Special Character
School Charism
Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions
On Christmas Day 1861 in Lyon, France, Euphrasie Barbier founded the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions (RNDM - Religieuses de Notra Dame de Missions). She was also known as Mother Mary of the Heart of Jesus.
Four of her Sisters arrived in New Zealand from France in 1861. Their foundation school was St Joseph’s Maori Girls’ College in Napier, established in 1865. Euphrasie first visited New Zealand 1872. By 1960 the sisters had started and were teaching in fifty-eight primary schools and fourteen secondary schools in New Zealand.
St Joseph's, Stratford was blessed to receive its first Sisters in 1897 and they established our school. The first Principal at St Joseph's School was Sister Margaret Mary, who was a Mission Sister.
The Mission Order honours Mary, as the teacher of Jesus, prayer and being a missionary to others. This is the basis of our school's Mission Statement - " Our Mission School cares and shares like Jesus, through serving others - He Manaaki, He Atawhai. "
If you want to find out more, visit the web site of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions www.rndm.org.
our houses
Barbier
Sister Euphraise Barbier established the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions
Pompallier
Bishop Jean-Baptisete Pompallier brought Catholicism to New Zealand from France.
Margaret Mary
Sister Margaret Mary was the first principal of St Joseph's School, Stratford
Cullinane
Bishop Peter Cullinane was the first Bishop of the Palmerston North Diocese.
strands
Term Three Learning
We will participate in lessons from the God Strand, Prayer Strand and we also celebrate the Feast of the Assumption
At St Joseph's School we are a community of disciples - TE WHANAU A TE KARAITI , being Kind like St. Joseph in our school, at home and in our community.
Learning Objectives for God - Te Atua.
Year 1 and New Entrants: God is Creator.
God is the Creator of all that is, ‘seen and unseen’. Each person is God’s unique creation made in love for love. We are each part of what God made and ‘saw that it was good’. We are called to respect our own dignity – tapu as persons made in God’s image, the dignity of others and the value of all parts of creation. We are sacred and Holy because we share in the Tapu of God. We are also called to respond with praise and worship of God.
Year 2: Our God is Gracious.
God is gracious – a great giver of gifts. The greatest of these gifts of love is Jesus who revealed that God is Abba – his loving Father – Matua, who is also our Father. Our response to God’s gifts of grace is to truly appreciate them and to live lives of gratitude.
Year 3: God is Present in the World.
God is present in the world in creation, and speaks to people through the scriptures especially when they are proclaimed in the Church. God is active through people who accept his gift of grace – Mana Atua and God’s activity in the world is expressed through different cultures.
Year 4: God is Love.
The Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is a loving community of three persons who are one God. One of God’s great gifts or taonga is the natural world of creation, which we should respect because it is tapu. Another of God’s gifts of love is the Ten Commandments.
Year 5: God is Faithful.
The Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is a loving community of three persons who are one God. One of God’s great gifts or taonga is the natural world of creation, which we should respect because it is tapu. Another of God’s gifts of love is the Ten Commandments.
Year 6: Jesus - Who is God?
The names and images for God found in the Old and New Testaments tell us something about what God is like. Christians come to know God through Jesus and respond in faith through worship and action. Catholic beliefs about God have been summarised in the Creeds.
Year 7: God's Desire for Humanity.
God has created people to grow and change and to live life to the full. Through God’s gift of freedom people can do awful things, but through the gift of grace people are able to grow in virtue and turn from sin and in this way to become more like Jesus.
Year 8: Jesus- The Mystery of God.
God is a mystery hidden from human understanding. Although God’s greatness cannot be measured we know God has a deep personal love for each person and seeks to be in a loving relationship with every one. Christian Tradition reveals God as a Trinity of three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit who as one God creates, redeems and sanctifies.
notices
Youth group
Our youth group is open to students Year 4 and up. They meet every second Friday in the Parish Centre from 6 pm to 8 pm. Dinner is provided.
A $2 donation is appreciated.
parish Newsletters 2019 term 1
4th Sunday in ordinary Time Year C.pdf5th Sunday in ordinary Time Year C -.pdfSupplement 17th February - Email Copy.pdf7th Sunday in ordinary Time Year C -.pdf