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THE INSPIRATION AND VISION

The spiritual inspiration for our life at the College comes to us from St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. It is from him that we receive the challenge to do all AMDG, “Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam”, “for the greater glory of God”. He helps us to understand what it means to live out the school motto “Quant Je Puis” (“As much as I can”), and to strive to be “men and women for others”.

TO FIND GOD IN ALL THINGS

“To find God in all things” is the phrase often used to sum up the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

Anything that opens our minds and hearts to God makes possible this encounter, this finding of God.

• We meet God in our prayer, personal and communal.

• We encounter him in a privileged way through the sacraments.

• We open our hearts to him when we express gratitude for all that is taking place in our lives.

• We are attentive to him when we sense in the events of our lives his invitation to follow him.

• We are with him when we judge and choose to do what is right, when we serve others, and work for peace and justice in our world (Men and Women for others).

• We are drawn to him when we explore and delight in Truth, not just of our faith, but all Truth.

• We give glory to Him when we use our gifts in a selfless way (Quant Je Puis), whether they be sporting or musical, academic or social for it is then that we show forth in some small way the splendour of the Creator (AMDG).

• We become more like him when we become a friend and companion of Christ.

THE RELIGIOUS LIFE OF THE COLLEGE

FOR THE PUPILS

In a variety of ways we try to help our pupils make this encounter with God a reality in their lives. All pupils, whatever their religious background, are encouraged to participate

in the religious life of the school and all are encouraged to think and reflect on the profound matters that relate to the nature and ultimate meaning of life.

Daily Prayer: for all Playrooms in morning assembly, and in Lower Line a programme of night prayers encouraging pupils to take responsibility for their own personal prayer the older they get.

Celebration of the Sacraments: with a full sung Mass every Sunday and on feast days, playroom Masses, twice or three times a term, and voluntary Mass celebrated everyday. In the Christmas and Easter term each playroom celebrates a service of Reconciliation, and confessions are available twice a week, on Wednesdays at 1.15pm and on Saturdays at 6.15pm.

A Confirmation Programme is run in the Easter or Summer terms for those wishing to be confirmed. Provision is made also for those who, after careful consideration and discussion with their families, may wish to be received into the Catholic Church.

Devotional life: In October and May pupils are encouraged to join in the saying of the rosary. The College celebrates Benediction twice a term, and the voluntary Benediction continues to be held on Saturday evenings.

Annual Retreat: Each playroom has an annual day retreat normally held outside of the College. In Higher Line, the retreats take place at Loyola Hall the Jesuit Retreat house near Liverpool.

Service of others: as much as possible we strive to educate the pupils to be men and women for others. A number of activities and events typify this central aspect of College life:

• CAFOD lunches in Lent: each Friday in Lent pupils and staff can choose to have a simple lunch of soup and bread; the savings made are sent to the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development.

• The Stonyhurst College Childrens’ Trust: SCHT is a pupil lead charity that raises funds for, and organises, a week’s holiday for children with disabilities. The major fundraising event of the year is the Poetry (lower Sixth) banquet.

• Learning to Care: a pupil lead charity that fundraises throughout the year and makes donations to a variety of charitable causes, at home and abroad.

• Weekly Voluntary Service: there are weekly visits by pupils to local schools for children with disabilities.

• The Lourdes Pilgrimage: the annual pilgrimage involves past and present pupils and friends of the College caring for the sick pilgrims at Lourdes.

• Gap Year opportunities: through the work of Fr. John Grumitt SJ, pupils in Rhetoric can apply to spend a gap year abroad undertaking work for the service of others. Pupils in the past have worked in such counties as Australia, India, and Mexico.

College Pilgrimage

There is an annual walking or cycling pilgrimage, normally for Syntax boys and girls that takes place immediately after the GCSEs.

Guest Speakers: Supplementing the Religious Studies undertaken by all pupils in the school, guest speakers are regularly invited to talk on matters of faith and morals under the auspices of In Veritate and the Senior Essay Society.

FOR PARENTS AND FAMILIES

Prayers for Parents at Parents’ Weekends: there will always be a time of prayer lead by the Chaplain in the Boys’ Chapel during the Parents’ Weekends, normally at the start of the weekend.

College Masses: Parents and their families are always welcome to the Sunday 10am College Mass in St. Peter’s and at the Feast Day Masses announced in the Calendar.

Easter Retreat: Each Easter, from Maundy Thursday afternoon to Easter Sunday Morning, the College welcomes families to the College for the Celebration of the Easter liturgies. More information is available from the College Development Office.

THE ORGANISATION

The Chaplaincy Team

The Jesuit chaplain, working closely with other members of staff and most particularly with those on the Chaplaincy team, is responsible for the religious life of the College. He is assisted by the Jesuit Superior and maintains close contact with the Jesuit Chaplain at St. Mary’s Hall.

Support from the British Province of the Society of Jesus

Support is received in a variety of ways from the British Province of the Society of Jesus most importantly through the work of the Provincial’s Delegate for Education, Br. Alan Harrison. Other Jesuits visit the College to preach on Sundays and feast days. We also benefit from being able to take the pupils to Loyola Hall, the Jesuit retreat House, for retreats and to Southwell House, the Jesuit Youth Project in London, for Social Justice programmes.

International links with the Society of Jesus

We have been greatly helped by Jesuits in other countries when organizing trips abroad. The recent Pilgrimages to Loyola and Santiago de Compostela were great examples of this.

Links to other websites

For help in prayer based on the spirituality of St.Ignatius: www. sacredspace.ie

For information about the British Province of the Society of Jesus: www.jesuit.org.uk