Assistant Principal - Mission
Exciting News for Our School Community!
We're thrilled to share some wonderful news with you.
Mr Shane Hyland, one of our dedicated teachers and our Leader of School Evangelisation, will be ordained as a Permanent Deacon in the Catholic Church in just two weeks! This is a very special occasion for our school and parish.
You might be wondering what this means. A Deacon is a special role within the Church, and it's one that we haven't had in our part of the Diocese for many years. In other Dioceses around the world, it's a common and very important part of Church life. Think of it as a unique way of serving God and the community.
Shane has spent many years preparing for this, studying and reflecting on his faith. This decision is a lifelong commitment, made in partnership with his wife, Leanne, and our Bishop. Ordinations like this are incredibly significant, as the person being ordained is dedicating their life to this special calling.
Priests in training are also Deacons for a period of time; however, the role of a Permanent Deacon is a distinct one in the Church. Deacons are ordained through a special ceremony called the Sacrament of Holy Orders. They are called to serve the Church in a variety of ways, working alongside our priests and bishops. This might include reading the Gospel at Mass, assisting with Baptisms and Marriages, and helping those in need. Unlike priests, Permanent Deacons can be married men, and they often continue to work in their everyday lives, bringing their faith and service to the wider community. They act as a link between the Church and the people, helping to address local needs and share God's love.
Shane's Ordination will take place on Sunday, 23rd February, at the 5:00pm Mass at St Agnes’ Church on Hay Street. This is a truly momentous occasion, and we warmly invite all our staff, students, and families to join us in celebrating this special event.
Let us keep Shane and his family in our prayers as they begin this beautiful ministry within our Church.
Compassionate Respect 2025
This 'Compassionate Respect' theme is inspired by the verse from St Paul’s Letter to the Romans (12:10): "Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honouring each other."
What can Compassionate Respect look like here, in our school?
It starts with creating inclusive spaces (our friendship circles, our classes, our grades and all of the groups we might be involved in) where every person feels valued, respected, and supported. We build meaningful relationships, fostering a sense of belonging and community among our peers, with teachers and other staff, with parents, and with the wider community that supports us. We promote social justice, advocating for the rights and dignity of all, especially those who are marginalised and vulnerable, whether they are here in our College, in our local community, or across the globe.
Compassionate Respect isn't just about these big ideas; it's about the small, everyday actions that make a real difference. Practically, it means treating others with kindness and respect and showing genuine empathy and compassion. In our daily lives, we can demonstrate Compassionate Respect in simple, yet powerful ways. We participate in social norms like applauding at the end of performances, showing appreciation for the efforts of others and participating in prayers. We actively listen and track the speaker with our eyes, showing that we value their words. We help the elderly and those less mobile, offering a hand to those who might need a little extra support. We practise good sportsmanship, both on and off the field, demonstrating respect for our opponents and the spirit of the game.
Living Compassionate Respect in 2025 also means acknowledging the challenges facing our world. We must actively challenge prejudice, promote understanding, and build bridges of connection in a world where intolerance, misinformation and fighting are all too common.
As a Catholic school, we are called to be a shining example of Compassionate Respect, demonstrating through our words and actions the transformative power of love, empathy, and respect. Let's make this a year where we truly live our College values, beginning with Compassionate Respect.
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House Patrons and phasing in our new House Names in 2025
After a period of community input and careful discernment, we're thrilled to announce our new House names! These names reflect our Catholic identity, honouring significant figures who embody our values of truth, commitment, justice, witness, excellence, and respect. This is a significant step forward, as we move away from names tied to our colonial past towards a theme of social justice and faith. This is also a positive move towards reconciliation and it will assist in making our school a more culturally safe and inclusive environment.
