God's Earth, Our Earth

In Term 2 all classes in our school will be taught a major unit on Sustainability. This unit is integrated with Religious Education, where the focus is teaching children that God is the creator of the universe and we are the guardians,the kaitiaki, of this creation which is our world. Catholic schools are becoming increasingly involved with teaching and practicing sustainability, and they are fortunate to be able to link this practice to Biblical statements and church teaching. The land is God's gift to all of us. This source of our livelihood and our very being is increasingly being put at risk, and with it the lives of millions who depend directly on the produce of the earth. As Catholics we are called to ecological conversion- to think and act in ways which take into account the future of the planet and its people. Schools are to offer a practical example and education to students showing them what it means locally to adopt principles of living sustainably and preserving our global economy.(www.Caritas.org.nz)

Learning Outcomes:
Students will learn that

• God is creator of all that is good, the source of all being, seen and unseen, of Tapu and Mana, giver and sustainer of creation which is entrusted to the care of human beings, who, as creatures, are utterly dependent upon God.

• Because creation is entrusted to humans, the natural world is not just a resource to be exploited.

• We cannot use and abuse the world and matter as material for our actions and desires: we must consider creation a gift that has not been given to us to be destroyed, but to become God’s garden.

• We are stewards of the environment which is God’s creation. And in order to pass it on to the future generation we need to conserve and sustain the environment.

Room 7 Artwork from the Jesus Strand

Holy Week

Holy Week Services:

Holy Thursday Mass of the Last Supper 7.30 pm

Good Friday Passion of the Lord and Veneration of the Cross 3pm

Holy Saturday Vigil Mass 7.30 pm

Easter Sunday Masses 8.30 Tinwald

10am Holy Name

Click here to see website showing Stations of the Cross.

Lent

The three main focuses of Lent are Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving.

Every year St Joseph’s participates in a whole school almsgiving activity, where money is raised and sent to the Catholic Aid organisation, Caritas. The annual Lent Appeal is run on behalf of New Zealand’s Catholic Bishops. It is Caritas’ most important Appeal of the year, providing almost half of their public donations.

Supporting the Caritas annual Lent Appeal is a practical way to link prayer, sacrifice and giving to those in greater need than ourselves.

Caritas thanks those who gave so generously in Lent 2011. More than $850,000 was donated, of which 25 percent has gone towards helping in the recovery from the 2011 Canterbury Earthquakes.

This year our Lenten effort is a Tables-a-thon and the classroom Rice bowls.

The Tables-a-thon requires children to collect sponsorship, and children will be tested on tables appropriate to their year level and/or ability.

St Joseph's Vinnies 2012

This year we have 22 Young Vinnies at St Joseph's from years 6, 7 & 8. Ursula Kitchen runs the group and organises good work for them in the community. This year the focus will be visiting the residents at Coldstream House, and helping Holy Name Parish when it is their turn to volunteer for Meals on Wheels.

So far this year the Vinnies have been to Coldstream three times- here is a photo of the group singing to the residents- this is something the residents really appreciate, especially Ka Waiata and God Defend New Zealand.

This year we had a Commissioning Mass for the Vinnies. This happened at the 10am Mass at Holy Name Church on Sunday 25 March. It was the first time that the Vinnies had been commissioned and received their badges at Mass and was a good opportunity for the parish community to see who our Vinnies are and recognise the work they do. Our Vinnies were also joined by some Vinnies from Methven, Hampstead School and Ashburton Intermediate.

The photo above was taken at the Commissioning Mass.

Vinnies Seminar

On March the 1^st two students from Vinnies went to Christchuch to attend a Caritas seminar.

At first we talked about what Caritas does and how they help people all over the world. Caritas helps the poor and needy by raising money for them to buy their food , shelter and clothes. They also give kids education. At the seminar there were 2 or more students from 10 different schools there. The lady that ran the seminar was one of the many people that work for Caritas. We had heaps of fun ,met some amazing people and learnt about Justice and Caritas. Now we realize how fortunate we are for what we have. We would love to get the opportunity to attend another seminar just like this one.

By Jordyn and Hannah-Mae

St Joseph's Day - 19 March
Join us at Mass at 9.30 to celebrate our school's feast day.

St Joseph’s Day 2012

Programme for the Day:

9.30 Mass in the church.

10.15am Morning tea

10.45am Bell Group 1 and O.L.S. = Sinclair centre

Group 2= games with teachers from remaining Family Groups

11am-12pm Rhythm Interactive Show and games

12.15 Hamburger Lunch (free of charge for St Joseph’s and O.L.S., provided by Home

and School , Group 2 and OLS to be served first).

12.45 Bell Group 1= games with teachers from remaining Family Groups

Group 2= Bell Group 1 = Sinclair Centre

1 pm-2 pm Rhythm Interactive Show and games

2pm-3pm back in own classrooms.

Note: Group 1 Family Groups 1 -4 and O.L.S.

Group 2 Family Groups 5-16