Giving thanks for a school year of positive impact

Wednesday 24th July 2024

Schools across the diocese have had a positively impactful academic year by taking on a number of inspiring activities on top of their learning activities.

From liturgical celebrations, retreats and faith tours to interfaith engagements, raising funds for various charities and taking on eco projects, our schools are creating the best environment for children and young people to grow and thrive.

Celebrating the faith

Our schools are very much in touch with the faith journey of our diocese and are brilliantly carrying the children along. Little Vinnies of St Michael’s RC Primary School in Whitefield are demonstrating this in amazing ways! For instance, they helped to put up Bishop John’s words in the school’s foyer and installed new signages with a Scripture for each class.

At Holy Trinity RC Primary School in Brierfield, the children are consciously living out the Year of Prayer by tidying up their prayer garden and making it look beautiful for prayers and other religious activities.

It was also wonderful to see schools celebrating the faith in engaging ways. At St John the Baptist Burnley Year 5 Chaplains celebrated the Feast of St John the Baptist on 24th June by giving each class a knitted figure of St John for their class altars.

At St John the Baptist RC Primary School Rochdale, the children celebrated the feast day of their school’s patron saint with a wonderful Celebration of the Word together and then studied the saint’s portrait in art.

Serving others

We are so proud of all of our schools for their tireless efforts in supporting various charities and organisations.

The Mini Vinnies of Corpus Christi Oldham succesfully organised a colour run and donated the proceeds to charity. In the same vein, students of St Anthony High School Urmston supported various charities with their tremendously successful St Antony’s Feast Day walk fundraiser.

Our schools have also been continuing to nurture a special relationship with CAFOD (Catholic Agency For Overseas Development) to learn more the lives and challenges of our brothers and sisters around the world and to offer support through prayer and fundraising.

Inspiring experiences

Year 9 pupils of St Bede’s College Blackburn enjoyed a retreat to Pantasaph in Holywell Northwales. They celebrated Mass and were inspired by beautiful stained glass windows and stunning statues celebrating the heritage of our faith. On the trip back to Blackburn, the students visited the shrine of St Winefride’s well that has been a place of pilgrimage since the 1100s and is visited by thousands of pilgrims every year.

Taking advantage of local pilgrimage opportunities, pupils of St Anne’s Audenshaw went on a very special trip today to The Hidden Gem in Manchester. They witnessed the Adoration of The Blessed Sacrament, joined in with The Rosary and attended Mass.

Thank you

As another academic year comes to an end, we thank all our teachers, school staff and governors who are supporting our young people and helping them to flourish. A huge thank you for your tireless work.

We would like to share this lovely prayer by Newman Catholic College, Oldham.