Each month Monsignor Monaghan selects a piece of religous and and comments on its significance for our faith. This link takes you to Art of the Month for February 2020.

2020 Art of the Month February

St Ninian’s are pleased to be involved in a new @urspaceglasgow initiative to help young people think about God’s Call in their lives. It is hoped the young people will remain in this project beyond school. Pathways is a new @urspaceglasgow initiative for young people to reflect on their future and will consist of a monthly get together with prayer, company and food. A great way to stay in touch with faith in Sixth Year and beyond School.

First meeting 2.40pm Wednesday 5th February 2020 and then one meeting per month.
Ur Space Pathways Flyer 1

UR Space Pathways Flyer 2

In August 1984, St Ninian’s welcomed its first pupils into First, Second and Third Year. Since then the School has somewhat grown in size and has gone from strength to strength. To mark the completion of its 35th Session, we have organised as School Pilgrimage to St Ninian’s Cave in Whithorn.

The highlight of the day will be the celebration of Sunday Mass at the very cave to which Ninian would often go to find some time for quiet prayer and reflection.

There will also be time to visit the area, now a Church of Scotland, where Ninian build his Candida Casa – his Church. As it can be a long day, we will stop on the way home in Girvan for supper. On a lovely day there is nothing better than sitting at the harbour with your fish supper.

Timings and costing have still to be finalised but you may like to keep the day free for you and your family. We extend this invitation to all pupils, staff, families, local parishioners and friends.

Details will be issued later but we hope to offer a price will will encourage participation and with special rates for families.

The date to keep is Sunday 14 June 2020.

Holy Hour for Vocations.
Fr Eoin Patten will lead a Holy Hour for Vocations at 7.00pm on Thursday 23 January 2020. The intentions of the Holy Hour will be to support our priests and religious who have already dedicated their lives to God through service. We will also pray that those whom God is calling to the priesthood or religious life will hear his call and respond in faith.

We invite all pupils, staff, parents, families, local parishioners and friends to support this important event. Fr Patten will lead us in prayer, meditation and Eucharistic Adoration.

Tea will be served at 8.00pm

On 1st January we celebrated the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God…. in Greek, Theotokos, which means God-Bearer. The 5^th January this year marked the Epiphany of the Lord which is also a Solemnity. The title “solemnity” is reserved for the most important feasts celebrating the mysteries of faith. The title, “Mary, the Holy Mother of God,” is Our Lady’s greatest title, won by her when she said yes to God’s plan.   From the Cross, Jesus shared His mother with us. Jan De Beer (early 16^thc.) often paints Jesus, sans halo and sans swaddling clothes, and as Shakespeare’s Jaques would put it, “sans everything.” The Divinity of Christ breaks out of the bands of stuff and the humanity of Jesus is made manifest in this tiny infant reaching out to receive our gifts and the the gifts of the Kings.

With his characteristic eloquence and brilliance, the Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen presented a moving portrayal of the Blessed Virgin Mary that combines deep spirituality with history, philosophy and theology. All the major aspects and events of Mary’s life are lovingly portrayed in his book, “ The World’s First Love.”   I would encourage teachers to read it. It is a never-failing source of information, consolation and inspiration. Bishop Sheen discusses various problems common to us all and suggests ways of resolving our difficulties. He understands the gifts of women and their ability to help heal the world’s problems. He is a pre-feminist! We need the Mother of God. Our pupils need her burning love. The Church gives us this wondrous feast on the first day of the year knowing the great and powerful role she can play in this often so confused modern world. In the course of the year, there will be other feast days marking different aspects of Mary’s influence in the life of the Church. In recent past years, Mary seems to have been side-lined, sadly even sometimes neglected by priests. We do so at our peril. How could we overlook such a loving Mother? William Wordsworth did not. He wrote a poem about her and called her, “Woman above all women. Our tainted nature’s solitary boast.” Even Martin Luther retained a great respect for Mary. She is highly regarded as the Mother of Jesus in the religion of Islam and is the only woman named in the Quran, Actually, she is mentioned by name more often in the Quran than in the New Testament!. The French poet, Henri Jordin puts words into the mouth of God saying, “When I sent my son on earth, he wasn’t hard to please, about food or lodging or state in life or anything – except his mother. But about her he was exacting. He wanted his mother to be a masterpiece.” There are not many recorded words of Mary in the Gospels so her valedictory words take on a huge importance. “Do whatever he tells you.” (Jn 2.5) She did. We should. Perhaps we could begin a class with the recitation of the Hail Mary. It doesn’t take long – but its fruits lasts long.

Monsignor Monaghan

Any pupil currently in S5 who would like to be considered for the Rome Trip 14 – 21 September 2020 should see Mr Bradshaw as soon as possible.

The school Carol Service will take place on Thursday 19 December at 7.00pm. We invite all our families to come and join in our joyful singing of Christmas Carols. Tea will be served at 7.45pm and will be followed by the excellent Christmas Concert performed by pupils of the Music Department. 

“For unto us a child is born …and He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6-7).

On the third week of Advent, we were led by members of the Prayer Breakfast as we focused on the theme of Joy. The third candle on the Advent wreath otherwise known as the Shepherd Candle, was lit to reflect the joy that comes through Jesus’ arrival, and through the salvation he has gifted us.

We would like to thank the large number of pupils who attended our final Advent Reflection making it a very special and spiritual occasion for all involved.

Thank you to all staff and pupils who have attended and participated in the Advent Reflections throughout the month of December. Thank you to Mr Cumming for coordinating this event.

You can view this via the following links:

• Advent Reflection 17.12.19 Part 1
• Advent Reflection 17.12.19 Part 2

We will be continuing to collect for our charity campaigns during this last week of term and encourage a final push. Love and care for our neighbour especially those in difficulty is not an added extra to our faith.

First and Second Years have been great at bringing in items for new born babies to support the work of the Cardinal Winning Pro Life Initiative. A group of First Years have supported the work of SPUC’s Tiny Feet by filling a baby bottle with coins.

Third Years are bringing in item for Mary’s Meal’s ‘Back Pack’ Appeal, either a full pack or individual items for packs. We are also encouraging S4, S5 and S6 to continue to collect for the East Renfrewshire Food Bank. A special mention and thank you to S6 pupils Daniel, David and Luke who put together £40 and bought items for the food bank at Asda.

Thank you for the generosity of those who have already donated .

Next week Mass will be celebrated in the Oratory on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 8:25am.

There will be a School Mass celebrated on Friday 20 December at 11:30am.