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This Lent, Mr Boland has set the challenge to do 5000 push ups.
Along with his tutor, classes and neighbouring teaching staff, Mr Boland is hoping to achieve 1000 push ups a week to raise money for our Academy charities this Lent.
Yesterday he completed another set of push ups with his Year 9 class. Well done to Michael for completing 30!
Thank you Mr Boland for your wonderful effort in support our charities this Lent. We’re with you for every push!
Mother Language Day serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of linguistic diversity and the cultural heritage embedded within each language. As Catholics, we recognise the intrinsic value of languages, understanding them as pathways to express faith, culture and identity.
From Latin to Spanish, English to Swahili, each language holds a unique place within the Church, offering a lens through which the Gospel is proclaimed and celebrated. The rich tapestry of languages mirrors the universal nature of the Catholic faith, transcending cultural and geographical boundaries.
One of the most profound ways in which languages manifest within Catholicism is through liturgy and prayer. Mass is celebrated in various languages, allowing communities to worship and connect with God in their mother tongue. Whether reciting the Lord’s Prayer, chanting hymns, or reading scripture, the beauty of language enhances our spiritual experience, deepening our connection to God and each other.
Languages are not merely tools of communication; they are repositories of culture, heritage and identity. In our faith, languages serve as vessels through which traditions are passed down from generation to generation. Whether it be prayers or sacred texts, languages preserves the essence of our cultural identity and unites us with our ancestors who have gone before us in faith.
On this Mother Language Day, we are reminded of the importance of promoting unity and understanding among people of different linguistic backgrounds. The Catholic Church, with its commitment to inclusivity and solidarity, embraces diversity as a reflection of God’s creative design. By honouring and respecting each other’s languages and cultures, we foster a sense of belonging and mutual respect within our global community of faith.
As we commemorate Mother Language Day, let us celebrate the beauty of linguistic diversity within our faith. May we recognise the inherent value of languages as expressions of God’s abundant creativity and grace. Let us embrace our mother tongues with pride, knowing that they are precious gifts entrusted to us by our loving Creator. Through our languages, amy we continue to proclaim the Good News and build bridges of unity and understanding in a world longing for harmony and peace.
Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world. yet none of them is without meaning. – 1 Corinthians 14:10
Today the winners of the English Department poetry competition were announced. This competition was held to celebrate St Francis de Sales Feast Day (24/01). Students were asked to write a poem about why they love creative writing. The top prize was a book with runners up being award a bookmark.
Well done to Leah, Imogen and our third winner! Your poems were fantastic.
Thank you Miss Baker for running the competition.
Elevate Education delivers high-impact workshops to our students that help to develop their study skills, motivation, and exam preparation. Over the next term, you’re invited to join their parent webinar series, where you can help support your child at home by reinforcing the skills they’re learning at school.
Upcoming Webinars:
Register for the series by clicking the link below and learn some great practical strategies to help support your child this year.
https://go.elevateeducation.com/ukschoolwebinar
Today we welcomed Year 5 pupils from SS Mary and John’s Catholic Primary Academy.
The pupils had the opportunity to learn about the Academy. They looked around the Peace Garden at the different places of reflection and the celebration of our students.
The pupils answered questions about the stations of the cross, the current liturgical season and why these are important. They were also told about the Catholic ethos at St Edmund’s, including our CARE values.
Following this, the pupils sang in the chapel and held a liturgy. They lead liturgy with great respect and allowed for everyone to be involved. After the blessing, the pupils sang again with much joy and excitement.
It was a wonderful experience to have the pupils of another of our MAC academies join us here at St Edmund’s. Their passion and joy for learning and faith was inspiring.
We hope to see the pupil’s of SS Mary and John’s again soon!
On Thursday 8th February five of our Year 8 and 9 students entered into the regional finals of the F1 in Schools competition.
There were over 30 teams competing on the day from various schools from central England. Prior to the day students have been spending time putting together a design portfolio as well as a miniature F1 car to race against other teams on the day. Students have spent hours improving, developing and testing the car to make it the quickest.
In addition students had to create a corporate brand for their F1 team. They picked the name Andromeda and created a logo and range of merchandise to accompany their vehicle.
