Please see below for regularly updated Chaplaincy news
Prayer Service for Ukraine
Thank you to the students, parents and grandparents that took part in our service in the chapel at lunchtime on the 24th February marking the sad anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine. As a community we stay close to the people of Ukraine and pray for peace.
Ash Wednesday Masses
Pope Francis tells us that “Lent is a time for believing, for welcoming God into our lives and allowing him to “make his dwelling” among us”. It was a joy to begin our Lenten journey together as a community with three Ash Wednesday Masses in St Mary and St Michael's Church. We particularly thank our readers and the members of staff that distributed ashes.
Giving Gifts to Those in Need
On Monday, 19th December, we delivered a minibus of presents to the St Francis Family Centre. The gifts were bought with the money raised from last year’s Christmas Appeal co-ordinated by the Sixth Form Charity Committee.
St Francis works in partnership with parents to provide outstanding pre-school education, giving disadvantaged children the best possible start in life in an area that has the highest rate of child poverty in the country. The Centre is run by the Catholic Children’s Society, who also give members of our school community a tremendous amount of practical and financial help.
It is our privilege to support them every year and we thank the nursery children in particular for the beautiful thank you card they made
Whole School Christmas Masses
On the last full day of term the whole school came together to celebrate Mass in St Mary and St Michaels' Church. Led by Parish Priest Fr Willie Skehan, the celebrations offered the chance to give thanks and to prepare for Christmas and the birth of the Christ child.
Music was led by Mr McGarvey and the school choir, with readers from across the school, and students brought some of the foodbank donations to the altar during the offertory.
We thank all involved in the planning of the Masses - it was a wonderful way to end a busy and successful term.
Advent Giving Calendar
We are collecting donations for Bow Foodbank throughout the Advent season – an organisation that has been doing vital work in Tower Hamlets since 2014. Over the next week, students have been asked to bring in the following items;
Monday, 12th December: Teabags
Tuesday, 13th December: UHT Milk (semi-skimmed or full fat)
Wednesday, 14th December: Rice (1KG Bags)
Thursday, 15th December: Shower Gel
Friday, 16th December: Instant Coffee
Form Tutors, it would be great if you could keep up the momentum with daily reminders of the next day’s food item in form time.
There is a list with all items that Bow foodbank are collecting on their website here - https://www.bowfoodbank.org/give-food/. Food items will be collected at the gate every morning and staff are warmly invited to join in.
Remembrance Day
On Friday, 11th November the whole school fell silent in prayer at 11am in remembrance and honour of the fallen. After the silence, our student leaders read 'In Flanders Fields by John McCrae. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace.
Year 10 Boys Deliver All Souls Intentions to St Mary and St Michaels’ Church
A group of Year 10 Boys accompanied by Ms Komba-Kono delivered our box of All Souls Day prayer intentions to St Mary and St Michael’s Church and took part in a short service.
We started with a minute’s silence, then after the intentions were brought up to the altar each boy lit a candle and placed it beside them.
The boys were reverent, reflective and excellent representatives of their school and their year group. Our box of names and prayer intentions will remain on the altar for the rest of November, the month where the Church traditionally honours and mourns those who have died.
All Souls Day Arrangements
Wednesday, 2nd November is All Souls’ Day, a day of prayer and mourning for those who have died. It offers the opportunity to remember and give thanks for loved ones who have gone before us, and to celebrate all that they meant and mean to us.
Before school, during break and during lunch, the school chapel will be open to staff and students for prayer, reflection or to simply offer a quiet space for contemplation. There will be the opportunity to write private messages or prayers and to place them in the box on the altar. At the end of the day the box will be taken to St Mary and St Michael’s Church, where it will remain throughout the month
Year 7 Celebration Mass
On the last Thursday of the half term, our Year 7 took part in a Mass of celebration in St Mary and St Michael's Church.
The service was led by Father Willie Skehan and gave the students and their teachers the chance to reflect on and give thanks for the first half term at their new school. It has been a joy to welcome our new Year 7 to Bishop Challoner and already they have added so much to our community. We thank God for them and cannot wait to see them become all that God has called them to be over the coming years.