Chaplaincy Team

The Chaplaincy Team at St Paul’s Catholic Primary School seek to respond to Bishop Bosco MacDonald’s call to be a ‘People of Hope’ and this informs the work that they do.  The Chaplaincy Team work hard to make the lives of others better and to help others understand the presence of God with them.  They also seek to show others the love that God has for us all.  As a people of hope, the Chaplaincy Team work hard to make people’s lives better, as well as giving others hope for the future, and hope for today as well.  They do this by strengthening mission, deepening prayer and enabling communion.

A new Chaplaincy Team is formed every September and they meet regularly to sustain and improve the Catholic Life of our school. 

The Chaplaincy Team for the 2024-2025 academic year has been formed and they are already busy planning things to improve the Catholic Life for the whole school community.

Chaplaincy training

The newly formed Chaplaincy Team were fortunate to take part in training led by Miss Rita McLoughlin.  This was an ideal opportunity for the children to plan and prepare activities for the Autumn Term 2024.  Below are some photographs of the afternoon.

           

 

       

 

 

     

 

       

 

     

 

 

On Wednesday 16th October 2024, the Chaplaincy Team attended a Camino Chaplaincy Day at Downside School.  The day started with Mass in Downside Abbey and after lunch the Chaplaincy Team took part in training on Prayer Spaces, Lectio Divina and the Rosary.

 

   

 

 

Below are some pictures of the Prayer Spaces that were created during the workshop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During the month of October, the Chaplaincy Team have invited the school community to join them in saying a decade of the rosary at lunch times.  Key Stage 2 have prayed the rosary on a Tuesday lunch time and Key Stage 1 on a Thursday lunch time.  It has been well attended by children and adults alike.  On Friday 18th October 2024, the Chaplaincy Team led the whole school in praying the rosary as part of the ACN's One Million Children Praying the Rosary for Peace and Unity in the World.  Our efforts were praised by Steve Riedlinger, from the ACN, who said: " Thank you for your contribution to One Million Children Praying The Rosary today. To have so many decades of the Rosary prayed in one school is both a great statement of witness for love and a mark of a school community that shows faith through action. Please pass on my thanks to the children and staff that supported what is a beautiful day of hope." 

Our thanks go to the Chaplaincy Team for providing opportunities for the whole school community to pray the rosary together in October.  

Following our Harvest Mass, the school community brought in donations for the local Food Bank and our own school Food Parcel scheme which will make a difference to the lives of people in our local area.  Below is a picture of the Harvest donations along with a picture of Mrs Edwards delivering our donations to the local Food Bank.

 

 

 

On Friday 8th November 2024, the Chaplaincy team travelled to Clifton Cathedral for the Primary Commissioning Mass with Bishop Bosco MacDonald.  This was an opportunity for the Chaplaincy team to gather with Chaplaincy teams across the diocese and celebrate the valuable work that they do.  Each member of the Chaplaincy team was given a specially blessed badge and a certificate as recognition for the difference that they make to the prayer life of their school.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 11th November 2024, the Chaplaincy team led the whole school community in an act of remembrance.  It was a moment to pause and reflect on the sacrifices that have been made so we can live as we do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

During November, the Chaplaincy team are providing an opportunity for members of the whole school community to pause and remember their loved ones who have died.  On a Tuesday lunch time, Key Stage 1 can come into the chapel and write the name of a loved one on a poppy whilst listening to reflective music, finishing with the prayer 'Eternal Rest'.  Key Stage 2 have the same opportunity on a Thursday lunch time.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace.
Amen

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen

2023-2024

 

 

The Chaplaincy Team are organising a collection for our local Foodbank as part of our Harvest celebrations.  Please read the poster carefully to find which goods are required and donate what you can.  The collection day is Thursday 19th October 2023.

 

 

Files to Download