RE News Week 2 Term 4 2025

We pray for Pope Leo XIV and ask God to give him the strength, courage, and a kind heart to lead the Catholic Church and the world to live in peace and harmony. Amen

Pope Leo XIV was inaugurated as the 277th Pope on Sunday, the 18th of May. In his greeting to the 200,000 pilgrims who had travelled from around the world, he emphasised the importance of working together to end hatred, violence, prejudice, fear of differences, exploitation of the world’s resources, and the marginalisation of the poor. He called on everyone to unite in communion, regardless of background or walk of life.

He reminded us that this journey begins at home—through our actions and words. I encourage you to speak with your children about being kind to everyone at school, using resources wisely, and supporting the poor in our community. You might also consider discussing why Cameron is willing to sleep out in the cold to support the homeless, before donating to the Vinnies CEO Sleepout this winter.

Some Fun Facts about our new Pope

· Pope Leo loves to play Wordle! He even managed to squeeze in a game before heading into the Conclave.

· Pope Leo has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics

· Pope Leo’s favourite sport is Tennis

· Pope Leo can speak in five languages and read two more

First Communion

If you would like your child to receive the Sacrament of First Communion and have not already enrolled them, can you please do this as soon as possible. First Communion is open to students in Year 4 of higher. Please either use the QR code or the link below to enrol your child.

First Communion Enrolment

 • Wednesday the 4th of June – 5:30 to 6:30pm 

 • Wednesday the 11th of June – 5:30 to 6:30pm

Sacrament Date: Saturday 21st of June – 6pm in St Joseph’s Parish Church

Parish Masses

Next week, we commence our class parish Mass celebrations. Each class will join with its buddy class to attend Mass at 9:15 a.m. with the St Joseph Parish community once per term, according to a roster. Students from the older class will be selected to proclaim the readings of the day, serve at the altar, and bring forward the offertory, while the younger class will read the Prayer of the Faithful. Below are the roster dates for Term 2:

• 27 May – 6 Lime and 2 Yellow
• 29 May – 4 Green and Foundation Red
• 3 June – 6 Silver and 2 Magenta
• 5 June – 4 Gold and Foundation White
• 10 June – 5 Orange and 1 Teal
• 12 June – Both Year 4 classes
• 17 June – 5 Blue and 1 Purple
• 19 June – Both Year 4 classes
• 24 June 3 Black and ELC class
• 26 June 3 Navy and ELC class

St Joseph’s Parish Assembly – Save the date – Sunday 15 June 2025

Everyone is warmly invited to St Joseph’s Parish Assembly on Sunday 15 June 1-3pm (followed by afternoon tea).

The Assembly will examine how St Joseph’s community can realise our Catholic mission of evangelisation and discern a way forward for the union of Canberra’s Inner North Parishes. The Assembly will use the Conversation in the Spirit framework to provide a prayerful gathering that allows the Holy Spirit to guide listening, reflection and discernment. Additional information on the Conversation in the Spirit process will be provided in advance of the Assembly.

Please register by Sunday 7 June 2025 via email to Warwick (St Joseph’s PPC Chair): warwick.mcdonald3@bigpond.com

Exploring the online experiences of boys and young men

The E Safety Commission has just released a new online webinar that goes into how the internet can offer boys and young men connection and guidance as they figure out what it means to be a man today. But it also comes with risks—like harmful content, online exploitation, and toxic ideas about gender. This webinar is being run on the 27^th of May at 12:30pm.

This 45-minute webinar will help parents understand:

• social and cultural forces influencing boys
• how boys interact online and the risks they face
• the effects of social media, gaming, and influencers on their identity and behaviour
• practical ways to encourage critical thinking, challenge harmful messages, and have open conversations to help boys stay safe and respectful online.

Please use the following link to register for one or more of the available webinars from the E Safety Commission.

Understanding and using parental controls to help protect your child online