ST MARY’S

WORDST MAR Y’SWOR D

P a g e 1F ir s t P ilg r im a g e to L o u rd e sS t M a r y ’s D a y o f A s p ira t io n

P a g e 2S t M a r y ’s R e m e m b e rs t h e F a lle n

P a g e 3Ye a r 8 A s s e m b ly

P a g e 4S h o e b o x A p p e a l 2 0 1 9T h e P o p e J o h n P a u l II A w a rd

P a g e 5D o o d le P ra y e r J o u rn a l

P a g e 6T h e S o u rc e

P a g e 7A d v e n t a t S t M a r y ’s

Con t e n t s

He a d t e a ch e r ’s in t r odu ct ion

I a m d e lig h te d to in t ro d u c e S t M a r y ’s W o rd , o u r n e w , s h o r te r t e rm ly N e w s le t te r w h ic h a im s to c a p tu re n e w s a n d a r t ic le s lin k e d to th e C a th o lic life o f t h e s c h o o l, in it s b ro a d e s t s e n s e . I t ’s g re a t to s e e a ra n g e o f a r t ic le s in t h is fi rs t e d it io n , c e le b ra t in g o u r s tu d e n t s m a k in g th e m o s t o f t h e ir G o d -g iv e n g if t s a n d t a le n t s , o f te n in t h e s e r v ic e o f o th e rs . I a m p le a s e d to s e e th a t o u r R e m e m b ra n c e S e r v ic e , b a c k in N o v e m b e r, fe a tu re s in t h e fi rs t e d it io n . A s e v e r, b o th th e w o rk s tu d e n t s u n d e r to o k in c la s s , in t h e le a d u p to R e m e m b ra n c e D a y , a s w e ll a s t h e S e r v ic e it s e lf, w e re m o v in g a n d th o u g h t p ro v o k in g e x p e r ie n c e s fo r a ll o f u s . I w o u ld a ls o lik e to p a s s o n m y c o n g ra tu la t io n s to o u r S ix th F o rm e rs w h o s u c c e s s fu lly c o m p le te d th e s e r v ic e -o r ie n ta te d J o h n P a u l II A w a rd . I t is g o o d to s e e th e ir w o rk re c o g n is e d a n d fe a tu r in g in t h e N e w s le t te r.

M a y I t h a n k e v e r y o n e c o n n e c te d w ith th e s c h o o l fo r y o u r c o n t in u e d s u p p o r t fo r o u r w o rk , a s w e s t r iv e to g iv e e v e r y s tu d e n t a n e x c e lle n t h o lis t ic e d u c a t io n h e re a t S t M a r y ’s . T h e s tu d e n t s a re a c re d it to t h e m s e lv e s , t h e ir fam ilie s a n d th e s c h o o l.

I w is h e v e r y o n e a p e a c e fu l a n d jo y fu l C h r is tm a s a n d a h a p p y N e w Ye a r.

J F o s t e rH e a d t e a c h e r

L a s t s u m m e r, I w e n t o n m y fi rs t p ilg r im a g e to L o u rd e s w ith th e D io c e s e o f H e x h am a n d N e w c a s t le ’s y o u th s e c t io n . I m a d e th is jo u rn e y m a in ly b e c a u s e o f m y g ra n d m o th e r. S h e o f te n s p o k e to m e a b o u t h e r s t ro n g C h r is t ia n fa it h , t h e p o s it iv e im p a c t t h a t it h a d h a d o n h e r life , a n d o f h e r o w n e x p e r ie n c e s o f g o in g o n p ilg r im a g e . A n o th e r re a s o n fo r g o in g to L o u rd e s w a s to h e lp fe llo w p ilg r im s w h o , b e c a u s e o f t h e ir p h y s ic a l d is a b ilit ie s , n e e d e d th e s u p p o r t o f a b le -b o d ie d p e o p le .

W h ils t o n p ilg r im a g e , I s aw a n d to o k p a r t in s o m a n y in s p ira t io n a l t h in g s ; t h e s e in c lu d e d th e g ro t to w h e re S t B e rn a d e t te h a d h e r v is io n o f M a r y a n d th e to rc h p ro c e s s io n . M y t im e in L o u rd e s is o n e th a t I w ill n e v e r fo rg e t , a n d it h a s s t re n g th e n e d m y fa it h a n d h e lp e d m e to m o v e c lo s e r to G o d . I c a n n o t w a it to s e e w h a t I w ill e x p e r ie n c e th e n e x t t im e th a t I v is it t h e p la c e .

