St Gerard’s Catholic Primary School

Called to Serve

‘Walk then as children of the light.’

 

Our pupils are always keen to help those in need. They truly live out the Gospel Values of generosity, love and justice and are often inspired by the work of CAFOD.

 

 

We are called to Serve

Mini Vinnies and Chaplaincy

St Gerard’s Mini Vinnies group, works alongside the chaplaincy group. They serve our school, parish, local community and communities around the world. Through their actions they show that we can all serve on another. By serving one another, we follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

 We are called to bring ‘Hope’ to everyone we meet.

In this the Jubilee of Hope, we as a school are all pilgrims of hope.

We prayed together, as we joined with other schools to launch the ‘Year of Hope’. This year we will endeavour to bring hope to those in our local community and as-well as those further away, our global neighbours.

We are called to feed the hungry…

Every year, during harvest time, we remember to say thank you to God for all of the gifts he has given us. At this time, we join together with our Parish family to collect items for the Upper Room, sharing what we are lucky enough to have with those who are in greater need.

At Christmas, we always work together to make special hampers of food and presents as part of the CAUSE campaign. These hampers are distributed to families within our local community to make sure that Christmas is a very special time for them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Throughout the year, we support CAFOD and their many campaigns. The Chaplaincy group helped organise our autumn term CAFOD campaign. All classes this year, have collected money to help support communities in the Amazon. This also links to our work on looking after God’s Creation-our common home. We try to live wisely, think deeply and love generously- just as Pope Francis has asked us to.

The whole school is supporting this years CAFOD campaign, ‘Walk Against Hunger’. The Chaplaincy group have organised a sponsored walk so that funds can be raised and sent to CAFOD to help relieve hunger throughout the world. All school members will take part and ‘Walk in Solidarity’ with those hungry in our World. By working together we know that we can help.

 

We pray for peace throughout the World, so that no one goes without food, water, a home and a loving family.

 

Y1 pray for peace in the World 

We are called to honour the dead…

In November, we come together as a school and Parish community to remember all the Holy Souls and all of those who have been killed or injured as a result of war.

Staff and pupils always work together to create a beautiful displays in the school hall, where people add names of members of their own families who they wanted us to remember in our prayers.

Throughout November Collective Worships focus on remembering and praying for the dead

We have made special Remembrance Books which we then shared with our Parish family during our special Remembrance Family Mass.

Our Chaplaincy team sell poppies and other merchandise throughout the month of November to raise money for the Royal British Legion.

   

 

 

 

Remembrance Service at the Cenotaph in Middlesbrough.
Every year our school head/ deputy boys and girls represent the school at the Remembrance Service, held annually at the Cenotaph in Middlesbrough. They are respectful and prayerful. We are accompanied by representatives from our linked Cathedral school, St Augustine’s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are called to bring joy to others…

We really enjoy sharing our talents and skills with others in our community and seeing the joy which this brings into their lives.

At Christmas, all of the children share the Christmas story with their families and friends through, carols around the crib, class/parent collective worships and Nativity performances. Our school song club regularly visit one of our local nursing homes to share carols, hymns and songs with them throughout the year.

 

We are called to spread the Good News…

Our School Chaplaincy team have created a special prayer room in school for us to use on our own or in small groups. Throughout the year, they will be changing the focus and activities within the prayer room to help us to think about different ways in which we can pray and talk to God.

During the months of May and October, children come together at lunchtimes to pray the Rosary. This is led by members of the Chaplaincy/prayer group as well as any other children who want to promote praying the Rosary.

During Advent and Lent, our school community comes together every day for a series of special Collective Worships where we remember the people and events at these special times so that we can go and tell others all about the reasons why we have these great celebrations.

In Lent, we traditionally hold a special and prayer Stations of the Cross service at the Cathedral, following in the footsteps of Jesus. We also share the Stations of the Cross in school by displaying them in the main hall and praying them as a whole school, key stage or class. The prayer group actively encourage children to join them on a lunch time to prayer and reflect on the images of the Stations of the Cross.

 

 

 

We are called to care for the sick…

Pupils and staff raise money for Macmillan Cancer Research every year by hosting a coffee morning for our parents and friends to attend. The whole school contribute by bringing, selling and buying cakes and treats and the money we raise helps to care for those who are sick and to enable more research into possible cures for illnesses to take place.

 

We are called to be faithful…

Children in Year 4/5 join together with other children from our Parish Family to prepare for and receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. This is a very special journey for the children and their families and they are supported throughout their programme by teachers, catechists and the whole school community.

 

 

 

We constantly fund-raise throughout our school year. The children take great pride in the fundraising events and we are always fully supported by our parents and extended families. Last year we raised over £300 for CAFOD and over £1000 for Cancer Research.

This year we have raised over £200 for CAFOD from our ‘Go Green. campaign day and £490.60 for the Butterwick Hospice by organising a ‘ Rudolph Run’.

 

Thank you so much for your ongoing support and generosity.

 We are called to serve others by living out the Fruits of the Holy Spirit

Children are encouraged to live out their life following and displaying the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control”

Each child from Y1 upwards has a fruits of the Holy Spirit chart and is rewarded when they show one of these fruits in their daily life. This is very special to the children.

 

 

We are Called to serve by being Stewards of God’s Creation

Go Green Charity Campaign

As a school we have supported CAFOD’s Go Green Campaign. We know that we have to serve our global neighbours by all making an effort to look after our planet- our Common Home.

 

NPCAT Laudato Si Hymn

Members of the school Chaplaincy Group and the Head Girl, contributed to the NPCAT Laudato Si hymn. As a school, we are continually praying for and thinking of ways where we can follow the example of Pope Francis and care for our common home.