School That Matters: International Day of Peace
At the end of each assembly this week Mr. Jordan issued a very simple challenge to the 200 or so pupils sitting on the benches in front of him: smile. There was more to this than might first appear. Our assemblies have been focused on peace, that quality that is so very absent from so many places and people. Understandingly we focus on lamented where it is missing and often miss our own role in this. We focus on perceived unfairness, petty grudges and long-held grievances. Mostly these go no further than our own small social circles and groups, but from time-to-time, what began as a minor disagreement becomes something huge that affects many people. As we are often reminded, great conflicts begin in the hearts of individuals long before they escalate to the battlefield or the street corner. As a result it is important to consider the part each of us can play in ensuring peace reigns and, as Pope Francis reminded us, that can begin with a smile.
Peace is an entirely appropriate subject for the term in which we focus on the Love strand of our Mission Statement. This challenges us to recognise that ‘everybody matters’, that we are ‘unique together’, that everyone is welcome. That we are a family, a place and a community with Christ at Centre. Which is another way of saying, each one of us should value others the way we are loved by God. We also talk to pupils about how the Love in our mission means that everyone is ‘celebrated and deserving of dignity.’
Celebration was very much the order of things at the Year 8 Mass on Tuesday as we recognised the 25 years of service of Fr. Chris Gorton our Chaplain and Parish Priest for Holy Family. His homily took in some reflections on his experiences over the last quarter century and, in typical fashion, he concluded Mass with some of his specially written ‘jokes’. It is quite an achievement to have provided such a long period of commitment to a vocation and as a school community are grateful for the ministry Fr. Chris brings to our school and the role model that he is whenever he joins us.
In this week’s newsletter you can read more about some of the things that have been happening in and around school and there is much more that does not make it into the newsletter. What I can guarantee is that whatever is happening it is done with love and is an expression of our Mission.
Ben Davis,
Headteacher
