What a busy week it has been so early in the term. On Wednesday we celebrated our Feast Day for St Joseph the Worker and what a beautiful day it was to celebrate with Father Dariusz and inducting our 2019 Student Leaders. Saint Joseph was a man of great spirit. He was great in faith, not because he spoke his own words, but above all because he listened to the words of God. He listened in silence.

There is very little about the life of Joseph in Scripture but still, we know that he was the husband of Mary, the foster father of Jesus, a carpenter and a man who was not wealthy.

We can see from his actions in scripture that Joseph was a compassionate man, and obedient to the will of God. He also loved Mary and Jesus and wanted to protect and provide for them.

Joseph is the patron of many things, including the universal Church, fathers, the dying and social justice. I would like to thank everyone who was involved in Wednesday’s celebration and look forward to an even bigger and better celebration in 2020. I would like to share with you also a quote from Mary MacKillop with regards to St Joseph.

We see in St Joseph a perfect mirror of confidence in God –

 a wonderful, unbounded confidence in our good God.

Mary MacKillop, 1893

This week I would also like to start one of many articles that will become part of our Religious Life of the School and why we do what we do as a Catholic school. If you are new to our school community, two years ago we undertook some surveys based around our Catholic Identity and as a result of this data we are working towards making prominent our Catholic identity at St Joseph’s. What this means is to bring to the forefront what makes us not just a Catholic school but to highlight some important factors with regards to our Faith and the diversity we celebrate at St Joseph’s.

Throughout the next two terms I will be including a series of articles on some of the symbols you see around the school: crosses, crucifixes and other religious symbols. This week is about the crosses hanging in each of the classrooms.

History of the El Salvador crosses

 These crosses are called El Salvador crosses but are also called Crosses of Hope when made by refugees. The images of life shown on the cross are things that give the people meaning in their everyday lives e.g sun, land, village, family, home, animals and where they find God present to them. The cross is their sign of freedom and hope. It is also a sign of their belief that the future will be better.

 If you have some time available, please visit our classrooms and take the time to look at the crosses. When you are looking at them think about the word HOPE and what it means to you. Maybe then you can see what the El Salvadorian’s see as their sign of HOPE.

Prayer for Hope

Lord Jesus,

Hope overcomes 

Hope heals 

Hope restores 

Hope inspires

Hope conquers 

Hope frees

Hope is your gift to the world

Thank you 

Amen.
(a short prayer for hope from ww.lords-prayer-words.com)

This week I would also like to mention two beautiful students who took some time at home to think about something special for our school. These two students have added to my joy this week and I would like to say that the beautiful handmade cross now has a special place in my office. Thank you Lincoln Scikluna and Summer Lee van Pelt for your sincere and generous gesture.

Thank you and blessings for a wonderful weekend,