Our Faith Journey at St Paul's
"Pupils have roles and responsibilities that they enjoy. Pupils selected to be Mini Vinnies help to promote the Catholic life and values of the school. Leaders prioritise and promote virtues, such as hope , forgiveness, tolerance and respect. As a result, all pupils value and celebrate difference. One pupil told inspectors, 'St Paul's is a kind school. People look after one another. We respect each other.' "(Ofsted Section 5 Inspection November 2021)
Our Whole School Assembly on our Mission.
2024 -2025
Our Advent Journey 2024
During Advent, our children will plan, organise and take part in a range of activities to reflect on, and to bring the true meaning of Advent and Christmas to the forefront of their minds.
Our Advent journey began with Advent Day on Friday 29th November in school. We gathered together as a whole school to begin our Advent journey for the children in Year 5 to lead us in a beautiful and moving Advent Garden service, where they spoke and sang about the true meaning of Christmas and how we can prepare for the birth of Jesus.
Our children then continued their Advemt Day in class, they made their class Advent wreath, decorated the classrooms and thought about their Advent promises.
The First Sunday of Advent (Sunday 1st December) was a a wonderful celebration of our Family Mass where the children led all of the readings, singing and special parts of the Mass.
Remembrance Day 2024
Our wonderful Year 4 children led a moving whole school collective worship on Remembrance Day. The children spoke respectfully and eloquently about why we remember in November. We were delighted that so many of our parents and grandparents could join us for this special event.
Year 5 and Year 6 children also led Class Collective Worhip on the theme of Remembrance. Each class also completed work about Remembrance Day including making poppies, writing poems, building remembrance gardens.
Live Simply Award 2025
The Parish Live Simply Group was formed during 2023 in response to Pope Francis’ encyclical ‘Laudato Si’, where he requests us all to Live more Simply, more Sustainably and in Solidarity with the Poor. To achieve the Live Simply Award, a series of nine actions was agreed and approved by CAFOD in November 2023 and we are now in the process of developing and implementing these actions to enable us to apply for the Award sometime in 2025. This cannot be undertaken purely by a small group; therefore, we invite all areas of our Parish Community to join us. If you feel that you are able to support this group, please contact: tony.obrien@hotmail.com
At school, we have been supporting the parish group to achieve some of their actions. Patricia Ryder, a member of the parish Live Simply Group and now a school volunteer, has been spending time in school working with our children and teaching them more about living simply. Our children have enjoyed designing a picture collage of a community event and creating a beautiful Harvest hamper using foraged resources.
Harvest Festival Mass - 9th October 2024
We celebrated a beautiful Harvest Festival Mass in church with Fr Yemane. We were humbled by the heart-warming words from Sir John Battle (a patron of the SVP) about how the St Vincent de Paul society support families across Leeds. By donating everyday items, such as a simple tin of beans, families are given hope that they may be able to keep going for a few more days. How wonderful to know that our small donations are making such a big difference to the lives of others. Thank you to all of our families for donating to the Harvest collection.
Mark 10 Mission Rosary Challenge October 2024
October is the month of the Holy Rosary and this October, our children will be taking part in the Mark 10 Mission Rosary Challenge. Our children (and staff) will pray a decade of the rosary every day at school. A decade of the Holy Rosary is: 1 x Our Father, 10 x Hail Mary and 1 x Glory Be.
During each decade, we pray with a Mystery of the Rosary. Mysteries are moments in the life of Jesus and Mary. There are four sets of five Mysteries: The Joyful Mysteries, The Glorious Mysteries, The Luminous Mysteries, The Sorrowful Mysteries.
The Mark 10 Mission team travelled to Lourdes in July to film the videos for this years challenge.
