ST JOSEPH’S CATHOLIC
SCHOOL
TAKAPUNA

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

Rise Up!
Listen!
Go Now!
Serve!

This morning the children sang “Rise Up! Listen! Go Now! Serve!”, written by Andrew Chin and Drew Lane, at school prayers. This is our 2026 hymn and the children love singing it.

Last year we were called on by Pope Francis “to fan the flames of hope that has been given to us, help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with open spirit, trusting hearts and farsighted vision.”

Pope Leo has continued this vision by inviting us to be ‘beacons of hope.” He has asked us to:

Rise up and look, with open hope and courage, to build a future of peace and togetherness.
Engage in personal dialogue with God through prayer – to choose to listen and hear God’s voice calling from within the heart.
Act – go now and be witnesses to the Gospel and reach out to those in need. “In the One, we are one.”
Look for ways to serve others. Every person is created with a purpose and a mission. It is up to us to have the courage to choose the path of the Gospel.

And so, let us get ready to Rise Up, Listen, Go Now and Serve together during this 2026 year.

Ka manaakitia e te Atua

Alister Bridgman
Tumuaki

The Principal’s Message will cover the following topics:

Lent
PTFA’s Upcoming AGM
Winter Sports Registrations
Shore-to-Shore Fun Run/Walk
Parish News
Community Notices

LENT

In our Lenten challenge this week is to think, reflect and action what it means to answer God’s call. God gives us vision so we can see how special and loved we are, how we can share God’s love with others.
During Lent, we ask God for clear vision to see:

Our mistakes honestly
The dignity and value of others
The path God wants us to follow
Take time this week to slow down and see the world through God’s eyes.

Stations of the Cross
The parish of St Joseph’s is once again asking the children of St Joseph’s School to lead the Stations of the Cross liturgy on Good Friday morning (3rd April) at 10am. If your child who is in Year three to six would like to be involved in the liturgy e.g, readings, acting, crowd scenes, singing with the parish please email annettew@sj.school.nz with an expression of interest to be involved this year. – Thank you to the families and students who have volunteered for this already.

Real Life Experiences of the Religious Education Program

As part of the Te Rongopai – the Good News theme in our Religious Education program, our Year 1 students celebrated their learning about the life of Jesus by participating in a special Jesus meal, where they experienced the foods he ate.

PTFA’s UPCOMING AGM

WINTER SPORTS REGISTRATIONS

We’re excited to let you know that Winter Sports registrations for Netball (Years 1-6) and Hockey (Years 3-6) are now open on the website!

You can find all the important information, including key dates and details for each sport, by visiting the link below. We encourage you to register early to secure your place.

Sports Registrations

The registrations will close on 20 March or once the teams are full. Any questions regarding these sports please email sports@sj.school.nz