At All Saints, we have a vibrant and engaging faith life. As a Catholic school, we aim to support all students and families in being able to connect and participate in the Catholic Christian tradition. We believe that Catholic schools are distinctive, as we believe that we are a faith community, where the Good News is actively lived out in all parts of our community.
Religious Identity and Culture at All Saints is centred on the person of Jesus. Our challenge as a Catholic school is to translate the inspiration of Jesus into the real world. We also draw inspiration from the rich heritage and tradition of the Catholic Church. Here at All Saints the charism of the Sisters of Mercy is also present. Our founding principal Sr Veronica Ekerick is a Sister of Mercy, and together with Sr Deborah Flaherty and Sr Patricia McCormack they have contributed greatly to the development of the Mercy ethos and charism at All Saints. The founder of the Sisters of Mercy, Catherine McAuley also serves as inspiration to our community. The elements of compassion, service, faith and conviction are clearly evident in Catherine and the Sisters of Mercy. These virtues are also present in our school community and we work together to foster these virtues in each one of us.
Evangelisation and Faith Formation occurs at All Saints through both the religious life of the school and through the Religious Education Curriculum. Our mission to bring the Good News of Jesus to all is an ongoing mission and is one that involves each member of our community, staff, students, parents and parishioners. We proclaim the Good News through living out the Gospel values and by listening to and reflecting upon the Word of God and allowing it to change our heart by engaging with the world like Jesus did.
Prayer and Worship allows all in our community to celebrate our lives and identity as members of the Church. Prayer and worship nourishes the spiritual growth of all members and this should be part of our daily practice. It is also crucial that we all engage in a wide variety of prayer experiences that have the ability to nurture our relationship with God and with others. At All Saints, this can occur through Mass and liturgy, class prayer, meditation and contemplation, music and individual prayer. We also believe that it is important for our students to know and understand the formal traditions of the Church as this allows them to engage more fully in the life of the Church.
Social Action and Justice is another key part of life at All Saints School. Scripture and Catholic social teaching challenge us and call us to be present to the ‘other’ and to establish right relationships marked by love, compassion and peace. We are called to mission to those within our own school community but also to those in our wider local, national and global community. In the spirit of the Sisters of Mercy we called into service for the good of our neighbour.
As God’s people, we walk in love with Jesus and each other through FAITH, LEARNING and COMPASSION.
© Brisbane Catholic Education, All Saints Parish Primary School (2023)