Tasmania's 'Junior Joeys': Children Inspired by the Charism

In recent years, some of the Tasmanian schools with Josephite connections have established ‘Junior Joeys’ groups, which, it is hoped, will help keep alive the founding story and spirit of each school, and their Vision and Mission, and provide links to the Sisters of St Joseph and the wider community.

Junior Joeys are groups of students from Years 4-6 who show enthusiasm about the Josephite Charism and are committed to sharing Josephite values through their daily life, faith and outreach. As one child has said: ‘Junior Joeys are people who go out of themselves and think of others.’

The Junior Joey program has three main components: Learn, Pray and Practise, and encompasses a range of formal and informal sessions, both educative and outreach-based:

• Learn: using the resources of the kit that is provided for teachers, the Junior Joey Program aims to allow students to learn about, and further to emulate the virtues of Mary MacKillop, Julian Tenison Woods and the early Sisters of St Joseph.
• Pray: students are given opportunities to pray for Josephites throughout the world, for their own intentions, those of their schools and their families and the wider community.
• Practise: In the Spirit of the works of the first Sisters of St Joseph, and inspired by the writings of their founders find happiness in making others happy”, and “never see a need without doing something about it”, Junior Joeys are encouraged to practise some form of outreach, which will be chosen by the students and Junior Joeys’ Coordinator at each school.

Gerald Shegog, the Assistant Principal (R.E.) of Sacred Heart School, Ulverstone was delighted to be asked to write a little about the Junior Joeys at his school, and also to allow his Junior Joeys to speak for themselves!