Social Justice is the way we live out our lives as Disciples of Jesus. We are God’s hands in the world and must react accordingly.
Our school’s strategic plan focusses on our ability to be disciples of Jesus and reach out to others in our parish and broader communities in Australia and around the world. We also participate in numerous Social Justice activities in the wider community.
Our Social Justice Group, with the support of our Parent Social Justice Group, actively engage the school and parish community in a number of initiatives. Our students have many opportunities to actively express their deep commitment to Gospel values such as trust, acceptance, respect, compassion, responsibility and service to others.
At Holy Family Catholic Primary School, we pray and work for justice in our world. We are called by God to search for ways to bring justice into the lives of all people.
We believe it is through our social justice initiatives and actions that the words of our Vision and Mission have been put into place, and that we truly live as disciples of Jesus. Some of these initiatives include supporting three main Catholic organisations:
Caritas’ Project Compassion
Rice Day at Holy Family is when we experienced just a little of what the world’s poor and hungry go through each day. Students received a cup of rice to eat for lunch and donated the same amount of money it would normally take to buy their lunch.
Mary’s House
Mary’s House is a shelter in the Lower North Shore for women and their children escaping domestic violence. Mary’s House provides crisis accommodation for women and their dependent children who are escaping domestic violence. Mary’s House’s goal is to partner with other community groups in this project while remaining committed to the Jesuit principle of “in all things to love and serve”. On cold winter nights, can you imagine what it’s like for the hundreds of homeless people who have no permanent shelter? We helped providing items of winter clothing (new or good quality second-hand clothing) that made a genuine difference to the comfort and wellbeing to women and children in need in Sydney.
Mary Mac’s Place
Mary Mac’s Place is a shelter that is open to anyone who is homeless. In Australia, there are over 116 000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night and this project supports over 3 000 people each year. Mary Mac’s Place costs over $150 000 per year to run and provides more than 24 000 meals a year. Our school participates in a gold coin donation mufti-day and all donations helped to make a difference at Mary Mac’s Place.
Catholic Mission
Our Service through Socktober empowered students to rise up for Ethiopia and take action against poverty through the game of soccer. Students were encouraged to not only think of what they were doing to help, but why they were doing it. They made a difference by raising funds just by kicking some goals!
During Mission Week, our focus inquiry question was What does it mean to make a Catholic response to issues around the world? The verse in the Bible compels us to reach out to those in need: “Each of you should use whatever gifts you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10). Students engaged in learning experiences to raise awareness about developing countries and to help them to think deeply about the significance of missionary works in their own lives. Their hearts were filled with love and compassion for those we supported. Students had the opportunity to create a “sockball”. We prayed and advocated for and financially supported children in need. Socktober compelled us to use our hands to take action.
St Vincent de Paul
The Vinnie’s Christmas Hamper Appeal is a yearly tradition at Holy Family. These hampers were lovingly prepared by our senior students with donations gratefully received through the generosity of our whole school community. The students baked and sold their cakes to the students at school. With the funds raised, they bought additional items to add to the hampers. The Christmas Hamper Appeal provides families in need with a lunch at this special time of year. This is a wonderful opportunity to teach our children the true meaning of Christmas and the joy that giving brings.