We welcome the MN Diocesan Schools Integral Ecology Network.  A space for information and connection for schools interested and committed to action and advocacy for our common home in the spirit of Pope Francis' Laudato Si.

School will meet once a term for:

• sharing of stories about what is happening in schools in the Diocese
• mutual support and encouragement
• practical strategies for developing sustainability and integral ecology action and dialogue in schools
• growing in our appreciation of the need to care for creation
• assistance with certification with the Catholic Earthcare Schools program

I am our school representative on this network and encourage others to join me. The members of our St Josephs’s Social Justice Group will be meeting to discuss and plan for future initiatives when we return to school. 

The Kindness Project

ASPIRE is giving students the chance to share their creative talents in the Kindness Project - a hands on, creative opportunity to express what kindness means to you. Our school has really enjoyed this project and students have been so incredibly creative with their artworks and responses. Many have been submitted to the ASPIRE team. We thank all the students who contributed.

Be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32

Sharing Students’ Work

A kindness letter

I decided to LIVE KINDNESS in my community to help people remember how it feels to be loved and to unite again, because this is where we will become powerful in learning to live with this virus. I wrote a letter and bought chocolates and put them in letterboxes around my community, hoping my act of kindness would help others to remember unity.

Hello!

I am a 10-year-old boy in your community, when COVID began I was eight.

Then, it felt like we were in it together. Now, it feels like we are fearful, angry and divided.

John Lennon imagined a world where we lived as one. He said ‘maybe I’m a dreamer’ and maybe I am too, but I dream of a world where we are stronger because of this virus and the division, united by love.

I hope my chocolate helps you remember the power of love and kindness!

Maybe you could dream of this world too?

Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy of you try
No hell below us
Above us, only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today.

Imagine there’s no countries 
It isn’t hard to do 
Nothing to kill or die for 
And no religion too 
Imagine all the people 
Living life in peace, You

You may say I’m a dreamer 
But I’m not the only one 
I hope someday you’ll join us 
And the world will be as one 

Imagine no possessions 
I wonder if you can 
No need for greed or hunger 
A brotherhood of man 
Imagine all the people 
Sharing all the world, You

You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us

Look, watch, view and share these beautiful kindness clips

Explanation

Animation

Try some of these fun activities in the holidays

Arts and Crafts

Hands of HOPE

National Child Protection Week is a campaign held annually across Australia to raise awareness of child abuse prevention. This year’s theme was: Every child, in every community, needs a fair go. To treat all of Australia’s children fairly, we need to make sure every family and community has what kids need to thrive and be healthy

This year, our students  were asked to consider who their safety network is: 5 trusted adults you can talk to about anything. 5 trusted adults who will always listen. To help spread this message to our students and community, we worked to create a “wall of hands” at our front gate. The purpose of this experience is to encourage students to think about who they can trust and open the conversation about what it means to feel safe and secure. We added "fork & spoon" people to our display to represent the people who were on our hands. Go to our Facebook page for more photos.