S t a c e y S im p s o n

F i r s t P i lg r im a ge To Lou rd e s

St Ma r y ’s D a y o f Asp i r a t io nE a r ly in O c to b e r, Ye a r 1 2 s tu d e n t s f ro m S t M a r y ’s C a th o lic S c h o o l to o k s o m e t im e o u t o f t h e ir s t u d ie s to t a k e p a r t in a ‘D a y o f A s p ira t io n ’. T h e s tu d e n t s a n d th e ir t u to rs s t a r te d th e d a y w ith a b r is k w a lk f ro m B e n to n to S t C h a r le s ’ P a r is h C e n t re in G o s fo r th .

A f te r a n h o u r o f g am e s a n d te am -b u ild in g a c t iv it ie s , t h e g ro u p u n p a c k e d th e th e m e o f t h e d a y b y e x p lo r in g th e m e a n in g a n d q u a lit ie s o f ‘g re a tn e s s ’. T h is w a s a d iffi c u lt t a s k a n d th e re w a s a g re a t d e a l to d is c u s s w h e n s tu d e n t s w e re a s k e d to ra n k te n c e le b r it ie s in o rd e r o f ‘g re a tn e s s ’.

T h e s tu d e n t s lis t e n e d to s o m e in s p ir in g w o rd s f ro m th e la te J e a n Va n n ie r, t h e fo u n d e r o f L’A rc h e C o m m u n it ie s . T h e y e n jo y e d h is m e s s a g e o f e n c o u ra g e m e n t a b o u t h e lp in g o th e rs to d is c o v e r t h e ir t ru e s e lv e s a n d to u n d e rs t a n d w h a t G o d w a n t s t h e m to d o w ith th e ir liv e s . T h e d a y a ls o in c lu d e d s o m e t im e fo r s e lf-re fl e c t io n a n d fu tu re p la n n in g a s t h e s tu d e n t s lo o k e d a t a m o d e l fo r d is c o v e r in g th e ir in d iv id u a l v o c a t io n s b a s e d o n th e ir s t re n g th s , p a s s io n s , t a le n t s a n d p e rs o n a l p e rs p e c t iv e o n life .

T h e d a y e n d e d w ith p ra y e rs in S t C h a r le s ’ C h u rc h , a n in s p ira t io n a l w o rs h ip s p a c e th a t a c te d a s a n o a s is o f s e re n it y . T h e fi n a l m e s s a g e g iv e n to th e s tu d e n t s w a s th a t – lik e e a c h p a r t o f t h e c h u rc h ’s c o lo u r fu l s t a in e d g la s s w in d o w s – th e y a re in d iv id u a l f ra g m e n t s o f lig h t t h ro u g h w h ic h G o d s h in e s ; c o lle c t iv e ly , t h e y fo rm a b e a u t ifu l p ic tu re .

M r s G i b b s

S t M a r y ’s R e m e m b e r s T h e F a l l e n

T h e s t a ff a n d s tu d e n t s o f S t M a r y ’s C a th o lic S c h o o l in N e w c a s t le g a th e re d to g e th e r o n N o v e m b e r 1 1 th to re m e m b e r b o th th o s e w h o h a v e d ie d a n d th o s e w h o a re s u ff e r in g a s a re s u lt o f c o n fl ic t s . T h e fo c a l-p o in t fo r t h e s e r v ic e w a s a fi e ld o f re m e m b ra n c e in w h ic h , d u r in g th e d a y s le a d in g u p to th e s e r v ic e , s t u d e n t s h a d p la n te d p o p p ie s a n d c ro s s e s .

D u r in g th e s e r v ic e , G C S E D ram a s tu d e n t s re c it e d a s e r ie s o f p o ig n a n t le t te rs t h a t h a d b e e n p e n n e d d u r in g th e F ir s t W o r ld W a r b y th e w iv e s a n d m o th e rs o f s o ld ie rs fi g h t in g o n th e f ro n t lin e . M e m b e rs o f t h e S ix th F o rm th e n d e liv e re d re a d in g s f ro m th e s c r ip tu re s a n d th e s c h o o l’s c h am b e r c h o ir o ff e re d a b e a u t ifu l re n d it io n o f ‘L is te n ! L e t Yo u r H e a r t K e e p S in g in g ’. W re a th s w e re la id , fl a g s w e re lo w e re d , s t u d e n t s in t h e ir c a d e t u n ifo rm s g a v e th e s a lu te , a n d a p e r io d o f s ile n c e w a s im p e c c a b ly o b s e r v e d . T h is m in u te o f q u ie t re fl e c t io n w a s b ro k e n b y ‘T h e L a s t P o s t ’ a n d th e s e r v ic e e n d e d w ith th e e n t ire s c h o o l c o m m u n it y v o w in g to p ra y a n d w o rk fo r a la s t in g w o r ld w id e p e a c e .

