enrol your child in this year’s sacramental program, please contact: sacraments@eparish.org.au by the 28^th February. For more information please see the brochure attached to the SZapp communication, or contact the Parish Sacramental Coordinator, Carmel White at sacraments@eparish.org.au.

School Spirit Team and Eco Warriors

I am so thrilled that I get to guide the School Spirit Team and Eco Warriors again this year. These programs are designed to create opportunities for students agency, for skill-building in our students and for positive impact across our school community.

We have a multitude of exciting projects to embark on in 2025. In term 1 the Eco Warriors will be overhauling the school waste management system with the help of KESAB environmental solutions. This will be an engaging, exciting and at times smelly project that will start with a Bin Audit in Week 4, where the Eco Warriors will comb through one day’s worth of waste generated at our school, and collect data to inform our practice. We will then be launching a new bin system, which will see us separating waste more efficiently and effectively.

The School Spirit Team also have a busy first Semester. We have a number of events that will require their leadership: Ash Wednesday Mass, Feast of St Joseph and Holy Week Activities. The Spirit Team members will have significant roles in their class’ Friday masses. The older  Spirit Team Leaders will also be attending the Launch of the Caritas Project Compassion 2025 at St Bernadette’s School.

Playgroup

Playgroup has relaunched for 2025. We have a very exciting program planned, designed to engage and educate the littlest of our community. Playgroup runs every Friday from 8.50am until 10:30am. Feel free to contact me at cfarrugia@stjk.catholic.edu.au if you have any questions.

I look forward to a blessed year ahead. I would like to leave you with Pope Francis’ Year of Jubilee Prayer: 

The Jubilee Prayer

Father in heaven,

may the faith you have given us

in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,

and the flame of charity enkindled

in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,

reawaken in us the blessed hope

for the coming of your Kingdom.

May your grace transform us

into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.

May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos

in the sure expectation

of a new heaven and a new earth,

when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,

your glory will shine eternally.

May the grace of the Jubilee

reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,

a yearning for the treasures of heaven.

May that same grace spread

the joy and peace of our Redeemer

throughout the earth.

To you our God, eternally blessed,

be glory and praise for ever.

Amen 

Christine Farrugia
Assistant Principal: Religious Identity and Mission.