Assistant Principal - Mission
Opening PC Prayer Space
As a Christian community, St Joseph’s Regional College values the place of prayer in its life. It is also very much a part of the Catholic tradition to pray with your community. Today, our Pastoral Care groups participated in prayer to open the sacred spaces in their classrooms. These sacred spaces provide a focal point for staff and students to remember, through symbols, the purpose of our community, which is to learn all we can and become disciples of Jesus Christ. When we recognise this we can live in the fullness of life that Jesus offers to us all.
The opening prayer from the ritual reads, "As we create our Sacred Space, let us be aware that in all we do and create, we share in the creative love of God who made all things."
Advance Notice: Ash Wednesday Invitation
Wednesday signifies the beginning of the Season of Lent within the Catholic Church. This is a preparation season for Easter, where we focus on the three pillars of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving (charity). On Wednesday, 5th March in Week 5, we will be celebrating the beginning of Lent with an Ash Wednesday Liturgy in the Hall. A smoking ceremony will precede this gathering, and students, staff, and visitors will be invited to pass through the smoke as they enter the hall. This is a traditional Aboriginal cleansing ritual that aligns nicely with the theme of repentance for Ash Wednesday. We seek to turn back to God and cleanse ourselves of those things that distract us from being all that God calls us to be.
We warmly invite our parents to attend our Ash Wednesday service, which will commence at 9:05 am and be finished by 10:00 am.
Save the Date: Year 10 Parents only information night on Monday
On Monday, the 16th of February, at 6:00 pm, we are hosting a very important Parent Information Evening in preparation for the Year 10 retreats.
These 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.
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.
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 19th at 6:00 pm in the College Performing Arts Centre (PAC).
It’s getting closer! Mr Hyland’s Ordination (Sunday 23rd February)
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 one week! This is a very special occasion for our college and parish.
A Deacon is a special role within the Church. 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 short 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 various ways, working alongside our priests and bishops. This might include reading the Gospel at Mass, performing 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 is on Sunday, 23 February, at the 5:00 pm 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.
We continue to pray for Shane and his family as they begin this beautiful ministry within our Church.
Upcoming Retreats
Transitus - Year 7
This week, during Year 7 Catholic Studies class, we introduced Transitus. Transitus is a retreat for Year 7 students to grow in their discipleship of Jesus Christ, membership of His Church and to strengthen their transition into Catholic Secondary School. The word ‘transitus’ was chosen because it is the Latin word for passage, crossing, movement over, transition, transit.
We encourage you to have a discussion with your child about attending Transitus. If they wish to attend please ensure that your child completes the google form application which is available in their Catholic Studies Google Classroom.
Applications close on Friday 7th March, 2025 and shortly after, you shall receive all of the details of the retreat through the events module in your Compass App where you can give consent for your child to attend.
LEAD Retreat - Year 11 & 12
LEAD is a Student Leaders Conference that enhances Senior Ministry Teams of Year 11 and 12 students to be equipped for ministry in their schools by nurturing their own faith and developing them into supportive communities. Returning from LEAD, these students will be encouraged to meet regularly to support each other and facilitate Youth Ministry initiatives within their school communities and at regional events such as SHINE.
We encourage you to have a discussion with your child about attending LEAD. If they wish to attend, please ensure that your child speaks to Mr Hyland, Leader of School Evangelisation or Mr Bushe, Assistant Principal, Mission to have their name included for the Conference.
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