Our Chaplaincy team work together to lead and support the spiritual and Catholic life of our school. They focus on fostering faith, promoting Catholic Social Teaching and provide spiritual care and support to members of the Parish and local community. They work with other groups in school such as the Mini Vinnies and School Council to fundraise for many events across the Liturgical Year. 

September

Chaplaincy Team visit

Members of the Chaplaincy Team were invited to attend a meeting about leading Collective Worship in school.  They participated in various discussions and activities, listening carefully to different ideas and were inspired to try some of these back in school. 

  

 

 

October

Welcome Mass / Canon Pat

With the rest of the school, members of the Chaplaincy Team and Year 6 attended Mass, the first one for the new academic year.  They led the Welcome Mass asking God for his blessing on being back together through readings, singing and praying.  New children and staff were welcomed into the Corpus Christi family.  The Mass reminded us that everyone is back in school to learn together, to play together and to pray and sing with each other. 

  

At the end of the Welcome Mass, Canon Pat was congratulated on becoming a Canon.  Also, as he would be celebrating a special birthday at the weekend, everyone sang ‘Happy Birthday’.  Canon Pat was presented with several gifts and cards made by the children.

  

 

Rosary

Children in Year 5/6 were led by the Chaplaincy Team in a decade of the Rosary as part of the Rosary Challenge.

 

Harvest

A Harvest Service was prepared and led by the Mini-Vinnies.  Each class were asked to collect over several weeks and then collected by the Mini-Vinnies to display in Corpus Christi Catholic Church.  They led they service through readings and each class then sang a Harvest song or hymn whilst other classes performed poems.  The donations were given to the St Vincent de Paul Society.

     

 

November

CST presentation

The Chaplaincy Team presented to the whole school.  They reminded children about Catholic Social Teaching especially at this time of year (Advent) how they should put it into practice especially with charity donations.

  


 

Plants

The Chaplaincy Team asked each class to plant bulbs throughout the month of November.  This month is dedicated to remembering those who have died, so the bulbs represented those who died during wars and for those within our families.

 

 

 

Shoebox

Led by the Mini-Vinnies, each class were asked to collect items for the Shoebox Appeal.  There were many donations which the Mini-Vinnies sorted into the shoeboxes.

 

 

Reconciliation

In preparation for Advent, the Chaplaincy Team as the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal to lead a service to prepare children for Reconciliation which would be held in Corpus Christi Catholic Church.  They finished the service by singing ‘Mercy is falling’.

 

 

December

Adoration / Reconciliation

For Advent, the Chaplaincy Team discussed with the Franciscan Sisters about holding a Reconciliation Service.  It allowed everyone to reflect on their words and actions and how they have affected those around them.

 

Blessing wreaths, cribs, 7 Day Journey

The Chaplaincy Team have been very busy.  They asked Canon Pat to bless the wreaths as the Season of Advent begins the Church’s Liturgical Year.  They arranged the Journey To Bethlehem boxes for each class and collated the Advent Church Calendar for everyone.  They also gave each class a travelling crib to be taken home for families to prepare for the coming of Our Lord.

    

 

Irish Centre, Cardinal Heenan School

The Chaplaincy Team and the Mini-Vinnies joined forces to sing for members of the local communities, at the Irish Centre and at Cardinal Heenan High School.  They sang so well, they were invited to go back next year!

  

 

Mini-Vinnies cards

The Mini-Vinnies thought about those who may be lonely or on their own for Christmas so decided to create Christmas cards to distribute to those in the Parish and in the local community.

 

 

January

Pilgrims of Hope Banner

To launch the Jubilee Year, the Chaplaincy Team led an assembly to receive the Pilgrims of Hope banner.  They explained what would be happening over the year and what it would mean for everyone in school.  Some of the children then travelled with the banner to the next school.

  

 

Pilgrims of Hope Jubilee Year

As part of the Jubilee Year, the Chaplaincy Team launched the Pilgrims of Hope theme by preparing and leading a service for the whole school and the Parish.  Each class on entering Corpus Christi Catholic Church, opened the ‘Door of Hope’ as pilgrims of Christ.

  

  

 

February

Confirmation

Children in Year 6 received the Sacrament of Confirmation along with other parishioners.  Bishop Marcus led the service for the Parish.

 

Door of Hope Competition

A competition was suggested by the Chaplaincy Team, for each class to design Door of Hope posters for the school.  From the many entries, a winning poster was selected by the team.

  

 

 

Plants

Children studied the plants that were growing on the field.  They had planted them back in November in remembrance of those who had died.

 

March

Ash Wednesday Mass

Children in Year 5/6 who are part of the Chaplaincy Team or the Mini-Vinnies group, led the whole school, the Parish and the local community in the Ash Wednesday Mass.  They prepared and led in the singing, readings and the Offertory Procession.

  

 

CAFOD Family Fast Day (Lent)

Working together, the Chaplaincy Team and the Mini-Vinnies arranged for classes to bring food donations in on the CAFOD Friday Fast Day which were presented to the Parish foodbank.

  

 

Sisters ‘Degree in a Day’

After a brilliant day at The University of Leeds, the Chaplaincy Team and Mini-Vinnies asked the students for donations towards the food bank that the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal run for the local community.  They were very generous.  Thank you.

   

 

Lent Confessions

The Chaplaincy Team spoke to the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal about having a Reconciliation Service in church.  They agreed to this and visited KS 2 to talk about how to reconcile with God.

  


 

Lent donations

The Chaplaincy Team and the Mini-Vinnies worked together to collect donations from classes throughout Lent.  They discussed with each class which item they wanted to collect over the 40 days of Lent; each class voted on their chosen item e.g pasta, tins of beans, shower gel.  Both the Chaplaincy Team and the Mini-Vinnies agreed to donate to the Parish Foodbank and the local Foodbank.

  

 

Fundraising for the Good Shepherd

During Lent, the memebrs of the Chaplaincy Team met to plan fundraising across school for the Good Shepherd Appeal.  They discussed a varierty of activities classes could potentially lead and provdied each class with two possible fundraising events. After liaising with each teacher, classes then voted for their preferred fundraising event. We thank the Chaplaincy Team for their commitment to support each class to show love and compassion for others throughout Lent. Here are some of them:

Reception & Reception/Year 1 decided to hold  Bingo sessions to win Easter prizes.

Year 2 & Year 2/3- guess the name of the bunny and pin the tail on the bunny

Year 4 & 4/5- sold toast at break time

Year 5/6 & Year 6- sold religious snap bracelets

   

 

April

Holy Week Bags

The Chaplaincy Team, assisted by the Mini-Vinnies, prepared and distributed Holy Week Bags to every child in the school.  They reminded everyone about what happened during this special and holy week in Jesus’ life.

      

 

Stations of the Cross

Children in the Chaplaincy Team and School Council set up the Stations of the Cross outside on the field.

 

 

Spring Mass

Children in the Chaplaincy Team, Mini-Vinnies and the School Council led the whole school in an end of term Mass.

  

 

 

May

Children in Year 4, Year 5/6 and Year 6 attended a service, with the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal, in Corpus Christi Catholic Church dedicated to Our Lady.  They sang and prayed giving thanks to Mary for being the Mother of Jesus and to being Our Mother too.  Children from the Chaplaincy Team then processed to crowning a statue of Mary and led everyone in saying a decade of the Rosary.