Arrangements are well underway for Rome Pilgrimage 2019 which will include our current Fifth Years. The dates have been confirmed as Monday 16 September to Monday 23 September 2019. We are flying from Glasgow International to Rome Fiumicino with Jet2 and staying in the Hotel Dei Mille in the Centre of Rome.

We have managed to arrange for a visit to the Scavi deep underneath St Peter’s Basilica to St Peter’s Tomb. The pupils will have the privilege of looking to the Tomb of Peter from just a few feet away and being able to pray at his tomb.

The remaining amount to be a paid is £725.00 which can be paid in instalments as suggested :
Friday 22 February 2019 £125.00
Friday 29 March 2019 £200.00
Friday 26 April 2019 £200.00
Friday 24 May 2019 £200.00

For the visit each pupils requires an individual passport and we understand that a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will still be important. In June 2019 pupils will be asked to provide details from passports to allow us to complete the Flight List. Please ensure that your child’s passport is current at this time and will remain current for September 2019.

Pupils should collect a letter from Mr Bradshaw and a Consent Form which will allow us to plan for any particular medical issues. The Consent Form should be completed and returned no later than Friday 23 November 2018. A further Consent Form will be issued nearer the time of the visit.

Pope Benedict XVI Caritas Awards.
Commissioning Service at 7.00pm on Tuesday 13 November 2018.

The Pope Benedict XVI Caritas Awards were initiated by the Scottish Catholic Education Service to mark the visit of Pope Benedict to Scotland in 2010. Since then, literally thousands of Secondary Students throughout Scotland have been successful in achieving the Caritas Award marking their great work in the school, parishes and faith community.

The Caritas Awards encourage and support students to be reflective about their faith and prayer life; to complete works of service to others in the parish, local faith community and school.

An important component of the Caritas Awards is the support offered by the parish or faith community, the school and the family. Therefore, we extend a warm welcome to all Caritas pupils and their parents and families to join local priests and school staff for our Caritas Commissioning Service which will take place at 7.00pm on Tuesday 13 November 2018 in our Oratory which will be followed by teas and coffees.

Our Annual Service of Light will be held at 12.20pm on Tuesday 20 November 2018. At this Service we will pray for our close relatives and friends who have died in the past twelve months.

Fr Jonathan will lead this Service of Prayer and Remembrance with prayers and the Gospel.

If you would like your close friend or relative who has died within the past twelve months to be included in this Service please pass on their name and relationship to you. Names can be sent to mail@stninians.e-renfrew.sch.uk or given to Mr Bradshaw or Mr Cumming by Friday 16 November 2018

Each name will be added to our November List and read out at the Service. As each person’s name is read out, a special candle will be lit for them. At the end of the Service relatives can take the candle home to be a focus of prayer for the family.

All families and friends are invited to join the Service

From the Old Testament Book of 2 Maccabees and the rich tradition of the Church we are encouraged to pray for the Holy Souls – those faithful departed who in life responded in faith to God’s Call but for some attachment to sin are not yet able to join him in Heaven.

For Centuries, the Church has dedicated the Month of November as the Month of the Holy Souls and has encouraged us to pray for them.

We are fortunate to have Mass at 8.25am on Tuesdays, Thursday and Friday. We would invite all staff, pupils, families and friends to join us at Masses in November to pray specifically for the Holy Souls.

The next World Youth Day will be held in Panama in January 2019 and no doubt will be a great succcess. However, it will be quite difficult and expensive for young people in Scotland to get to Panama.
Therefore, the Salesian URSpace Team invite young people in Saint Ninian’s to join with them at ‘WYD at Home’ which will take place in Liverpool on the Weekend of 25th to 27th January 2019.
This weekend will emulate the joy, the faith, the friendship and faith of the Panama event but may not match the weather in Panama.

If you would like to take part in this event see Mr Bradshaw as soon as possible. A deposit of £30 has to be paid very soon and a final £30 paid in January 2019