Catholic Education Fortnight
Catholic Education Fortnight takes place each year from the Feast of St Margaret of Scotland (16th November) until the Feast of St Andrew (30th November).
As we look back on this Jubilee Year of Hope here in St. Brendan’s, we pause to consider how our thoughts, our love and our actions have deepened our bond with God, with one another and with all creation.
Here in St. Brendan’s, faith is something actively lived in the school community, with prayer central to daily and yearly life through regular prayer, assemblies, Masses, Rosaries and special celebrations.
We have put faith into action by supporting charities such as the Baby Bank, St. Andrew’s Hospice and Refuweege. Pupils and staff also participated in pilgrimages to Carfin Grotto: staff reflected on their vocation as Catholic educators, while Primary 7 pupils shared a day of prayer and activities with neighbouring schools, strengthening community and shared faith.
Important dates for Catholic Education Fortnight
Sunday the 23rd of November marks a truly special moment for our school community as the Our Lady’s High School cluster comes together in celebration of the Pilgrims of Hope journey. As part of this beautiful initiative, pupils from Our Lady’s High School and St Brendan’s will be taking an active role in the 11am Mass, where they will read, speak and help lead our parish in prayer.
Moments like these remind us that our faith is lived not only in our classrooms but in the heart of our parish community. Our young people continue to show their commitment, courage and pride in their faith as they step forward to share the Word of God and support our parish family.
We warmly invite everyone—families, parishioners, friends and all members of our wider community to join us for this special celebration. As we walk together as pilgrims of hope, your presence will make this occasion even more meaningful.
Catholic Education Mass
To celebrate Catholic Education Week, Bishop Toal will celebrate the annual Diocesan Education Mass at 7pm on Monday the 24th of November in Motherwell Cathedral. Everyone is invited to attend to pray for Catholic Education in our Diocese.
The Jubilee Prayer
Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.
May your grace transform us
into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos
in the sure expectation
of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,
your glory will shine eternally.
May the grace of the Jubilee
reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread
the joy and peace of our Redeemer
throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed,
be glory and praise for ever.
Amen
Newly enrolled Pope Francis children
We are delighted to congratulate our Primary 6 Pupils who enrolled for the Pope Francis Faith Award last Friday at our monthly mass. This marks the beginning of a meaningful journey where they will grow in faith, service and understanding.
By the end of the award, our pupils will have used all the gifts of the Holy Spirit—showing their love of God and love of others through their words, choices and actions. They will also spend time reflecting on how these actions have shaped their journey of faith and deepened their relationship with God.
We are incredibly proud of each of them and look forward to supporting them throughout this special experience.
Celebrating Our Right to a Voice
Last week as part of our Community Friday, our school celebrated one of the most important rights we have, Article 12 of the UNCRC the right to a voice. Our Rights Committee focused on making sure every pupil can be heard and valued.
All of our pupil voice groups worked together to create a Pupil Voice Charter, showing how we listen, include everyone and share ideas respectfully. After collecting ideas and voting on a name, our charter was officially called…
“Chatterbox”
“Chatterbox” reminds us that every voice matters here in St. Brendan’s and that speaking up helps make our school a better place. We are proud to celebrate our rights and our new charter!
St. Brendan’s Football Team
Fir Park Tournament – 23rd October
One of our school football teams took part in the Motherwell Community Trust Fair Play Tournament at Fir Park, delivering a strong set of performances. The boys won three of their five matches, drawing one and losing one, showing great teamwork, determination, and sportsmanship throughout the day. They represented the school exceptionally well and should be proud of their efforts.
Cathedral Primary Tournament – 31st October
Our other school team competed in the Taylor High School Cluster Tournament at Cathedral Primary School, where they faced some tough opposition. The boys recorded five wins from seven games, with two narrow defeats. Although the boys were unlucky not to return with the trophy this time, they showed resilience and commitment across the tournament and continue to be excellent ambassadors for the school.
We look forward to more football and continued progress in 2026!
Celebrating Success here in St. Brendan’s
This week’s assembly was a fantastic celebration of our learners’ achievements. We recognised many pupils who have shown excellence as Successful Learners, Responsible Citizens, Confident Individuals and Effective Contributors. Their hard work, positive attitudes and dedication to learning truly stood out.
We also shared and celebrated successes from clubs in our wider community—highlighting the amazing talents and efforts our pupils show beyond the classroom.
Well done to everyone involved!
