Friday 25th May 2018

In this Sunday's Gospel we hear about Jesus appearing to his disciples after he had risen to new life. He tells his apostles to make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Jesus also reminds his special friends that he will always be with them until the end of time. In Pope Francis' writing Evangelii Gaudium, he says that: 'All of us are called to mature in our work as evangelizers. We want to have a better training, a deepening love and a clearer witness to the Gospel.' As Fr. Michael mentioned last weekend, we are living out our vocation each day to be the person God is calling us to be. To get to know Jesus more and more through reading the Gospels, studying our faith, in prayer and receiving the sacraments. Let this be an opportunity to develop our friendship with Jesus.

As you may already be aware, the 25th May 2018 marks the enforcement of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The GDPR will replace the Data Protection Act 1998 and is designed to strengthen the safety and security of all data held within an organisation, and make sure processing and storage procedures are consistent. You will receive a letter today along with a Parent Privacy Notice, Parental and Pupil consent forms which will need to be completed and returned to school by Friday 8th June. Our school's Designated Data Champion is Mrs Faux-Conduit. If you have any queries please contact the school office.

In response to a letter from our local Member of Parliament for Stourbridge, Margot James, we have decided as a school to take part in this year's Soccer Aid Challenge on Friday 8th June. On this day, thousands of pupils in playgrounds across the UK will kick, bounce or carry a ball around an obstacle course which they've designed themselves. The Play Leaders in Year 5 have been given the challenge to design a course for KS1 and KS2. This sporting fun is all in the name of Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2018 - a game like no other, where Usain Bolt's World XI will take on Robbie Williams' England Team to help save the lives of children around the world. The UK government is matching every donation made to this year's appeal up to £5 million. Money raised will go towards ending preventable disease in children, saving the lives if new born babies and helping to end child hunger. For example, just £1.70 could provide vaccines to protect a child from deadly disease and £322 could buy a water pump for a school or whole village. We ask that your child brings a £1 donation to school on this day to take part in this challenge. To also mark this special event the children will also be allowed to wear their own sports clothes too on this day.

Fr. Michael Dolman spoke to a group of children and parents from St. Joseph's and Hagley Catholic High School after last Saturday's Mass about the topic of Vocation. He said that we are living out our vocation every day, little by little, becoming the person who God is calling us to be. The four tips which he gave to the children and young people to help them get to know Jesus better are: 1. Pray for at least 5 minutes each day; 2. Read a Gospel for 5 minutes each day and think about what it means - look at how Jesus is with people; 3. Meet Jesus through the Sacraments (Holy Communion and Reconciliation) and 4. Study our faith - learn what it is like to be a Catholic.

Pupils at St. Joseph's are growing to be grateful for their own gifts, for the gift of other people, and for the blessings of each day; and generous with their gifts, becoming men and women for others.

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for your friendship and for all our friends. Help us to choose our friends wisely and to become better friends to them. Amen.

The Mission of the Laity. That the lay faithful may fulfil their specific mission, by responding with creativity to the challenges that face the world today.