Could you take part in this challenge at home? Please follow the link to join in:https://www.themark10mission.co.uk/rosary-challenge
Mini Vinnie 10 Year Anniversary Mass - Wednesday 18th September 2024
On Wednesday 18th September at 10am, our new team of 20 Mini Vinnies attended a special 10th Anniversary Mass of the Mini Vinnie apostolate in the Leeds Diocese at Leeds Cathedral. During this Mass, our new Mini Vinnies were officially commissioned in to their new role by Bishop Marcus.
This is an important responsibility in our school and we are very proud that so many of our Year 4, 5 and 6 children have volunteered and applied to become a Mini Vinnie. As part of their role, your children will need encouragement and support from you at home. Further information can be found at https://svp.org.uk/mini-vinnies.
A recording of the Mass can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evcTvuljEsI&list=PLpNYfR7LSy4PFbjTjr4DHFTvT3bVx9Yin&index=5
Catholic Social Teaching Launch September 2024
We have started our year with a launch of Catholic Social Teaching (CST).
Catholic Social Teaching is defined for children as ‘how our Catholic faith guides our actions. It comes from scripture, letters written by popes and holy people and the examples set by Christians throughout history.’
It is the part of Catholic teaching that addresses matters of social, economic and ecological justice. For primary aged children, CAFOD is leading the way in education on CST as part of it’s continued aim to tackle injustice. During the RE conference in July 2024, Mrs Gaffey met Susan Kambalu. Susan is a CAFOD worker and was inspirational when speaking about CST and is passionate about our children leading the way and ‘being the change that we want to see in the world.’
One of her key messages that she asked us to pass on to our schools, was that if some people in the world do not have what they need then this is wrong; it is not ‘less fortunate,’ it is completely wrong. Susan asked us all to focus on the language of injustice, unfairness, most vulnerable, poverty instead of ‘less fortunate’.
Our children have explored the themes of CST through Drama, Art and Religious Education and this work will continue throughout the year. Each class has been allocated a principle to focus on:
|
Year group |
Principle of CST |
|
Reception |
HUMAN DIGNITY EVERYONE IS SPECIAL We are all made in the likeness of God. |
|
Year 1 |
PARTICIPATION TAKING PART We all have the right and duty to participate fully in society. |
|
Year 2 |
STEWARDSHIP CARING FOR GOD’S GIFTS We are guardians of God’s creation. |
|
Year 3 |
SOLIDARITY SHOWING WE CARE God created us as one global family called to support our brothers and sisters. |
|
Year 4 |
DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE SHARING FAIRLY Everyone should have access to their fair share of resources. |
|
Year 5 |
SUBSIDIARITY EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A SAY We are called to empower communities to let everyone have a say |
|
Year 6 |
PREFERENTIAL OPTION FOR THE POOR PUTTING PEOPLE EXPERIENCING POVERTY FIRST The wants and desires of those experiencing poverty should be put first. |
Further information can be found at https://cafod.org.uk/education/primary-teaching-resources/cst-resources-for-children.
This two minute video is a perfect, child friendly way to start a conversation at home about Catholic Social Teaching:
2023/24
Lent 2024
During Holy Week, we had a focus on prayer and reflection. Our children took part in Lenten Prayer Stations in small groups. We then did our outdoor Stations of the Cross as a whole school , led by our teachers and Year 3. On Holy Thursday, Year 4 presented their outstanding Passion Play.
Our Lenten journey for 2024 has focused on prayerful reflection, almsgiving and love for our neighbour. Bishop Marcus, in his pastoral letter, quoted The Holy Father, Pope Francis, and we have used his words as our mission for 2024.
Our Lenten Promises
Some lovely Lenten promises from our children.
Pilgrimage and Prayer
Mr Bowker and Mrs Gaffey took some of our children to Sacred Heart CPS VA to visit their Lenten Stations of prayer. It was a beautiful and reverent, prayerful and reflective morning. Thank you to Mr Masley and Mrs Bates for inviting us.
First Reconciliation
Congratulations to our Year 3 children who made their First Reconciliation on Saturday 23rd March 2024 at St Paul's Catholic Church. Thank you to Father Dennis and Father Yemane for celebrating the special sacrament with the children.
