Religious Education

St Joseph's School is a Catholic School and like all Catholic Schools was originally opened to service Catholic communities. However, since the Vatican II Ecumenical Council in 1962, the Catholic Church has documented a growing awareness, appreciation and acceptance of other religions. We are all people of God.

Catholic Schools have grown with this. Currently our School Policy states, "a pupil with affiliation other than Catholic, or without religious affiliation, will be eligible for enrolment on the conditions that:

  • he/she will uphold the values of the school
  • he/she will participate in the Religious Education Program and Religious Life of the school”

The Religious Education Program consists of Religious Education (RE) lessons, attendance at Eucharistic Celebrations, Liturgies of the Word and prayers throughout the school day. Catholic Christian values are embodied in all school activities.

Catholic schools promote 'values' education. Because we are Christian and because we come from the Catholic tradition we have an added dimension - we actively value Jesus' message. We work with our students to strive to live out the gospel values of love, hope, forgiveness, justice, community and peace as well as an awareness of the Mercy tradition on which our school was founded.

Our school will do things in a Catholic way while including people who are of other faiths. We have a strong commitment to Christian unity and mutual acceptance. We value one another and we expect all of our school community to appreciate the value, dignity and uniqueness of all persons.

The aim of Religious Education (which includes the Senior subjects of Religion and Ethics and Study of Religion) is to develop students' religious literacy in the light of the Catholic tradition so that they may participate critically and effectively in the life of faith communities and wider society.

This aim has been central to the teaching of Religious Education at St Joseph's. We strive to produce well-informed and academically skilled students who are capable of making informed and critical judgements on issues in the society in which they live and who understand Ecumenical and Multi-faith beliefs and values. Through celebration, prayer and worship we aim to nurture the students' spiritual and moral development and to instil in them a well-developed sense of social justice.

The subject Religious Education is a Key Learning Area in its own right and is afforded the same respect as any other academic subject. The subject recognizes the rights of parents as the first and foremost educators of their children in faith. While presenting faithfully and with integrity the richness of the Catholic tradition it presents respectfully other Christian traditions by acknowledging the diversity of religious beliefs and practices in Australian society.

From Prep to Year 12 St Joseph's Religious Education program helps students to grow in their knowledge and love of God, and to heighten student awareness of the mystery that permeates all life. It assists in developing students' moral sensitivities and sense of responsibility in areas such as social justice, the environment and equality for all people.