This week in our school community: 15 November 2024

Student Commissioning Day at Clifton Cathedral

 

 

  

On Wednesday of this week we took a group of our new year seven cohort to Clifton Cathedral to take part in the annual Commissioning day for students who are involved in the integral work of chaplaincy in our Catholic secondary schools.  The day included a Commissioning Mass where all students were presented with their Chaplaincy Team badges and certificates, a number of prayer stations, a workshop and a chance to meet students from other schools with all their ideas and responsibilities.  During Mass, Monsignor Liam, presiding, spoke to the students in his homily about a story he had once been told about a sick man who was having his little toe amputated, and how, even though it was ‘just’ his little toe the man was incredibly upset and worried about such a loss.  It transpired that his concern was because the little toe is instrumental in balance and thus actually has a much bigger purpose than people may judge or see.  Mgr Liam shared with the students that although schools are full of senior figures, leadership, heads of year and more, the role each person involved in the work of chaplaincy in our schools does is comparative to the little toe.  It may just seem like one Year 7, but the contribution of each Year 7 is paramount to the continuous spreading of the Gospel in our Catholic schools. 

Here at St Gregory’s I can echo the importance of Mgr Liam’s message, as those students commissioned will be involved and supportive in so many school initiatives and the day-to-day mission  - from setting up and organising prayer spaces, reading and volunteering at liturgies/services, etc, assisting in creative ideas for our charity campaigns and so much more. Their energy, enthusiasm and love will be an integral part of the coming years, we thank them all for embracing the Gospel.   

Young Volunteer Programme 24/25 begins at St Joseph’s, Swindon

Also this week we have had another opportunity to see how young people can thrive by being their best and truest selves and looking outwards to the needs of others.  The Year 10 Young Volunteer Programme began on Thursday, hosted at St Joseph’s Catholic College, Swindon, and involved groups of students from our school, St Joseph’s, as well as St Bede’s (Bristol) and St Bernadette’s (Bristol).  This programme is an ideal chance for young people to put their concern for neighbour into action – working alongside various charities throughout the year to campaign, fundraise and advocate for the mission of each respective charity.  The first day was led by Kezia from SVP (St Vincent De Paul Society) a charity founded by Blessed Frederic Ozanam and inspired by the example of St Vincent De Paul, to seek out the lost, the poor and those on the periphery and “embrace them in a network of charity” (Blessed Frederic Ozanam).   The mission of the SVP today is to seek and find those in need, to help them in a spirit of justice and to tackle the causes of poverty where we can.

Therefore, for our students on the Young Volunteer Programme, who have signed up because of their eagerness to give back to others and find ways to make a difference, working alongside the SVP is a perfect fit.  Kezia led the students in a full day of activities and reflection that shared the incredible work SVP, youth SVP and associated groups currently do by finding the ‘poverty’ in their communities and doing something about it.   Linking this mission to the upcoming jubilee year of the Church with it’s theme of ‘Pilgrims of Hope’, each school group has been sent out to find ways to bring hope to the communities where they live by using the SVP model of See, Think, Do.

We look forward to the next gathering on the programme here in Bath, where we will share the great work of each school and move on to another charity rooted in faith.   

Mr Robinson

Lay Chaplain