Diocesan Children’s Choir

Several children from St Thomas Aquinas and Bishop Parker schools have been invited to sing with the Diocesan Junior Choir and they sang beautifully at the St Paul’s Advent service on 6^th December.

Diocesan Schools’ Mass - A celebration of our Catholic Schools.       

Representatives from schools from around the diocese met at St Mary’s Church, Dunstable to start the new school year with a celebration of Mass. Bishop David encouraged the children to be active members of the school and parish community by ‘listening, being and doing’ as they develop their relationship with Jesus.

The readings were:

Jeremiah 1:4-10   ‘I have appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’

Psalm 138    ‘I will thank the Lord with all my heart.’

Matthew 28:16-20    ‘Go and make disciples of all nations.’

We also met Fr Michael Harrison, our former parish priest and pupil at St Thomas Aquinas School.

Missionary Disciples

To support Bishop David's vision of us all being missionary disciples of Christ, each child thought about the actions they can take at home and at school which would show people that they are friends of Jesus.

The children responded by writing or drawing their ideas on a San Damiano cross. This style of traditional cross probably originates from Croatia. It is very important because St. Francis of Assisi was praying in front of this cross when he received the commission from the Lord to 'rebuild the Church.'

Catholic Education Week 2023

Celebrating 175 years of Catholic education in the UK.

During class worship this week, the children heard Jesus’ last instruction to the apostles before he ascended into heaven- that they should teach people about God’s love and gather new followers.

Matthew 28:16-20   ‘Go and make disciples of all nations.’

Bishop David wants us to be ‘missionary disciples’ and to grow in our faith by praying, learning, sharing and serving.

"You are all disciples of Jesus Christ!  You are called to be missionary.  Being a disciple means making disciples.  A disciple lives in the moment and is a leader." Bishop David - September 2023

To mark Education Sunday, children attended 11am Mass at All Saints Church on Sunday. They proudly wore their red school uniform, welcomed parishioners, did the readings and the offertory, served at the altar and the choir sang beautifully. The children served teas and biscuits after Mass too.