W e w ill re m e m b e r th e m .

M r s G i b b s

“Fo r h im , you h a ve wo r t h ; you a r e n o t in s ign ifi ca n t . You a r e im po r t a n t t o h im , f o r you

a r e t h e wo r k o f h i s h a n d s.” Ch r i s t u s Viv i t

T h e th e m e fo r 8 T ’s fo rm a s s e m b ly w a s ‘S te p U p ’, w ith a fo c u s o n y o u n g p e o p le d o in g am a z in g th in g s . W e d e c id e d to c re a te th e ‘E e h , I’m s o p ro u d o f y o u ’ Yo u th A w a rd s a s a w a y o f c e le b ra t in g fa n ta s t ic e x am p le s o f y o u n g p e o p le a c t in g o n th in g s a b o u t w h ic h th e y fe e l p a s s io n a te .

W e re a lis e d th a t , b e h in d m a n y o f t h e s to r ie s , t h e re w e re a c c o u n t s o f y o u n g p e o p le b e in g q u e s t io n e d a n d b e in g m a d e to fe e l in s ig n ifi c a n t . T h e n e g a t iv e c o m m e n t s in t h e p re s s a b o u t G re t a T h u n b e rg ’s e n v iro n m e n ta l c am p a ig n in g is a c le a r e x am p le o f a d u lt s b e lit t lin g th e a c t io n s o f t h e y o u n g . W e u s e d h e c k le rs in t h e a s s e m b ly a s a w a y o f d ro w n in g o u t o u r aw a rd s c e re m o n y . H o w e v e r, t h e p re s e n te rs w e re q u ic k to q u e s t io n th e h e c k le rs a b o u t t h e d iff e re n c e th a t t h e y h a d m a d e to s o c ie t y .

W e w a n te d to h ig h lig h t a c t s o f k in d n e s s a n d p e rs e v e ra n c e in Ye a r 8 , a n d s o w e u s e d th e a s s e m b ly to c e le b ra te th e a c h ie v e m e n t s a n d c o n t r ib u t io n s o f o u r p e e rs . W e a ls o m a d e a c o m m itm e n t a g a in s t k n o c k in g p e o p le d o w n w ith c r it ic ism a n d n e g a t iv it y .

M r s T a i t

Sh oe box Appe a l 2019S tu d e n t s f ro m 7 Y s u p p o r te d th e S h o e b o x A p p e a l t h is y e a r b y w o rk in g a s a c o m m u n it y to p u t to g e th e r e le v e n s h o e b o x e s fu ll o f fe s t iv e g if t s . T h e s h o e b o x e s c o n ta in e d a v a r ie t y o f it e m s , in c lu d in g h a t s , g lo v e s , to y s , s t a t io n e r y a n d o th e r u s e fu l it e m s . S tu d e n t s s h o w e d g re a t c o m m itm e n t to t h is p ro je c t b y g iv in g u p th e ir o w n t im e to p re p a re a n d w ra p th e b o x e s , w h ic h a ls o c o n ta in e d C h r is tm a s c a rd s fo r t h e re c ip ie n t s .T h ro u g h o u t th is p ro je c t , t h e s tu d e n t s o f 7 Y s h o w e d g re a t d e d ic a t io n a n d e n th u s ia sm ; th e y a re a g re a t e x am p le o f h o w w e c a n t a k e th e t im e to h e lp o n e a n o th e r.

M r s E a k i n

Th e P ope Joh n P a u l I I Awa rd O n c e a g a in , m a n y Ye a r 1 2 s tu d e n t s h a v e s t a r te d th e P o p e J o h n P a u l II A w a rd . T h is a lw a y s h a s g re a t s u c c e s s a t S t M a r y ’s w ith a c o n s id e ra b le n u m b e r o f s t u d e n t s c o m p le t in g th e G o ld A w a rd e v e r y y e a r. S tu d e n t s f ro m a ll fa it h b a c k g ro u n d s a re in v it e d to t a k e p a r t a n d th e y a lw a y s fi n d it to b e a v e r y re w a rd in g e x p e r ie n c e .

