This week let us also include in our prayers…..

• That the humanitarians who work tirelessly for those who are suffering find the energy and compunction to continue; We pray too for those who have lost their lives bringing aid, care and support to those who are hurt, disadvantaged and need protection.
• Our Year 6 leaders, that this week they delve deep and embrace the notion of servant leadership. Please give them the strength to pledge to be an example of servant leadership at St Joseph’s.
• That those who are sick, alone and anxious experience care and love that can ease these pains.

May these prayers and all those we hold in our hearts, be felt by those who need them most.

Sunday’s Gospel- 23^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Please find shared in this week’s newsletter: the Sunday prayer at home which has some wonderful resources to unpack this week’s readings in a family friendly way.  

As we move to Chapter 18 of the Gospel of Matthew we focus on the life of the church. It soon became evident in the life of the early Church that it was not a perfect society. Individuals sinned and communities splintered. A dispute resolution process needed to be developed. This is what Matthew offers in this week’s reading. A sinner is to be approached first by the individual, then by two or three others, then by the community. If all this fails, he is to be treated like a “pagan or a tax collector” – an ironic un-Christian use of these terms, given that Jesus’ teaching and practice made such people insiders not outsiders!

Matthew adds two further statements. The first one extends to the community, the power to bind and loose that had been given to Peter earlier in the gospel. The second combines two fundamental assertions. One, that when two or three agree on what to pray for, their prayer will be answered; and two, that Jesus is present whenever “two or three meet in my name”. Reading Reflections

Formation program

This week we are very excited to have some visitors arriving at school. One important visitor from CES is Rachel McLean who is the leader of formation. Rachel has been working closely with our school to develop our formation program moving into 2021. This program is designed to enhance the formation of our staff, students and community in our catholic identity here at St Joseph’s. Rachel will be presenting a Professional Development with the Staff on Wednesday afternoon around the question who is Jesus and the formation experience will examine who Jesus is for us in Weipa and who Jesus could be for the staff members. The session will unpack the historical figure of Jesus and explore how we can invite our students into an experience of the many faces of Jesus in the classroom and everyday life.

Year 6 Leadership Retreat & Mass

Week 9 is shaping up to be a very busy week. We will be having our Year 6 leaders retreat on Thursday the 10^th September. This day is designed to develop our Year 6 leaders’ skills around servant leadership. The students are invited to come in free dress for the day as they undertake a series of workshops unpacking what is servant leadership.  We complete this through a series of sessions that engage the mind, the heart and the hands of the students. The students will develop their understanding of what servant leadership is, then examine examples of modern and historical figures of servant leadership. The final session engages the students in a call to action, to be the hands of Jesus in taking action not just around the school but in the community as well.  The day will be run by Rachel McLean, Libby Lange, Megan Pearce and myself.

The day is followed by the Leadership Mass at 9am on Friday the 11^th of September. We invite the parents of our Year 6 leaders to join us in the church as we recognise our Year 6 leaders, as we all bear witness as they make their pledges and receive their leadership badges. The service will be followed by a small morning tea for the year 6 students, their parents and our visitors.

May St Joseph smile on you,

Meg Newell

APRE/CST