Spiritually
Chaplaincy
Our school chaplaincy is an integral part of the St Gregory’s community, inclusive of all, and led by our Lay Chaplain, Mr Robinson. Chaplaincy is an area of the school that incorporates spiritual development, fundraising, concern for others, social justice and pastoral support.
There are a number of groups who meet regularly, supported by the Lay Chaplain, including Year 7 Chaplaincy Team, charity and environment reps, Year 10 Young Volunteers and the Year 12 CAFOD Young Leaders. These active groups of students are responsible for a wide ranging variety of fundraising, awareness and Catholic Social Teaching initiatives which form the spine of our day to day life at St Gregory’s. Students are supported by Chaplaincy in being the leaders of faith in their tutor time Collective Worship, Collective Worship assemblies and whole school Masses and liturgies.
Our Chaplaincy Team welcome and support every student and their families as part of the community of St Gregory’s both spiritually and pastorally.
The school Chapel is open all day, everyday with chaplaincy leading a wide and varied programme, available to all students. Break times are dedicated to various forms of prayer and worship such as the Rosary, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Lectio Divina and shared times of prayer and worship, etc. Whereas, lunchtime is open to activities and worship such as liturgies, meditation, arts, crafts and games. Our Chaplaincy Team welcome and support every student and their families as part of the community of St Gregory’s both spiritually and pastorally.
Retreat Programme
Retreats are a vital part of life in a Catholic school, allowing us to explore, develop and journey in faith in alternate settings and a variety of mediums. Some of our retreat experiences are led by our Lay Chaplain and the RE team, others use the staff at Christian retreat centres or collaboration between the Lay Chaplains of Clifton Diocese. In Key Stage 3 we use local venues for our obligatory day retreats such as Sulis Manor, Glastonbury, All Hallow’s Prep or Downside School to ensure that every student is able to find a way of engaging and being open to the benefits of Catholic education, social teaching and an active prayer life.
Retreats are a vital part of life in a Catholic school, allowing us to explore, develop and journey in faith in alternate settings and a variety of mediums.
In Year 8 we introduce students to their first residential retreat experience at St Cassian’s centre, Kintbury just for our own school. Once students are in Years 9 & 10 we offer additional residential retreats at Kintbury, but this time for the ‘Kintbury Experience’, a four day Lasallian themed retreat shared with likeminded students from other schools across the country. In Year 11 we offer students a joint retreat experience at The Beacon’s Activity Centre, Lynton, Devon where we bring together Year 11s from across a number of the Catholic Secondary schools of Clifton Diocese.
The themes of our retreat provision are:
Year 7: ‘God has chosen you as his own special people’ (Col 3:12), an introductory retreat to life at St Gregory’s and exploration of joining a Lasallian community.
Year 8: ‘I have set an example for you, so that you will do just what I have done for you …now that you know this truth, how happy you will be if you put it into practice!’ (John 13). A day focusing on pilgrimage and journeying with refugees.
Year 8 (Residential): An introduction to the Damian Lundy Lasallian themed model, being aware of and looking for the best in one another.
Year 9: ‘Running away never achieved anything: Choices’. A retreat inspired by Jonah and looking at the pathway ahead for young people and the crossroads they will face in their striving for vocation.
Year 9 & 10 (Residential): Lasallian themed retreats at St Cassian’s, Kintbury which use Br Damian Lundy’s model of ‘Welcome, Awareness, Reconciliation & Good News’ as a successful format.
Year 11: Themed on resilience at the beginning of GCSE year. This retreat aims to empower students to be the best of themselves and overcome adversity in a defining year of their life.
The sixth form student leadership team and Lay Chaplain are currently working on a new opportunity for Years 12 and 13 that captures elements of a retreat alongside improving/maintaining positive wellbeing and mental health. It will be a residential weekend visit to a UK city.
For the latest information and calendar of retreats and chaplaincy events, visit our School Calendar page.