Celebration of the Sacraments

Friday College Mass

Our school’s Sixth Form is home to our School Prayer Space, where all students, staff and members of our wider school family have a weekly opportunity to celebrate Mass at 8.15am on Fridays. The Mass finishes each week ahead of registration, and all present are invited afterward to Café 2011 for complimentary refreshments and an opportunity to discuss the themes of the Mass with the priest celebrating and members of staff attending. For our weekly college Masses we are joined by Father Robert Dykes, Father Godlove as well as Canon John Rafferty and Canon Pat Monroe.

End of Term Masses

For large events in the liturgical calendar, we have Mass for multiple-year groups. This happens during Advent and Lent, and pupils will take part in the planning and delivery of Mass by creating Bidding prayers and the special offertory. As well as our Masses celebrating Christmas and Easter, we also have Mass for our student leavers. For year 11 and year 13, pupils also have a say in the preparation of Mass, by choosing readings that speak to them about their time in our school, and also collaborating on the bidding prayers and special offertory. For these larger Masses, pupils will take ownership of their faith not only by creating the prayers we use, but also by volunteering to read, or to be a part of our Capriccio Singers and lead on the music of the Mass.

Reconciliation

Members of the clergy are invited to school on a termly basis to provide an opportunity for regular Reconciliation for Blessed Thomas Holford students. Students are informed of the availability of this sacrament within the school during form time, and are given the opportunity to book a time-slot throughout the day to undertake this sacrament.

This opportunity feeds into our school’s understanding of the importance of reconciliation. Once students have experienced the divine significance of this sacrament, they witness echoes of reconciliation throughout the daily life of Blessed Thomas Holford Catholic College; in our expectations of team-work, in our hope for harmony and in our school family’s steadfast belief in the healing power of forgiveness.