S tu d e n t s a re a lw a y s v e r y d e d ic a te d to c o m p le t in g th e aw a rd a n d t a k e e v e r y o p p o r tu n it y to p ro v id e s o m e s e r v ic e to o th e rs b o th in a n d o u t o f s c h o o l. T h e t a s k s t h a t s t u d e n t s h a v e c o m p le te d h a v e in c lu d e d c le a n in g c a n d le h o ld e rs , w e lc o m in g p a r is h io n e rs to c h u rc h , s e r v in g re f re s h m e n t s a n d le a d in g c h ild re n ’s lit u rg ie s .

W e w is h th e Ye a r 1 2 s w h o a re b e g in n in g th e ir jo u rn e y o n T h e P o p e J o h n P a u l II A w a rd th is y e a r t h e v e r y b e s t a n d lo o k fo rw a rd to lis t e n in g to th e ir s to r ie s a n d re fl e c t io n s o n w h e re th e jo u rn e y t a k e s th e m .

M r s B l a c k b u r n

T h is y e a r, w e h a v e in t ro d u c e d a n e w re s o u rc e to h e lp o u r Ye a r 7 s tu d e n t s to re fl e c t o n , to u n d e rs t a n d a n d to g ro w in fa it h . E a c h s tu d e n t h a s b e e n g iv e n th e ir v e r y o w n D o o d le P ra y e r J o u rn a l to c o m p le te d u r in g fo rm t im e . T h e p a g e s o f t h e jo u rn a l in c lu d e c re a t iv e a c t iv it ie s , q u e s t io n s a n d c h a lle n g e s th a t w ill e n a b le th e s tu d e n t s to re fl e c t o n th e ir o w n liv e s a n d b e lie fs . T h e re is a ls o a ‘B ib le B it ’, t o h e lp th e m to th in k a b o u t e a c h to p ic f ro m a C h r is t ia n p e rs p e c t iv e , a n d s o m e id e a s fo r p ra y e rs .

H a v in g a n in c e n t iv e to s to p a n d to re fl e c t fi rs t t h in g in t h e m o rn in g is a g re a t w a y fo r s t u d e n t s to p re p a re th e m s e lv e s fo r t h e d a y a h e a d .

M r s G i b b s

Dood le P r a ye r Jou rn a l

Th e Sou r ceS o m e o f o u r y e a r 1 0 s tu d e n t s a t te n d e d T h e S o u rc e a t S t M a r y ’s C a th e d ra l o n 2 n d O c to b e r a n d 4 th D e c e m b e r.

T h e S o u rc e is t h e y o u th e v e n t o rg a n is e d b y th e Yo u th M in is t r y Te am , th e y o u th s e r v ic e o f t h e D io c e s e o f H e x h am a n d N e w c a s t le . I t b r in g s y o u n g p e o p le , Ye a r 9 a n d a b o v e , to g e th e r fo r a n e v e n in g o f in s p ir in g t a lk s , p ra is e a n d w o rs h ip a n d s o c ia lis a t io n .

T h e e v e n in g w a s v e r y in s p ir in g fo r o u r s tu d e n t s a n d th e y w e re lu c k y e n o u g h to w itn e s s a c to rs E m e ra ld O ’H a n ra h a n a n d M a r t in D e la n e y s h a re th e ir s to r y . E m e ra ld is b e s t k n o w n fo r h e r w o rk in T h e A rc h e rs w h e re s h e ’s b e e n p la y in g E m m a G ru n d y fo r 1 0 y e a rs . H e r t e le v is io n w o rk in c lu d e s D o c M a r t in , S ilk , C a s u a lt y , L e w is & F a th e r B ro w n . M a r t in h a s b e e n w o rk in g in T V & F ilm fo r o v e r 2 0 y e a rs . H e p la y e d J a s o n S u m m e rb e e in N ic k e lo d e o n ’s R e n fo rd R e je c t s b e fo re s t a r r in g in F am ily A ff a ir s fo r 3 y e a rs . F ilm w o rk in c lu d e s F la g s o f O u r F a th e rs a n d Z e ro D a rk T h ir t y . E m e ra ld a n d M a r t in g o t m a r r ie d in R o m e th is y e a r a n d h a v e b e e n w o rk in g in Yo u th M in is t r y in t h e ir p a r is h in O rp in g to n , S E L o n d o n . T h e y a re b o th re g u la r c o n t r ib u to rs to P ra y A s Yo u G o b y th e J e s u it s a n d a ls o b o th w r ite re g u la r ly fo r R e d e m p to r is t P u b lic a t io n s .

