News and Events

First Tassie Junior Joeys commissioned

The first group of Junior Joeys at the oldest existing school established by the Srs of St Joseph in Tasmania were commissioned at the beginning of Catholic Education Week.

The Sisters of St Joseph came to Tasmania in 1887, first establishing a school at Westbury, then at Forth and Ulverstone in 1890. The Westbury and Forth schools no longer operate but Sacred Heart School at Ulverstone continues to thrive as a primary school within the Catholic Education system, appreciating, and building on, its Josephite heritage. 

At the celebration of their school feast day in June, students were challenged to  consider  forming a Junior Joeys group – a group who would choose to keep alive the spirit and vision of Mary, Julian and the Sisters of St Joseph within the Sacred Heart School community today.

Sixteen students from Grades 4 and 5 responded to the idea with immense enthusiasm.  Having met with staff to talk about what being a Junior Joey could mean for them, they all decided that they wanted to make a difference in whatever way they could.  In their conversations, they were assisted by four staff members and Sr Carmel Jones.

To mark the beginning of Catholic Education Week in August,  a special school prayer liturgy around the theme of We Are Church was held. During this, Sr Carmel, on behalf of the Sisters of St Joseph, commissioned the group to be the first Junior Joeys in Tasmania.  The students recited together with confidence and conviction their Prayer of Commitment and were then presented with a Mary MacKillop medal to mark their new leadership role within the school.  Their first task was to assist with activities that contributed to the Archbishop’s Samaritan Fund for people in need.

The group will meet regularly to share prayer and reflections on the life of  Blessed Mary MacKillop and Fr Julian Tenison Woods and to organise practical ways of being Junior Joeys.

What a wonderful way for Sacred Heart School to mark the canonisation of Mary MacKillop!