On the day students set impressive race times and had to give presentations to a panel of judges and talk through their designs and portfolios. Students also set up a pit display showcasing their work.
Students were scored on all aspects of their team by judges and ended up placing 21st. An excellent achievement for the students as they were against GCSE and Sixth Form students.
Well done Nicholas T, Chinedu O, Abel B, Oliver G and Noah L!
On Wednesday 7th February several of our year 10 and 11 students from Art and 3D Design visited the Warner Bros Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter in Watford.
While there, students saw how designers, artists and engineers turned the books into real life worlds, sets and props and saw the processes used to create these items.
The trip was very beneficial to the students as it got them to think about how they could use some of these processes in their own work, think about possible career options within this industry and collect valuable research for their coursework project.
All students enjoyed their day out.
For Information on what is happening in our parish and other parishes in our diocese, please see out What’s Going On page on the website.
This can be found in the Spiritual Life tab in the navigation bar or you can follow the link: https://www.stedmundscloud.co.uk/whats-going-on/
The times for Sunday mass and confessions within the diocese are listed below. More information can be found on our website.
Before the half term holiday our chaplaincy team had the opportunity to attend two masses in the diocese.
The Installation of Mgr Mark Crisp as Canon at St Chad’s Cathedral in Birmingham
On Tuesday 6th February, the St Edmund’s Chaplaincy Team, accompanied by Mrs Hazeldine, Mrs Letheren, Reverend McKearney and Mr Luis, was given the opportunity to be part of the Installation of four Canons of the Metropolitan Cathedral of St Chad in Birmingham.
Mgr Mark Crisp, Parish Priest of our very own parish, Blessed Carlo Acutis, Wolverhampton and Fr Raymond Corbett, Diocesan Chancellor and Catholic Chaplain to Aston University were installed as Chapter Canons, the groups of priests who form part of the College of Consultors, who advise the Archbishops about the life and mission of the Archdiocese.
Our students were also given the immense privilege of serving during the mass at St CHad’s and representing the Blessed Carlo Acutis parish which they were all a part of.
As well as advising the bishop of the Diocese, the Chapter of Canons has a care for the Cathedral and for its liturgical life and so meets and prays together monthly through the year at the Chapter Mass – usually the 2nd Tuesday of the month.
Mass was celebrated by Mgr Canon Tom Farrell and in the presence of Archbishop Bernard Longley.
Our students were respectful and served with gracefulness and reverence. We are incredibly proud of every single one of them.
Deanery Vocations Mass at St Michael’s
On Wednesday 7th February, the Sixth Form Chaplaincy team went to St Michael’s in Peen to attend and participate in the Deanery Vocations Mass, celebrated by the Parish Priest of Blessed Carlo Acutis, Mgr Canon Mark Crisp.
February has officially been denoted the Deanery Month of Prayer for Vocations and hence this Mass was a perfect opportunity for our students to reflect on their own vocations and ponder their future in the Church. The service was followed by light refreshments and the chance to speak to priests, nuns and other ordained members of the Church about their call and what life in the Church is like.
Our students were involved in many ways in the service, making up the readers, the altar servers and singing in the choir, all roles which were fulfilled brilliantly.
In a World marked by inequality, poverty and injustice, the World Day of Social Justice stands as a poignant reminder of our collective responsibility to pursue fairness and equality for all. As Catholics, we are called to heed this call with fervor and compassion, inspired by the teachings of Jesus Christ to love our neighbours as ourselves.
At the heart of Catholic social teaching lies the principle of solidarity, which urges us to recognise the inherent dignity of every human and to stand in solidarity with the marginalised and oppressed.
As we commemorate the World Day of Social Justice, let us recommit ourselves to the pursuit of justice and peace in our communities and beyond. Let us strive to build a world where everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances, can flourish and thrive.
In the words of Pope Francis, “Each individual Christian and every community is called to be an instrument of God for the liberation and promotion of the poor, and for enabling them to be fully a part of society.” May we embrace this call with courage and compassion, knowing that in serving others, we are truly serving our Lord.
On this World Day of Social Justice, let us pray for the strength and guidance to be agents of change in a world hungering for justice and solidarity. Together, let us strive to create a more just and equitable world, where the light of Christ’s love shines brightly for all to see.
Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. – Psalm 82:3-4
