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Newsletter
Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College
January 2019
Dear Parents and friends of our college, Happy New Year. The last week of the Autumn term was very busy for the Catholic life of the school. The week began with a candle-lit liturgy in the chapel on Monday morning. On Tuesday lunchtime pupils from 7B2 led a liturgy reflecting on Isaiah and Jesus as the Messiah. The Carol service on Thursday evening was an excellent opportunity for our school community to come together to celebrate the coming of our saviour. The term finished with a tutor liturgy focusing on the important of Christmas. We hope you enjoy looking at all of the wonderful opportunities our community had to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas and we look forward to sharing more events with you this half term. The RE Department. The Liturgical Year January - The season of Christmas finished on Sunday 13th January with the feast of the Baptism of Jesus. This is when we remember the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan by John the Baptist, his cousin. After Jesus was baptised he spent 40 days and 40 nights in the desert, an event we remember during Lent. This marked the start of his teaching ministry. 14th January - 5th March - Following the Christmas season we move into Ordinary Time. This is where we remember events such as Jesus’ teaching the parables and sending the disciples out. It is a time to remember Jesus’ teaching ministry and reflect on how we can follow this. 6th March –18th April –Lent begins on the 6th March. This is marked with a service on Ash Wednesday with ashes from last years palm leaves from Palm Sunday on our foreheads in the sign on the cross. During Lent we remember the 40 days and 40 nights Jesus was in the desert resisting temptation. We are called to give something up so that we too can resist temptation.
On Monday 17th December our last week of school started with a candle-lit service in the chapel. It was lovely to see the chapel full with staff and pupils who had all come to start the week by reflecting on how we can prepare for the birth of Jesus. We also welcomes Dan Vince from the Archdiocese of Birmingham Education Service. It was a lovely way to start our final week preparing for the birth of Jesus. We finished the term with our final candle lit liturgy. We sang Silent Night. It was lovely to see the chapel so full and to hear pupils commenting on how peaceful the liturgy was. This was a fitting way to end together as a community as we continued our preparations for the coming of Jesus on Christmas Day. Miss Coombes Key Dates 6th January—Epiphany 25th January—Blessed Edward Oldcorne Feast Day Mases 27th February—Feast Day of St Anne Line (Tutor group L)
During Advent pupils from Year 7 and 9 led a liturgy each Tuesday at lunch time. On Tuesday 18th December 2018 7B2 reflected on Joseph’s Dream in their student-led liturgy. The liturgy started with Mr James introducing the service. Then members of 7B2 shared their artwork about Joseph’s dream. Other members of the class performed the reading; a narrator read the Bible passage while others acted out the scene. Some pupils read prayer poems that they had written for the liturgy. We shared communion together and listened to music before the liturgy ended. Scarlett , Year 7 7B2’s prayer poem written by Aimee, Evie Emily and Natalija : Mary was a young woman, She loved God with all her heart, Everyone knew they would never drift apart One day an angel came and gave her a very difficult task, The grace that shone down, Upon the Virgin Mary, Was enough to fill an empty town To her the experience was scary But the angel told her not to worry. The shepherds lay in their field with their herds of sheep When came an angel from heaven and awoke them from their sleep They were lead to the sacred stable Where Christ lay in a cradle. The light shone down, lighting up the stable, Mary on the hay sitting by the cradle. Immanuel was coming and he would be King, For peace on the earth is what he will bring.
On Thursday 20th December at 7pm our school community came together for our Carol Service, The service started with the lighting of the wreath before we were taken through the story of Jesus, from the annunciation to his birth. In between the Bible passages we joined in songs such as Away in a Manger. The staff choir sang Angels’ Carol by John Rutter. This was really enjoyable and we enjoyed seeing our teachers singing together. The Carol Service is important to spread the word of Jesus and to pray together through song. It is important to remember the birth of Jesus so that we remember the real meaning of Christmas. Imogen and Rebecca, Year 8 pupils
We prepared for Advent with a reconciliation service led by Mr McCormack and with reconciliation with our parish priests: Father Andrew, Father Brian and Father Steven. Aimee in Year 7 said she went to reconciliation to say sorry and Megan , also in Year 7, said it is important to get things off your chest.
On the last day of term we joined in a tutor liturgy together in our form groups. This was important because we were reminded before we finished for the Christmas holiday that Christmas isn’t about presents but about the birth of Jesus who came to save us from sin.