SQA Mass

Mass was held today in the Memorial Chapel for all pupils sitting SQA exams. Mass was led by Father Kenny Campbell.

 

2A on retreat

S2 classes have been enjoying retreats at Newmains Pastoral Centre, organised by PT Religious Education, Ms Monica Kane. Pupils were very excited as the white topped hills drew closer, and said that the snow was a bonus to the retreat itself.

As pupils are currently working on their Standard Grade options programme, the retreats have focussed on the unique qualities of each pupil, making choices, and the subsequent consequences.

Retreat report by 2A

We sat in Miss Kane’s classroom, waiting for the bus to whisk us away to the retreat in Newmains. Some people were excited but some weren’t. We all piled onto the bus.

We were asked to go into the same room that we remembered from last year. The sisters got all of us into groups and gave each group a clipboard. Sister Elizabeth put a picture of a baby on the projector and said we had to write down everything that the baby deserved in life and how to care for him/her.

Then it was break. Some of us played with the football and some of us played hunts.

After break we went back into our groups to fill in some worksheets. Afterwards we watched a kids’ cartoon which represented the idea that just because everyone else is doing something or wearing something doesn’t mean you have to as well.

Then it was lunch. We had sausage, chips and beans, and for dessert we had vanilla ice cream with chocolate sprinkles. This was quite tasty! After lunch some of us played hunts again and some of us played in the snow.

In the afternoon we went back upstairs to have a debate about what you’d like to be and why, and that was the end of the retreat.

It was the best of the retreats so far.

 

War Memorial Chapel

Our Lady’s High War Memorial Chapel was built to commemorate former staff and pupils of Our Lady’s and St Joseph’s High Schools who lost their lives during the Second World War. Funds to build the original Chapel were raised by parents, staff, and pupils of the school and by the local community.

Each November, Right Rev. Joseph Devine, Bishop of Motherwell, celebrates a Memorial Mass in the Chapel, attended by relatives of those who are commemorated there. The Chapel also continues to play an important role in the daily religious and spiritual life of the school.

The dedication of The War Memorial Chapel, on its original site in the former Our Lady’s High School buildings in Airbles Street, took place on the 14th June 1949. As the 60th anniversary of the War Memorial Chapel approaches, we would like to produce an updated account of the Chapel, tracing its history from its establishment to the present day.

If you have anything you can contribute to this story, whether in documentary, photographic or other forms, we would really like to hear from you. Please contact Headteacher, Mr Bernard Love if you can help in any way.

 

Quiz Night for Rome

Get your brain in gear for the Quiz Night in St Bride’s Hall, Motherwell,16th January, 7pm in aid of the 6th year pilgrimage to Rome. Tickets cost £10 for a team of 5.

Also available: raffle for a lovely Italian hamper. More details from Mrs Mulholland.

 

Homeless Project

Pupils from 1M and 1S have joined with Bothwellpark pupils collecting toiletries for the the homeless. A group from both schools are delivering their gifts to The Wayside Club in Glasgow today.

Tricia Docherty, Headteacher of Bothwellpark came to speak to both classes in RE. Mrs Docherty discussed charities with the classes, and asked them to nominate a charity.

The rest of the school are collecting and delivering gifts to families in need in local parishes.

 

Busking saxophonists

A group of 5th and 6th years went out to cheer the good citizens of Hamilton with a funky saxophone vibe and raise money for the forthcoming  Pilgrimage to Rome in February.  

Musicians and Specialist Bucket-shakers: Dana McMahon, Mairi Smith, Lauren Donnelly, Paula Simpson,  Christopher Tyrrell, Christopher Mulholland

 

War Memorial Mass

The school’s annual War Memorial Mass was held in the War Memorial Chapel on the 27th November. Each year, the Mass is attended by several generations of relatives of the eighty former pupils and staff of Our Lady’s and St Joseph’s High Schools who lost their lives during World War II. In his address, Bishop Joseph Devine also drew attention to the continuing toll of loss and suffering in other world conflicts.

Also during the Mass, the school Roll of Honour, which records the names of those who gave their lives during the Second World War, was read out by school captains Cairan McCarroll and Nicholas Murphy.

 

Motivational Day

6th Year pupils from Our Lady’s recently participated in a “Motivational Day”, organised by School Chaplain, Fr Stephen Miller.

The day’s activities were designed to demonstrate that “people have the power”, with lots of games to get involved with, followed by speaker Matt Donnelly’s talk “Take Life by the Horns”.

The day ended with mass led by Father Miller.

 

S1 retreats

Report by Erin O’Neill.

On 17th September 2008, the pupils of 1A were getting ready to get on the bus to begin their 20 minute bus journey to Newmains Pastoral Centre for a day of retreat. Many pupils, including me, were wondering what was waiting for us when we got there. It was nothing like we had imagined.

When we arrived, we were greeted by the smiling face of Sister Mary and led inside to a large room, where we were asked to take a seat. For the first part of the day, we talked about how each and every one of us sitting in that room was special and how we had good qualities.

Soon after that it was break time and we were free to roam the grounds. The grounds at the Centre were a magnificent sight and it was a beautiful day so that made it even better looking. There was a mini enclosed forest-type part of the garden where we could play if we wished. There were also seats so we could sit and eat our snack or enjoy the scenery.

After break, we all bundled back inside for the next part of the day. We watched a video about little wooden figures and how we shouldn’t let bad things stick to us. After that we had a discussion on what we had seen.

Soon it was lunchtime and the pupils were treated to a lunch of sausage and chips with a desert of ice cream and sprinkles. Yum!

Eventually the day was over and the pupils returned to school. When we arrived back at school, we had some time to reflect on what we had done during the day.

Everyone in the class had a lovely time and has fond memories of their retreat day.

Additional note from Mrs Macfadyen

All 1st years have taken part in retreats over the last couple of weeks at Newmains Pastoral Centre, organised by Ms Kane, Principal Teacher of Religious Education.

The focus of the event was “Who is Jesus?”, and looked at the importance of names, their origins and what they say about people. On some occasions, School Chaplain, Fr Stephen Miller, led the day, ably assisted by the 6th year Eucharistic Ministers.

 

Eucharistic Ministers

Parents were invited along to Our Lady’s Memorial Chapel to witness the blessing of several 6th year pupils as Eucharistic ministers by School Chaplain, Fr Stephen Miller.

The Eucharistic Ministers play a large part in the spiritual life of the school, standing in for Fr Miller and providing a Eucharistic service whenever he is unable to attend Mass. They will also assist at Communion for whole school services.

This week, the pupils are helping out at the 1st year retreats which are being held at Newmains Pastoral Centre.