Our new House names are:
Aquinas
MacKillop
Nagle
Romero
Teresa
Vincent
St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) - AQUINAS will replace FLINDERS
Imagine being one of the most influential thinkers of your time, and still being studied centuries later. That's Thomas Aquinas! He was a brilliant Italian philosopher and theologian. He was a bit of a late bloomer academically, and his classmates even nicknamed him "the dumb ox" because he was so quiet. But boy, did he prove them wrong! Thomas used logic and reason to explain complex religious ideas in a way that made sense to people. He wrote a ton, and his most famous work, Summa Theologica, is like a giant instruction manual on Christian theology. Thomas's ideas are still a big deal in philosophy and religion today. As the patron saint of students, Aquinas encourages us to pursue knowledge with passion and integrity leading to TRUTH.
St. Mary MacKillop (1842-1909) - MACKILLOP will replace HASTINGS
Mary MacKillop was an Aussie legend! Born in Melbourne, she was a super passionate woman who cared deeply about education and helping the poor. She co-founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, a religious order dedicated to teaching and caring for those in need, especially in rural areas. Mary faced a lot of challenges, including opposition from some church leaders, but she never gave up on her mission. She was a trailblazer for women in religious life and education, and her legacy continues to inspire people in Australia and beyond. MacKillop's tireless work with the poor and marginalised inspires us to live out our faith through service to others. She embodies COMMITMENT
St. Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) - VINCENT will replace INNES
Vincent de Paul was a French priest who was deeply moved by the suffering of the poor. He organised groups of volunteers to provide food, clothing, and other assistance to those in need. He also founded hospitals and schools, and he worked to reform the prison system. Vincent believed that everyone deserved to be treated with dignity and respect, and he put his beliefs into action. He's the patron saint of charities and social workers, and his legacy of service continues to this day. Vincent's compassion and selfless service challenge us to live a life of love and charity. He embodies JUSTICE
We're also pleased about the gender balance in our new House names, recognising the inspiring contributions of both men and women. This reflects our commitment to equality and diversity.
St. Oscar Romero (1917-1980) - ROMERO will replace MACQUARIE
Imagine being a priest in a country torn apart by violence and injustice. That was Oscar Romero. He was the Archbishop of San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador. At first, he was seen as a pretty conservative guy, but as he witnessed the suffering of the poor and the oppression of the government, he became a powerful voice for the voiceless. He spoke out against human rights abuses, even when it put his own life in danger. Tragically, he was assassinated while celebrating Mass, but his courage and commitment to justice made him a hero to many. Romero's courage and unwavering faith inspire us to stand up for what is right, even in the face of adversity. He embodies WITNESS
Nano Nagle (1718-1780) - NAGLE will replace OXLEY
Nano Nagle was an Irish woman who risked everything to educate poor children at a time when it was illegal to do so. She secretly opened schools in defiance of the law, teaching kids to read and write in the evenings, which is why she became known as the "Lady of the Lantern." Nano believed that education was the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and giving people a better chance in life. She eventually founded the Presentation Sisters, a religious order that continues her work in education and social justice around the world. Nagle's dedication to education and her belief in the transformative power of learning inspires us to strive for academic EXCELLENCE.
St. Teresa of Kolkata (1910-1997) - TERESA will replace WILSON
Mother Teresa, as she was known to the world, dedicated her life to caring for the poorest of the poor in Kolkata, India. She founded the Missionaries of Charity, a religious order that runs hospices, soup kitchens, schools, and other charitable programs for people living in extreme poverty. Mother Teresa's work was incredibly challenging, but she approached it with unwavering compassion and love. She saw the dignity of every human being, no matter how sick or destitute, and she inspired millions to show kindness and generosity to others. Mother Teresa's compassion and selfless love challenge us to live a life of service and to treat all people with dignity and compassion RESPECT.
As we move forward, we look forward to celebrating our local Aboriginal heritage and creating a more culturally safe and inclusive school community. Together, we will embrace these new House names and continue to strive for excellence, guided by our faith and inspired by our new Patrons.
We are looking for staff and students with a keen eye for design to help us create the visuals we require for the changeover. Stay tuned for more information as we progress towards the change.
The process: 2025 is a year of transformation for our College.
Term 1: A Foundation of Knowledge
- We'll begin by delving into the lives of our inspiring Patrons. Their stories and their values will form the bedrock of our new Houses.
