To the community of St John Paul II College.

Friday 27 September, the Church celebrates the Feast Day of St Vincent De Paul (1581–1660).

St Vincent de Paul was a French Catholic priest renowned for his deep compassion, humility, and dedication to serving the poor. Born to a peasant family, he was ordained a priest at a young age and initially sought a life of comfort. However, his experience with the suffering of the poor and imprisoned profoundly changed his direction. St Vincent founded the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) and, alongside St Louise de Marillac, the Daughters of Charity, focusing on charitable works, education, and healthcare for the underprivileged.

Catholics look to St Vincent de Paul as a person of inspiration due to his embodiment of Christ’s teachings on love and service to others. He modeled how to live a life of humility and generosity, urging others to act with compassion and make tangible efforts to alleviate suffering in the world. His legacy continues through numerous charitable organisations named after him, including the St Vincent de Paul Society, which is committed to serving those in need.

Saint Vincent de Paul,
God called you to serve the poor, sick, and others in need.
You drew others into this service by forming clergy, religious sisters, and laity as God’s loving instruments.

Please pray that I will devote myself to a life of compassion and proclamation of the Gospel.

Saint Vincent de Paul, pray for us.

JPC Feast Day 2024

On Friday 25 October (Term 4, Week 2), we will be celebrating our annual JPC Feast Day. We are privileged to have Archbishop Christopher Prowse coming to celebrate Mass with us, alongside our Parish Priest Fr Troy. The day will also include fun House and whole school community activities that will be organised in Hosue groups over the coming weeks. More information will be sent to families shortly outlinging the process for pre-purchasing tickets for the various activities.

I would like to take this opportunity again to remind all families that on community days like the JPC Feast Day, full student attendance is expected. It is vital in our efforts to create a more connected and inclusive school that all students come along and enjoy the day and participate in activities.

VET Pathways Showcase

Last Wednesday evening, we held our VET Pathways Showcase, and we extend our sincere thanks to everyone involved in its organisation. We are also grateful to the students and families who took the time to attend and explore the wide array of opportunities offered by top VET education providers and career organisations. It was an invaluable evening for those looking to discover new career pathways and educational opportunities.

2025 College Student Leadership discernment process

Last week, we officially began the discernment process for the 2025 College Student Leadership roles. This is a crucial time for our Year 11 students interested in nominating themselves for leadership positions in 2025, as it provides them with an understanding of what these roles require and how they can envision themselves fulfilling these responsibilities. The discernment process will continue over the coming weeks, concluding in Term Four, when our new student leaders will be announced to the community. This will follow speeches, a student indication of preference, and interviews with the College Executive Team.

As we continue working through the final week of classes for the term, I would like to thank our staff for their work throughout the term. We are blessed at JPC to have a strong team of dedicated teaching and support staff who work hard to ensure all students are provided with every opportunity to succeed. Thank you also to the students of the College and particularly those who maximise the opportunities provided to them for their betterment of themselves. Every day I see students who embody our core values of justice, peace, and courage engaged, in their learning, interacting with their peers, and working with their teachers to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world. 

As always, there have been many other wonderful things that have occurred at JPC over the last couple of weeks. We thank all of those involved in these activities and for the collective effort to make them a success.

Jacob Knowles
Assistant Principal – Strategy and Staff