Cathedral Primary has a committed and passionate team of pupil chaplains who play a vital role in promoting and developing our Catholic ethos. Our chaplaincy team is known as IGNITE as their mission is to spark faith and devotion across our school community. The Chaplaincy Team meet regularly to discuss different ways they can:
- help pupils and staff grow in their faith;
- support and enhance stage Masses and other school liturgies;
- deepen the prayer life of our school community;
- forge closer links with the parish.
Pupil chaplains lead prayer and reflection at our weekly assembly as well as organise various liturgies and devotions during the course of the year.
Mrs Callaghan, one of our class teachers, co-ordinates the work of IGNITE. She is supported by one of our Depute Head Teachers, Mrs Campbell, and one of our Support Assistants, Mrs Mellon. Fr Lamb attends some of the team’s meetings as well as Mr Greechan, Choral Director for the National Schools Singing Project. The team also has a parish representative who is currently Mrs Carla Marie McIntyre.
Our Pupil Chaplains for 2024/25 are:
Charlie Weir
Marley Rose Aitken
Sophia Straub
Matthew Laird
Gabriel Keenan
Tessa Massetti
Freya McCarron
Emily McGuire
Orla McIntyre
Gerald Aguwa
Jessica Darling
Isabella Keenan
Michael Heeney
Daisy Weir
Lacey Cook
Niall Lafferty
IGNITE has a particular theme for each month of the school year. Our themes for 2024/25 are:
SEPTEMBER: Promotion of Blessed Carlo Acutis
OCTOBER: The Holy Rosary
NOVEMBER: Catholic Education Week
DECEMBER: Advent
JANUARY: Vocations
FEBRUARY: The history of Motherwell Cathedral; playing an active role in your parish
MARCH: Mark in March (an invitation to Cathedral staff and Primary 7 pupils to read the entire Gospel of Mark)
APRIL: “We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song!” (St Pope John Paul II)
MAY: Month of Mary
JUNE: Sacred Heart of Jesus
The patron of IGNITE Junior Chaplaincy Team is BLESSED CARLO ACUTIS
Carlo Acutis (3rd May 1991 – 12th October 2006) was an English-born Italian Catholic who built a website about Eucharistic miracles and approved Marian apparitions. Carlo was well known for his cheerfulness, computer skills, care for the poor and deep devotion to the Eucharist, which was central to his life. He was beatified by Pope Francis on 10th October 2020, two days before the 14th anniversary of his death from leukaemia. Blessed Carlo Acutis is on track to become the first millennial canonised as a saint by the Church and is an inspiring role model for all Cathedral pupils.
Please click on the link below to watch a short animation about Blessed Carlo Acutis.
PRAYER TO BLESSED CARLO ACUTIS
O God our Father,
thank you for giving us Carlo,
a model of life for young people
and a message of love for all.
You made him fall in love with your son Jesus,
making the Eucharist his “highway to heaven.”
You gave him Mary as a beloved mother
and made him, through the Rosary,
sing the praises of her tenderness.
Accept his prayer for us.
Attend especially to the poor,
whom he loved and helped.
Through his intercession,
may I receive the grace
I need (mention your intention).
Fulfil our joy by placing Carlo among
the saints of your Holy Church,
that his smile may shine again for us
to the glory of your name.
Amen.