The Importance of Going to Church
Our children learning about the Holy Mass and how to pray in church.
Red Wednesday
In November we joined Father Henry to think about Red Wednesday and persecution all around the world.
Advent 2023
During Advent, our children have planned, organised and taken part in a range of activities to reflect on and to bring the true meaning of Advent and Christmas to the forefront of their minds.
Our Advent journey began with Advent Day in school when our children made their class Advent wreath, decorated the classrooms and thought about their Advent promises.
The First Sunday of Advent was a a wonderful celebration of our Family Mass where the children led all of the readings, singing and special parts of the Mass.
On Monday 4th December, Year 5 led a beautiful Advent Garden to remind us how to follow the light of Jesus and share our light during Advent.
During Advent, our children enjoying taking the Travelling Cribs home to share with their families and they also enjoyed taking part in our Advent Prayer Stations.
Our school choir visited our local care homes, Yew Tree Court and Cramner Court and sang to the residents and delivered sweet treats. They also visited St Gemma's Hospice Day Centre to sing Christmas Carols to the patients.
We also enjoyed three special Advent services. Reception Class led a fabulous Advent assembly, Key Stage 1 performed The Twinkly Nativity and then Key Stage 2 led us in a beautiful Advent Service at church.
We celebrated Mass as church as a whole school on the last day of term and we finished the day with a big family gathering for Carols round the Tree.
Our work with the SVP charity
On 15th December, our Mini-Vinnies and school choir were invited to visit the SVP Centre in Leeds 9 following our generous Harvest Festival donations. Before the visit, our Mini-Vinnies organised a Toy Appeal to collect new toys to give out to children who rely on the centre for support. The staff and children enjoyed a tour of the centre and Caroline (the centre manager) told the children about the important work that centre does for those in need in the community and how our donations would be used. Our children then sang in the SVP shop and for the visitors who were at the centre for a special Christmas lunch.
Remembrance Day 2023
Our wonderful Year 4 children led a moving whole school collective worship on Remembrance Day. The children spoke respectfully and eloquently about why we remember in November. We were delighted that so many of our parents and grandparents could join us for this special event.
Our Year 6 children also planned and led a class collective worship on the theme of Remembrance Day
Harvest Festival
We celebrated a beautiful Harvest Festival Mass in church. Father Yemane used the opportunity to 'quiz' the children about St Luke, as the day fell on St Luke's feast day. We were also humbled by the heart-warming story about how the St Vincent de Paul society support families across Leeds. By donating everyday items, such as a simple tin of beans, families are given hope, and a light at the end of what is often a very dark tunnel. Thank you to all of our families for donating to the Harvest collection.
Mark 10 Mission Rosary Challenge - October 2023
October is the month of the Holy Rosary and this October, we joined The Mark 10 Mission's Rosary Challenge. Our children (and staff) prayed a decade of the rosary every day at school. A decade of the Holy Rosary is: 1 x Our Father, 10 x Hail Mary and 1 x Glory Be.
During each decade, we prayed with a Mystery of the Rosary. Mysteries are moments in the life of Jesus and Mary. There are four sets of five Mysteries: The Joyful Mysteries, The Glorious Mysteries, The Luminous Mysteries, The Sorrowful Mysteries.
Our children thoroughly enjoyed this challenge and have asked if we can do other prayer challenges throughout the year so watch this space for our next challenge!
Helpful parishioners!
Our pupil's take a leading role in activities which promote the school’s Catholic Life and mission both within school and in the wider community. On Sunday 14th May, some of our pupils stayed after Mass to help Mrs Bowyer (a parishioner, former governor, and volunteer in school) to sell 'Sunflowers for Ukraine' to raise money and ask our parishioner to pray for peace in Ukraine. We are so proud of how well these pupils represented St Paul's today.
