Welcome:
Chaplaincy is dedicated to guiding the liturgical life of our school, providing spiritual and pastoral care and sharing the light of Christ’s love with our whole school family.
As Chaplain to St Mary’s Catholic High School, it is a great honour to welcome you to our Chaplaincy page.
As a Catholic School, our Ethos is deeply rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Gospel values of love, peace and forgiveness. Ethos is not an easy thing to describe but it can be felt and seen throughout the school. Our pupils flourish knowing they are loved by God and by those around them. We are a community which supports all its members and enables them to grow, develop and encourages them to ‘Let their light shine!’
This is achieved through the Gospel teachings of Love, Peace and Forgiveness.
Loving God with our hearts and soul. Showing love and respect for one another, for our local and global family. Loving our world and being better Stewards of Gods earth.
Participating in various Charity activities, simply being polite and considerate to others. Through various acts of prayer and worship and being advocates for justice.
Participating in Reconciliation services, recognising the need for forgiveness for our own failings and finding forgiveness in others. Our words and actions of reconciliation give witness to transformative power of Gods love and mercy.
Pastoral and spiritual care in the school is highly valued and pupils and staff have access to many different services. There is always someone to help and support, especially at times of crisis. Besides the care they receive from teachers and learning managers, the Chaplain’s office is always open to all members of the School community for an informal chat or a quiet word whenever it is needed.
The Guardian Angel scheme aims to create a nurturing and supportive environment within the high school community, where older students take on a responsible and caring role towards their younger peers. This fosters leadership skills, empathy, and a sense of belonging among all students involved.
Our Year 7 Friendship Day serves as an important foundation for building a supportive and inclusive school community. It helps our students feel welcome, valued, and excited about the friendships they will develop during their time here at St Mary’s. It also strengthens our strong Catholic Ethos and Gospel values which also include acts of kindness, respect and cooperation.
Our Year 8 students are invited to experience a pilgrimage enabling them to grow closer to God and have a deeper spiritual growth. The experience includes various activities inspiring and shaping the faith of our young people.
Here at St Mary’s, we are proud to host ‘Dementia Cafés’ to our local community. Our Year 7 students receive bespoke training empowering them to make a positive difference in the lives of those affected by dementia and in society as a whole.
We celebrate Mass together as a School family throughout the year. We regularly celebrate Mass in our School Chapel on a Friday morning. Our year 7 students and their families/carers are invited to attend a Welcome Mass held at our parish Church, St Marys. We also celebrate Mass and give thanks to God for our Year 11 students. As an entire School Family, we gather on the last day of school at St Mary’s Church during Advent, Lent and Summer. Throughout the year there are various liturgies, services of Reconciliation and assemblies. Our chapel is open daily for pupils and staff, offering space for quiet time and prayer.
We run a very successful Year 10 retreat programme. Every pupil has the opportunity to spend time away at Ampleforth or Castlerigg Manor. Spending time away opens the opportunity for students and staff to get to know each other and themselves a little better, as well as exploring their relationship with God. They do this through team building, reflection, prayer, and having fun.
We greatly value and appreciate our long lasting parish links and very much value the love, support and encouragement of the clergy and parishioners. Fr. Joe Bibby is our local Parish Priest and is a regular visitor to our school. Our vision is to expand our welcome to the family of parishes and local Parish Priests by means of our services of Reconciliation and various Masses and celebrations. St Marys Catholic Church Website is: www.leylandstmarys.org.uk St Marys Catholic Church Telephone number is: 01772 455955
