It was wonderful to see a number of pupils and families at the Holy Week retreat. Since then, it has been a busy Easter season.
During the Grammar parents’ weekend, Bishop John Arnold of Salford came to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation on the 23 candidates who had been preparing since the start of the year. He told them: "God loves each one of us so much that he's got an individual, unique mission for us - and he's going to give us the gifts and the talents and the skills that we need to fulfil that mission. You will receive the Holy Spirit today - and the Spirit is there to guide you and help you. You and I are delegated by Jesus Christ to carry on his work." Please keep the newly-confirmed in your prayers as they take their place as adult members of the Church. May their joyful witness to the Gospel bear much fruit for the greater glory of God.
As we prepare to say thank you and farewell to the team from Rhetoric 2024, we are very grateful to the 15 Poets have come forward to serve the community as Eucharistic ministers and ushers at Mass in the coming year. Three of our altar servers also received their chaplaincy colours this half-term in recognition of their dedication and skill, and all the servers were rewarded with a traditional ‘Good Tea’ at Pentecost. Thank you to them and to everyone who has contributed to the prayerfulness and beauty of the liturgies through music and reading.
Just this week, we marked an important day in the Jesuit calendar: the anniversary – the 503rd to be precise – of the Battle of Pamplona. It was commemorated with a short service at the Lions to recall the incident with the cannonball that led to the conversion of Ignatius.
Our fundraising focus this term is for the Jesuit schools in Lebanon who have appealed for our help. Mr Murphy, who visited the schools in the Bekaa Valley last year, has given a number of talks to raise awareness of their situation. The Poets are organising a ball on 5 July, while eight indefatigable Grammarians are undertaking a sponsored marathon of circuit-training. The Lower Grammar Faith in Action Bronze award groups will also be putting on a fundraiser in the second half of term.
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