From the APRIM / Student Wellbeing
St Joseph’s Day 2024
In 1866, a young 24-year old Mary Mackillop together with her Parish Priest Father Julian Tenison Woods began an order of sisters who were to be very different in the sense that instead of being behind the walls of a convent, they were to live amongst people, especially the poor, in groups of 3 or 4, own nothing, ask for donations and do what they could to help others.
Mary MacKillop and Father Julian Tenison Woods chose the saint of St Joseph to be the patron saint for this order due to the understanding that Joseph, as the chosen earthly father of Jesus, was a humble man. In fact, the scripture they chose to base their order and work was from Micah 6:8 “Act Justly, Love Tenderly, Walk Humbly”.
The Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart is an order based on ‘Humility’ and ‘Service’. But what is humility?
- Humility is not being a door mat, but is an expression of truth, a truth of who we are to enable us to acknowledge our strengths and our weakness. To use our strength to help others and seek help when we need others.
- Humility is being down to earth and be aware that without humility we could elbow people aside.
- Humility is boldness and courage.
- Humility allows inner authority of a person to be expressed.
- Humility is needed to have courage and reveal compassionate God.
As a Josephite school, it is important for our students and community to know understand where we have come from and the values we are teaching the students.
Student Wellbeing – RISE to thrive student behaviour agreement
At the beginning of the school year, each class looked at our RISE to thrive agreement and what that means within our school. These are words that actions that all our students understand.
At Nativity we RISE to thrive.
When we RISE we are:
- Nurturing our capacity to engage positively in our school community
- Empowered to make confident choices about our actions and their outcomes
- Building strong relationships that are the foundation of a thriving educational community.
We are grateful for the right to be healthy, safe, heard and educated.
And therefore,
We are Respectful, Inclusive, Safe and show Empathy in our thoughts, in our words and in our actions.
I look forward to seeing many of you this week at our Holy Week Presentations.
Grace and peace
Rachel Baulderstone