School Charity and Focus for Academic Year 2021-22
This academic year we will be raising money throughout the academic year to support Macmillan charity for 2021-22. Macmillan supports many members of our school community and the support they offer to families, at their most difficult times, is invaluable.
Sponsoring Education
This year our school will be sponsoring the education for four children from the Indian village of Vakhigol. The money we raise will ensure these children are able to go to school for a whole year. Further information can be found by clicking Child Sponsorship
Holy Year of Focus
Working in collaboration with the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle, our school follows an overarching ‘Holy Year of Focus’ each year. A summary of these can be seen below:
2020-2021 Focus: Year of St Joseph
2019-2020 Focus: Year of the Word : Throughout the year we had a different monthly focus relating to the Gospels and to help explore the themes of ; celebrating, living and sharing God’s word.
2017-19 Focus: Year of Mary
The theme of World Youth Day 2017 was taken from Our Lady’s song of praise, the Magnificat, ‘The Mighty One has done great things for me’. Pope Francis chose to focus on Mary for the next two years’ World Youth celebrations, culminating in Panama in 2019. Pope Francis asked young people to journey with Mary, describing her as ‘a role model to be imitated’.
Each month in school was linked to a virtue shown by Mary and celebrated her many names. There was the usual links to prayer, liturgy, prayer station, resources, artwork and the liturgical and global calendar. There was also a Year of Mary prayer bag to share with families.
2016-17 Focus: Year of Archbishop Oscar Romero (1917-1980)
To commemorate the centenary year of the birth of Blessed Oscar Romero, the martyred Archbishop of El Salvador, the Diocese asked us to think about his life and sayings. Each month there was a prayer focus for the children to think and reflect on. Throughout the year we learnt all about, his life, beliefs and his legacy. The children had the opportunity to reflect upon his life by saying a prayer of thanks to God, for giving us such a great man to show us how to carry out God’s mission.
2015-16 Focus: Year of Mercy
Imagine a world without judgement, condemnation, and full of forgiveness – This is the hope of Pope Francis, who proclaimed a Holy Year of Mercy for the whole Church in 2015.
What is the Holy Year of Mercy?
Pope Francis announced a jubilee year, a very special event in the Catholic Church, called the Holy Year of Mercy. A jubilee year is called by the Church to receive a blessing and pardon from God; this jubilee year began on December 8th 2015 and finished on November 2016, the Feast of the King. The Holy Year of Mercy celebrated being a witness of mercy and invited us all to follow the example of God as merciful, forgiving and loving followers.