St Joseph's Primary School Merewether
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166 Union St
The Junction NSW 2291
Subscribe: https://sjpsmerewether.schoolzineplus.com/subscribe

Email: admin@merewether.catholic.edu.au
Phone: 02 4961 2827

Celebrating our Faith - Stephanie Colvin

Project Compassion Prayer

Be More

God of all peoples and nations,

As you accompany us on our Lenten journey,

May our fasting strengthen our commitment to live in solidarity,

Our almsgiving be an act of justice, and

Our prayers anchor us in love and compassion.

Through living simply and loving generously,

May we care for our global family and our common home, as we

“Aspire not to have more, but to be more.”

We ask this in Jesus’ name.

Amen.

-Saint Oscar Romero

Second Week of Lent: Project Compassion

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This week through Project Compassion we learn about 39-year-old Margret, a teacher at a vocational school for deaf students in the Solomon Islands. She was born deaf, so she knows the challenges it poses to education and employment. Apart from the difficulties the students all have, the school also faced water shortages, with not enough to supply staff and students with safe water for drinking, cooking, washing and growing vegetables.

Then Tropical Cyclone Harold damaged the school and its vegetable garden, amidst the threat of COVID-19. Staff and students rely on the vegetable garden to provide food for their meals.

With Caritas Australia’s support, the school installed water tanks, provided cyclone-proof building materials and helped to implement COVID-19 prevention measures. Margret’s school now has enough water for its students and the capacity to cater for more, with plans to boost food security, through increased agricultural production.

Around 60% of people in rural areas in the Solomon Islands don’t have access to piped water, while about 80% don’t have access to latrines or toilets. (UNICEF 2019)

Watch a short film about Margret’s story here

 “Aspire not to have more, but to be more.”

Please support Project Compassion: https://lent.caritas.org.au/

St Joey’s Social Justice News

St Joey’s Social Justice (SJSJ) in our new student social justice initiative, replacing “Mini Vinnies”. It will be similar to Mini Vinnies but will incorporate other initiatives as well as those we do for the St Vincent de Paul Society, such as Catholic Mission and Caritas Australia.  St Joey’s Social Justice is a group of primary school young people, Years 3-6, who get together to organise events and help those in need within their own school and local community with the aim to focus on living faith through the actions of Catholic Social teachings. Students in SJSJ have a made a commitment to being a part of the 2021 group and have already been working on promoting Project Compassion this term.

SJSJ will meet regularly to discuss issues of concern, to share ideas, to have fun and support each other.  The actions of the SJSJ group will generally involve three components:

See (know) – to be aware of different people’s hardships and to develop empathy. 

Judge (think) – to develop a real understanding of needs in the world and through discussion and reflection share thoughts about possible solutions.

Act (do) – supporting the disadvantaged through community service and fundraising for Catholic agencies.

Student News from SJSJ members – by Shloka, Eleonor, Isabella and Emma

In SJSJ, we strive to do our best in supporting those less fortunate than ourselves. We are assisting Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion campaign against injustice by promoting donations in classes as part of our giving for Lent. We will be supporting Harmony Day and Project Compassion by selling orange ribbons. It is going to be a fun day full of inclusive, positive, respectful and colourful activities.

Sacramental Program Information 2021

The 2021 Parish Sacramental Program (Reconciliation, Confirmation and First Communion) is soon beginning. This year the preparation for sacraments is fully online.  Baptised children in Years 4-6 are invited to complete the program. The first step towards involving your child in the sacramental process is to register your interest by completing the online form HERE or contacting the Parish Office on 4979 1101. Once you enrol, you will receive an information packet, which will then assist you to log into MOODLE, which contains all the information about the program, and sign-up forms for the ceremonies. Support is available for parents during this program 7 days per week.

The school is also here to support families during this time. Please contact class teachers or Miss Colvin (REC) if you have any questions.

If you registered for the 2020 Program your enrolment will be carried forward and you will be contacted in the next week. The program will officially commence on March 1st. If you would like to be part of the program, please enrol prior to February 28.

Important Dates (You only need to attend one for each sacrament):

RECONCILATION:

  • Tuesday 16 March @ 5:30pm in St Joseph’s Church, The Junction
  • Tuesday 16 March @ 6pm in St Joseph’s Church, The Junction
  • Tuesday 16 March @ 6:30pm in St Joseph’s Church, The Junction
  • Wednesday 17 March @ 6pm in St Peter-in-Chains, Stockton
  • Tuesday 23 March@ 5:30pm in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton
  • Tuesday 23 March@ 6pm in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton
  • Tuesday 23 March@ 6:30pm in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton
  • Wednesday 24 March @ 6pm in Christ the King, Mayfield

CONFIRMATION:

  • Tuesday 18 May @ 7pm, with Bishop Bill at Sacred Heart Cathedral
  • Wednesday 19 May @ 7pm, with Bishop Bill at Sacred Heart Cathedral
  • Tuesday 25 May @ 7pm, with Bishop Bill at Sacred Heart Cathedral
  • Wednesday 26 May @ 7pm, with Fr Andrew at Sacred Heart Cathedral

FIRST COMMUNION:

  • 5 June at Christ the King Mayfield
  • 6 June at St Peter in Chains
  • 6 June at St Joseph’s The Junction at 9am
  • 6 June at Sacred Heart Cathedral Hamilton at 9:30am
  • 6 June at Sacred Heart Cathedral Hamilton at 5pm
  • 19 June at Sacred Heart Cathedral Hamilton at 5:30pm
  • 20 June at Tighes Hill at 8am
  • 20 June at St Joseph’s The Junction at 9am
  • 20 June at Sacred Heart Cathedral Hamilton at 9:30am
  • 20 June at Sacred Heart Cathedral Hamilton at 9:30am

Upcoming Dates 

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St Joseph’s Day– Our school feast day will be celebrated on Friday 19th March beginning with a whole school liturgy under the COLA at 10:30am for the students only.  Fun class activities and tabloids will follow after lunch, so children will wear their sport uniform

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Harmony Day  – will be celebrated at school on Wednesday 24th March where the students will be invited to wear orange, rainbow colours or personal traditional cultural dress. More information to come.

Please see the Parish Bulletin for more details and registration for Masses in our area - https://www.newcastlecatholic.org.au/weekly-bulletins/