Catholic Life of Our School

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 Our GoGivers led our Harvest Festival today with readings, songs, their own poems and a dance. We have had an additional collection for the South Sefton Foodbank too.

 Today our Y6 and Y4 classes visited Ss Peter and Paul Church, as part of the Year of the Eucharist, for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, some quiet reflection and a short talk by Fr John about how the church supports people in need and how we can meet Christ in our everyday lives. 

On Friday lunchtimes during October, Years 4, 5 and 6 are meeting to pray the Rosary. 

The Christian Education Department invited the schools in the Archdiocese to design a poster for the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and Congress Adoremus with the theme "Jesus, The Bread of Life". Over 500 entries from 36 schools were entered and one of ours was highly commended and appeared in the Adoremus brochure.

Today Fr John led our KS2 assembly, starting by asking us how we meet Jesus in our daily lives. He also reminded us of Pope Francis’s challenge to us, in the lead up to Synod 2020, to have a daily encounter with Christ and to follow his call to change lives.

At the end of assembly we were fortunate to have a silent time for our own prayers during Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.

Fr John showed us a number of monstrances that hold the consecrated host during Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The word monstrance comes from to demonstrate – to show something to people. He showed us two in particular, one that is used on most days in church and a larger one shaped like an altar, used during quarantore in October.

Fr John also explained his special vestments, the humeral veil, worn on the shoulders and the cope. These are worn so that the priest does not hold the monstrance with bare hands.

Today, Miss Bradley is representing our school at  the Adoremus National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and Congress.  We look forwrd to hearing all about it. Eucharistic Congresses are gatherings of all the faithful – clergy, religious and laity – which promote an awareness of the central place of the Eucharist in the life and mission of the Church. The last International Eucharistic Congress in England was held in 1908. The Congress in Liverpool is the first National Congress ever to be held in England and Wales. On Saturday there is the National Youth Congress at The Echo Arena and Sunday is Pilgrimage Day at the Metropolitan Cathedral. 

 Today we were honoured to welcome ex-pupil Right Reverend John Rawsthorne, the Bishop Emeritus of Hallam to bless our school after the building works of recent years. We were fascinated to hear that his mother attended our school in 1910, he came in 1941, his nieces and nephews followed & there is a member of his family at Great Crosby now.  We also welcomed guests from the Archdiocese, Mgr John, Fr Simon, local schools, our builders, governors, PTA & former staff.  

Click on the photo to watch Bishop John remind us that the school buildings and all the staff are only here because of the children.  He remembered that when he was here, our grounds were playing fields for Merchant Taylors'.

Click on the photo to watch Bishop John's blessing.

After the blessing our Go Givers talked to our guests about all their community work.

Each class has been given a new votive candle for our focus tables, to commemorate the blessing of our school after the building works. Click the photo to watch Bishop John blessing them.

We are very proud that the head of the Roman Catholic Church in England & Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, was a pupil at our school, when it was Ss Peter and Paul's Catholic Primary.

On Friday 27th April, we welcomed Richard from C.A.F.O.D. Liverpool and presented him with a cheque for £2337.60 raised during Lent by our children and families, through a number of events. This will be doubled by the Government.

On Wednesday 28th March, the last day of term, we commemorated Maundy Thursday.  Year 1, Reception and Nursery had their feet washed.  They also shared bread and "wine" to re-enact the Last Supper.  Years 2 to 6 had collective worship sessions in their classrooms in the morning.  In the afternoon they listened to reflections and readings from the Stations of the Cross.

On Tuesday 27th March we held our Market Day to raise funds for C.A.F.O.D. Click on the title page to see the photos and a video about how C.A.F.O.D. helps families who do not have enough food.

We celebrated Palm Sunday on Friday 23rd March.  The children waved 'palm leaves', sang and watched Jesus enter Jerusalem.

 We celebrated Ash Wednesday on Friday 9th February as Ash Wednesday was in the half-term holiday. Year 3 led our celebration in school and we received our ashes.  Click on the photo.