O u r s tu d e n t s a ls o to o k p a r t in w o rs h ip , s in g in g a n d w e re a b le to in te ra c t w ith s tu d e n t s f ro m o th e r s c h o o ls . A s u s u a l, I w a s in c re d ib ly im p re s s e d w ith o u r s tu d e n t s o p e n a t t it u d e a n d re s p e c t fu l n a tu re th ro u g h o u t .

M i s s P l a s s

P r a y e r f o r C h r i s t m a s

C re a to r o f a ll, G o d o f lo v e ,T h e d a rk n e s s t h a t h a s s h ro u d e d th e e a r thH a s b e c o m e b r ig h te r g iv e n b y th eb r ig h t lig h t o f y o u r p ro m is e s .G ra n t u s to b e c o m eF o llo w e rs o f y o u r lig h tA s w e fo llo w y o u r w illa n d s h e d lig h t to t h e w h o le w o r ld .A m e n .

Adve n t a t S t Ma r y ’sA d v e n t a t S t M a r y ’s

A d v e n t is a lw a y s a b u s y a n d w o n d e r fu l p e r io d in s c h o o l. I t a ls o a llo w s p le n t y o f t im e fo r s t illn e s s , p e a c e a n d re fl e c t io n a s w e w a it in h o p e fu l a n t ic ip a t io n fo r t h e jo y o f C h r is tm a s .

T h e B is h o p s o f E n g la n d a n d W a le s h a v e a n n o u n c e d a d e d ic a te d y e a r, e n t it le d ‘T h e G o d w h o S p e a k s ’, t o a llo w u s s p a c e to fo c u s o n th e s c r ip tu re s . T h is o ffi c ia lly s t a r te d o n D e c e m b e r 1 s t a n d w e h a v e d e c id e d to h ig h lig h t t h e la u n c h o f t h is im p o r t a n t in it ia t iv e th ro u g h o u r A d v e n t lit u rg ie s .

W e w ill e x p lo re h o w G o d h a s s p o k e n H is t ru th th ro u g h th e p ro p h e t s a n d h o w th e C h r is tm a s s to r y w a s th e fu lfi lm e n t o f t h is p ro m is e . D a n c e , d ram a a n d s to r y te llin g w ill h e lp to b r in g th e w o rd o f G o d to life . W e w ill a ls o lo o k a t h o w G o d c o n t in u e s to s p e a k to u s t h ro u g h b o th s c r ip tu re a n d e a c h o th e r.

W e a re c a lle d to b e a v o ic e o f h o p e fo r o th e rs , c r y in g o u t in t h e w ild e rn e s s : “Yo u a re lo v e d . Yo u a re w o r th y ju s t a s y o u a re . I t ’s o k a y to n o t b e o k a y . C h r is t c a n b r in g y o u th e p e a c e y o u r h e a r t d e s ire s . P re p a re a p la c e in y o u r h e a r t !”

M r s B l a c k b u r n & M r s G i b b s

A d v e n t F a y r e s a n d H a m p e r C o l l e c t i o n

D u r in g th e fi n a l w e e k o f t e rm , e a c h Ye a r G ro u p le a d s a n A d v e n t F a y re fo r t h e re s t o f t h e s c h o o l. T h e s e h a v e b e e n fa n ta s t ic e v e n t s a n d a v a r ie t y o f s t a lls w e re le d b y F o rm G ro u p s . E x am p le s h a v e in c lu d e d , L u c k y D ip s , N am e th e E lf a n d S e n d a C a n d y C a n e . S tu d e n t s h a v e le d th e ir s t a lls w ith e n th u s ia sm a n d h a v e s h o w n g re a t s k ills a t s e llin g .

A s w e ll a s le a d in g th e A d v e n t F a y re s , s t u d e n t s h a v e b e e n c o lle c t in g H am p e rs fo r a v a r ie t y o f lo c a l g ro u p s a n d c h a r it ie s . T h e s e h a v e in c lu d e d T h e J u s t ic e a n d P e a c e R e fu g e e S e r v ic e , C u m b e r la n d H o u s e a n d T h e F o y e r. W e ll d o n e to a ll t h e s tu d e n t s o n th e ir g re a t e ff o r t s in m a k in g th e H am p e rs . I t h a s b e e n a n o th e r am a z in g y e a r o f g iv in g a n d g e n e ro s it y to o u r lo c a l c o m m u n it y .