Pupil Chaplaincy Team
Here are the new members of the St Joseph's Pupil Chaplaincy Team for the academic year 2024-2025!
The children made fantastic applications detailing why they thought they would be good members of the team and what kind of skills they would bring to the role. They have promised to be good role-models throughout the school and assist with all areas of RE at St Joseph's.
They, like the staff, want St Joseph's to continue to be the most vibrant, authentic Catholic school that it can possibly be.
The team have already had their first meeting with Mr Stacey, Miss Reis and Miss Nadotti and certain roles and responsibilities have already been established.
Mr Stacey, Miss Reis and Miss Nadotti are looking forward to working with the new team and they have already been busy - see below! God Bless the new Pupil Chaplaincy Team and all their efforts this year. Look out for news of their endeavours in the weekly newsletter and on Instagram!
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Members of the Team met with Jane from CAFOD and asked her questions about the work of this important charity.
They made posters to promote CAFOD Fast Day and put these up around the school. We had a successful CAFOD Harvest Fast Day collection. Thank you, children, for your hard work publicising the day and thank you families for your generosity and support.
Some of the Pupil Chaplaincy Team helped out at our after-school Macmillan Cancer Care 'Bake Sale' - we raised over £550!
We were so lucky to be visited by Alice, from the homeless charity 'Glass Door'. This local charity provides hot meals, shelter and a warm welcome for many people having a rough time. People like Alice also work hard to help people access medical service and counselling services (with the hope of helping people to live away from the streets).
The children asked some really brilliant, searching questions. Alice had time for some further Q and A with members of the Pupil Chaplaincy Team and Caritas Ambassadors.
Meetings like this strengthen the link between our Catholic Social Teaching (especially around 'Preferential Option for The Poor') and putting our 'love into action' by doing something to help. That is our mission after all. To reach out to those in need. We will support Glass Door by asking for donations of tinned food items and toiletries.
The response to the Glass Door appeal was incredible. St Joseph's families showed dedication to having a 'Preferential Option for The Poor' and altogether over 60 bags of food items / toiletries were donated. Members of the Pupil Chaplaincy Team and Caritas Ambassadors helped to sort, collate and bag the items. They also helped to load the items onto the collection van - it was a great St Joseph's team effort!
Before Christmas - Steve, from The Cardinal Hume Centre, visited us and led an assembly on homelessness and the work of the centre.
The children were inspired to reach out to those in need and donated toiletries and food items to give to the centre. Over 50 bags of donations were handed in. Again, this showed the families of St Joseph's preferential option for the poor, care and love for neighbour.
The Pupil Chaplaincy Team helped to promote the project by designing and putting posters up around the school, visiting classes to advocate for the charity and also sorting through the items that came in.
Here are the new members of the St Joseph's Pupil Chaplaincy Team for the academic year 2023-2024!
The children made fantastic applications detailing why they thought they would be good members of the team and what kind of skills they would bring to the role. They have promised to be good role-models throughout the school and assist with all areas of RE at St Joseph's.
They, like the staff, want St Joseph's to continue to be the most vibrant, authentic Catholic school that it can possibly be.
The team have already had their first meeting with Mr Stacey, Miss Reis and Miss Nadotti and certain roles and responsibilities have already been established.
Mr Stacey, Miss Reis and Miss Nadotti are looking forward to working with the new team and they have already been busy - see below! God Bless the new Pupil Chaplaincy Team and all their efforts this year. Look out for news of their endeavours in the weekly newsletter and on Instagram!
Our new Pupil Chaplaincy Team have been working with Year 1 helping them to make the Sign of the Cross.
The Team created a space where Pope Francis' monthly prayer intention could be displayed.
Year 4 members of the Pupil Chaplaincy Team got to work checking class child-led worship folders and resources.
Inspired by a visit from a CAFOD volunteer - the Pupil Chaplaincy Team created and displayed their own CAFOD posters to raise awareness of our fundraising efforts in the school.
October is the month of the Holy Rosary, I asked the Year 5 members of the Pupil Chaplaincy Team to write a prayer which could replace our usual after-lunch prayer this week.
Kaelyn wrote this beautiful prayer which all classes have used. Thank you Kaelyn!
Members of the Pupil Chaplaincy Team observe child-led worship sessions and feedback to the prayer leaders afterwards. Their feedback is always positive, incisive and delivered very maturely. In their evaluation of the sessions, they discuss strengths and suggest areas for development.
They are able to give advice to their peers to ensure our child-led worship sessions are always special, reflective times.
Members of the Pupil Chaplaincy Team decided to award a prize to the best prayer area and display for the Advent topic! The standard was extremely high.
Members of the Pupil Chaplaincy Team plan and lead lunchtime Celebrations of The Word for their peers. Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 members each take a turn during Lent.
Here, Year 6 members of the team lead other children in prayer.
Year 5 members of the Pupil Chaplaincy Team plan and lead a Lenten prayer session, well attended by their peers.
Responsibilities
The Pupil Chaplaincy Team at St Joseph's is a faithful, active and vibrant group.
They are supported by the Head of School and other members of staff. The team are expected to be proactive, lead by example and take responsibility for developing the Catholic Life of St Joseph's.
Children apply for the role and make an application detailing why they want the role and what they could bring to the role.
The children understand that being part of the team it is a privilege and a responsibility; assisting staff in helping to develop the Catholic Life of the school and ensure that prayer and liturgy at St Joseph's are as consistent, rich and varied as possible.
Members of the Pupil Chaplaincy Team take on a variety of roles; and they undertake these with maturity and diligence.
They make fantastic suggestions during their regular Chaplaincy Team Meetings and make a real difference to life at St Joseph's.
Quotes from members of the Chaplaincy Team:
'Being part of the Pupil Chaplaincy Team is a great honour as we look back to all the things we have done to branch out in our Catholic faith'.
'Being part of the Pupil Chaplaincy Team has shaped us'.
'The most important role was to maintain our belief and trust in God as we progressed through the year'.
'We have achieved our goals within our role - to help people grow in God's love'.
All the staff at St Joseph's are indebted to the members of the Pupil Chaplaincy Team for their dedication, faithfulness and support.
Pupil Chaplaincy Team
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