Exploring Faith and Culture: Year 10 RE Excursion

As part of their Religious Education studies, our Year 10 students recently embarked on an enriching excursion to both the Jewish Museum and the Islamic Museum. This experience aimed to deepen their understanding of cultural history and the shared religious heritage of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

At the Jewish Museum, students explored the deep traditions of Judaism and learned about the historical experiences of Jewish communities. The exhibits emphasized the importance of memory, identity and resilience, offering powerful insights into Jewish faith and culture.

At the Islamic Museum, students discovered the artistic, scientific and cultural achievements of Islamic civilizations. They gained a broader understanding of the Muslim faith and its diverse expressions throughout history.

Throughout the excursion, students were encouraged to engage in respectful dialogue, fostering cultural awareness and empathy. Most importantly, the experience highlighted the common threads that unite the three Abrahamic faiths—including a shared belief in one God, the value of compassion, and the pursuit of justice and peace.

This excursion was a valuable opportunity for students to reflect on the ways in which Judaism, Christianity and Islam are connected and to appreciate both the unique and shared stories within each tradition.

Living Laudato Si':

Stewardship in Action at Our School

As we mark Laudato Si’ Week and World Environment Day, our school continues to embrace the call to care for our common home through a range of sustainability initiatives inspired by Catholic Social Teaching. A key focus for our Year 8 Religious Education classes has been the principle of Stewardship—recognising that the earth and its resources are gifts from God, entrusted to us to care for, not exploit.

In their recent assignments, Year 8 students reflected on the importance of acting to protect creation, with one student writing, “Stewardship means looking after the planet that God created. It means to act.” These reflections are becoming a reality through practical initiatives such as recycling programs and sustainable gardening.

Our Gardening Group, part of the Catholic Earthcare initiative, continues to promote hands-on environmental learning. Across the school, students are engaging in sustainable practices—recycling plastic bottles, reducing waste, and contributing to the wellbeing of creation.

An exciting development is the upcoming collection of recycled plastic bottles, which will be returned for a refund. The funds raised will be donated to Loaves and Fishes, supporting those in need. This initiative, recently approved by our operations team, will feature in our next newsletter.

These efforts are more than just school projects—they’re part of a broader movement of ecological conversion, echoing Pope Francis’s call in Laudato Si’ to care for our world with love and responsibility. Through learning and action, our students are growing as faithful stewards of creation, helping to build a more just and sustainable world.