A huge thank you to all pupils, staff, parents, parishioners and friends who joined us for yesterday’s Education Sunday Mass. It was fantastic to see such a packed church. As usual, I gave the Head Teacher’s address and extracts from this will be included in the blog over the coming days.

Yesterday’s mass officially marked the opening of Catholic Education Week, 2016. This year’s theme is ‘Learning to Merciful’ and staff will be helping pupils throughout the next five days (and, indeed, throughout this Year of Mercy) to reflect on the mercy of God and think about how they can show mercy to others. Please remember the pupils and staff of St Bartholomew’s in your prayers this week and, if you can, pop along to the parish ‘Pray for our School’ group which meets in the school oratory tomorrow morning at 11.00am.

Head Teacher’s Education Sunday address, 2016: Part 1
“Catholic Education is about partnership: the three dimensions of home, school and parish working together to ensure the very best for our pupils. On this Education Sunday, I would like to take the opportunity to thank those numerous individuals who support the work of St Bartholomew’s in so many ways and who faithfully pass on the faith to our children. To the staff for their dedication, hard work and their genuine personal faith. To our parents and carers for coming today to show their commitment to Catholic education and for their ongoing support of all that we do in St Bartholomew’s. To the parish for being such an enthusiastic, supportive and spiritual bunch of people. To Father Doherty for the support he gives us as chaplain to the school. Of course, my biggest vote of thanks goes to the pupils of St Bartholomew’s. We must never forget that they’re the reason why we get up in the morning! Particular thanks to those pupils who have joined us for Mass this morning.

How appropriate, in this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, that today’s second reading presents us with St Paul’s well-known words on love from his first letter to the Corinthians. If we don’t have love – even if we have every other gift or talent imaginable – then we have nothing. Love is the greatest gift; love never fails.”