Bula Vinaka, dear SJSS sisters.

 Seventy years. Seven decades. One sisterhood. Stronger Together!

As I sit to write this message, my heart is still full - overflowing, really - from the extraordinary week we have just shared together for the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations here in Fiji.

From the Welcome Mass in Nadi to the Closing Mass in Suva, from the State House Visit to the Pacific Elegance Ball, from the quiet moments of reunion to the joyous eruptions of laughter and song at every single event, our Jubilee Celebrations were nothing short of a grace-filled, Spirit-led, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

To every alumna who travelled home - from across Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, USA, UK, Canada and from every corner of the world, Vinaka Vakalevu!

You came. You showed up. You reminded us of what sisterhood truly means.

To every teacher, every Cluny Sister, every parent, every family member, every volunteer, every behind-the-scenes worker, every sponsor, every husband and partner, our children and grandchildren and every supporter, you made this Jubilee possible!

We could not have done it without you, and we will never forget your sacrifice, your service, your support and your love.

The Platinum Jubilee was a success, but not because of perfect planning or flawless execution.  It was a success because of YOU.

Because SJSS women, when called, respond.

Because when we gather, something sacred happens.

Because Pietas cum scientia is not just a motto on a crest; it is a living, breathing reality in the lives of every woman who has walked through our gates since 1956.

But sisters, a Jubilee is not just a celebration.

A Jubilee is a sending.

In the biblical tradition, the Jubilee was a year of restoration - a time to put things right, to forgive debts, to set the captive free, to return what was lost. It was a reset of the heart.

And so, as we return to our homes, our workplaces, our families, and our communities, I want to renew a call to action for every SJSS woman; every alumna, every current student, every mother, every leader, every divine daughter of St Joseph's:

A Renewed Call to Action

1.      Live our school motto daily.

Pietas cum scientia, piety with knowledge, is not a phrase to be admired from a distance. It is a way of life. Let us commit to walking daily with God, pursuing wisdom, and allowing our faith to shape our actions, our decisions, and our relationships. Let our lives be a living testimony to the values we were taught.

2.      Stay united, across every divide.

During Jubilee week, we saw what happens when local and overseas chapters work as one global network. We saw what happens when the Class of 1956 stands shoulder to shoulder with the Class of 2026. We saw what happens when boundaries fall and sisterhood rises. Let us not lose that. Let us carry that unity forward, across oceans, across generations, across every difference that the world tries to use to divide us.

3.      Keep the sisterhood alive, intentionally.

Sisterhood does not sustain itself. It must be nurtured. It must be chosen. It must be practiced. Reach out to an SJSS sister this week. Send a message. Make a call. Organise a catch-up. Mentor a younger alumna. Honour an older one. Be the sister you want to have.

4.      Give back, with purpose.

Our Jubilee theme called us to give back to our beloved school and to the community. Let us continue that work. Let us support SJSS students, invest in our alma mater, and serve the wider Fijian community with generosity and love. We are blessed to be a blessing.

5.      Be bold, be open-minded, be inclusive, be kind, and walk in integrity.

These are the values of God's Kingdom. These are the values of SJSS women. Let us live them, not just during Jubilee week, but every single day of our lives.

Sisters, the Platinum Jubilee may be over, but our story is not.

Our school on Waimanu Road, that sacred ground where so many of us were shaped, corrected, encouraged, and loved, still stands. And so do we.

We are the legacy. We are the harvest. We are the daughters of the dream.

Let us continue to shine as a light of truth and a vessel of grace; for Fiji, our families, our communities and for the world.

Seventy years. Seven decades. One sisterhood. Stronger Together!

 May God bless you all.

 Yours in Anne-Marie Javouhey,

Lavinia Kaumaitotoya

President, SJSS Alumnae Association

 Pietas cum scientia - Piety with Knowledge.

Saint Joseph, pray for us. Our Lady of the Visitation, pray for us.