Terms 1 & 2: A Collaborative Creation
- Students and staff will come together to design crests that reflect our shared identity. Local Totems, symbols that resonate with our community, will be carefully selected and integrated into our House culture in collaboration with local elders.
Late Term 2/Early Term 3: A Visual Transformation
- New flags, signage, House symbols, and even candles will be designed and ordered, marking a visible shift in our identity.
Term 3: A Farewell to the Past
- The final House Shield will be awarded under the old names as we bid farewell to a chapter of our history.
Term 4: A New Dawn
- From this point forward, our Houses will transition to the new names. The transition will be significant. We will hold a special ritual as we lower the flags of the previous names and raise new flags for this new era.
Term 1: A New Era Begins
- Pastoral Care groups will be rebranded, reflecting the new House names. For instance, Flinders01 will become A for Aquinas A01. We'll also introduce new rituals and routines that celebrate our heritage and embrace our future.
This is our legacy for future generations of students who will pass through the gates of our College. Together, we will continue to strive for excellence, guided by our faith and inspired by our new Patrons.
We invite you to join us as we embrace a new identity in our Houses.
Student Leadership: Empowering Student Voices
We're excited to announce a refreshed approach to Student Leadership at St Joseph's this year, designed to maximize student impact and development.
Last year, while we had a large team of student leaders across various areas, we recognized that we could better empower students to develop their leadership skills and contribute meaningfully to our College community.
This year, we're focusing on developing a smaller, more impactful team of student leaders. Our new model will pair our Year 12 student leaders with a representative from each grade (Years 7-11) in every House. This structure will create a dynamic team of 27 Year 12 leaders and 30 leaders from Years 7-11, ensuring representation across all year levels.
This team will collaborate on exciting initiatives and have a real voice in College decisions. These are not just titles; they are genuine opportunities for students to develop leadership skills, make a difference, and represent the entire student body. To kick things off, the newly elected team will participate in an off-site planning day later this term to develop their vision and initiatives for the year.
Here's how the process will work:
- Nominations: Students will be invited to nominate themselves for a leadership position.
- Speeches: Students who submit successful nominations will have the opportunity to deliver a short, inspiring speech to their fellow grade students within their House.
- Voting: Students and staff will then vote for their preferred candidates.
- Induction: We will proudly induct our new student leaders at the Week 8 assembly.
- Planning Day: On Tuesday of Week 10, the newly elected leaders will participate in an off-site planning day to connect, brainstorm, and develop their action plan for 2025.
Nominations open next Wednesday (Week 2) after assembly. This is a fantastic opportunity for your child to step up, develop valuable leadership skills, and make a lasting impact on St Joseph's. We encourage all interested students to consider nominating themselves.
We are looking forward to working with our new student leaders as they achieve great things for our College.
Save the Date
Parents of Year 10 Students- Information night coming up
On Monday, 17th of February at 6:00pm, we are hosting a very important Parent Information Evening in preparation for the Year 10 retreats. Both retreats will be held at St Francis Retreat Centre in Bonny Hills. Students will be allocated to one of these retreats over the coming weeks.
The Retreats occur in Week 7 of this term, with
- Retreat A occurring from the 11th to the 12th of March, and
- Retreat B from the 13th to the 14th of March.
This retreat is always a highlight for our Year 10 students as they begin to make decisions about their future beyond school.
Essential information will be presented at the parent meeting on the 16th. It will not go for more than 1 hour. We kindly ask that parents make every effort to attend, and ideally, each student should be represented by one parent or caregiver. Students are asked NOT to attend this meeting.
We look forward to meeting with our Year 10 parents and caregivers on the 17th at 6:00pm in the College Performing Arts Centre (PAC).
St Agnes' Church Gospel Reflections
Fr Paul Gooley is continuing to provide Gospel readings and reflections via email and online Monday to Saturday for those interested in connecting with their faith in this way.
Click to watch Fr Paul's Gospel Readings and Reflections.
St Agnes' Parish News Bulletin
The Parish news bulletin will now be published monthly.
The latest edition is available via this link Parish News Bulletin
Mr Matthew Bushe
Assistant Principal - Mission