. Chaplaincy News Spring Term 2A 2017 “A community of Learners, Believers and Friends”

Introduction Welcome to the very first issue of the Mount St Joseph Chaplaincy News. We hope that you find this an insightful and enjoyable read. If you have any questions or comments, then please do not hesitate to contact me.

The school chaplaincy was established over two years ago with the aim of ensuring that all students were able to make a contribution to the ethos of the school. We firmly believe that through the work and the activities of the school chaplains we are able to fulfil the mission of the school in being “A community of Learners, Believers and Friends”.

The school chaplaincy team consists of members from different year groups with upper school ensuring that they lead and pass on the skills to the lower school chaplains. The chaplains meet on a regular basis to plan, prepare and evaluate the activities that they have organised.

Our school chaplains are: Year 9 students: Cameron Boothwell, Neya Karadia, Nerielle Oberio, Evelin Chako, Stephen Murphy, Bethany Booth, Leah Bainbridge, Daniel Preston, Jonathan Ndongala, Charlotte Smith, Lana Rowley. Year 10 students: Milva Opara, Majesty Erhabor, Kodou Njie, Diya Siby, Ann-Mariya George and Lakshmi Biju.

The chaplains are involved in a variety events; in school, in our feeder primary schools with other secondary school chaplains and with chaplains from across the Salford Diocese.

Regards Mr M Haughton, Mount St Joseph School Chaplain. (haughtonm@msj..sch.uk) Schoenstatt Retreats Over the course of the school year our R.E. department run numerous educational visits to a number of places of worship. One of these takes place at the Schoenstatt Shrine in Kearsley. All Year 7 forms have had the opportunity to visit the Shrine and take part in a variety of activities that are designed to bring them closer together and to work as a form. With the help of Father Reginald all Year 7 forms have enjoyed the experience and ensured that they have strengthened their bonds together as a form.

Religious Education Trips Our Religious Education department have organised trips to various places of religious importance for Year Groups 7 - 10 to visit during 2017 including the Jewish Museum, St Mary’s R.C. Church the Hidden Gem and the Zakariyya Mosque. Whilst visiting these different places students will develop an awareness of the different faith communities in Bolton and Greater Manchester.

www.msj.bolton.sch.uk [email protected] 01204 391800

www.facebook.com/MountStJosephBolton @MSJBolton Charity Appeals Our Chaplaincy links with our local primary schools continues to grow in strength. In November and December our Chaplains visited St Ethelbert’s several times to discuss and plan out a joint charity appeal for The Destitution Project, located in the heart of the town at the Victoria Hall. The project aims to give those who have nothing a warm meal every day. The tins of food we donate are of vital importance to the charity. Our Chaplains made some posters which were displayed around the school to encourage people to donate.

We also raised a total of £500 for the McMillan Cancer Fund after running a staff and students Coffee Morning. This was extremely successful and we are very proud of the amount of money raised that improved on the amount raised in previous years.

The school also took part in the ‘Save the Children Christmas Jumper Appeal’, the money raised from this event will go directly to help the more vulnerable in our local and global community. Mass of Mercy Four of our pupil Chaplains went to on Friday 25th November to a Mass to mark the end of the Year of Mercy. Schools from across the Diocese of Salford attended to mark the end of this very special year.

Bishop John Arnold commented that although it is the end of the Year of Mercy it should always be continuing in all our actions within school communities. The school also celebrated the Year of Mercy in school when we received the Door of Mercy earlier in the school year.

Light-Fever November saw the Chaplaincy team launch a brand new event. In the November is a time when we think about those who have died, loved ones who we can no longer see but carry in our1111 hearts. Our Light-Fever event ran from Monday 21st November - Fri 25th November. The Chaplains offered the pupils and staff the opportunity to visit the Chapel at break and lunchtime, light a candle for a loved one and dedicate the name of the person on a prayer flower. Over 300 candles were lit during the week with many pupils making multiple visits. “Eternal rest give unto them or Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them, may they rest in peace” Amen.

Las Posadas We received the Las Posadas statues which had been touring the Catholic Schools in Bolton on November 29th from St Gregory’s Primary School. The statues formed part of our Year 7 assembly then spent time in several departments where pupils participated in various activities based around Mary and Joseph. On Wednesday 30th November Mr Haughton and two of our Year 9 Chaplains delivered the statues to St William of York Primary and took part in a very serene and reflective assembly.