During Feb 1/2 term, a small group of staff headed of to the Holy Land on our annual pilgrimage. We based ourselves in Jerusalem, visiting both Bethlehem and the Dead Sea.
The tour continues to Galilee, where we visited Capernam, Nazareth and Cana. It was a brilliant trip with excellent company. photo’s will be shared in RE lessons and assemblies.
Welcome back to St James
Unfortunately the Chapel is currently out of action due to our building works. We hope to start extra curricular clubs again next week.
Do look in your planners for the additional prayer reflections each week.
God bless,
The Chaplaincy team
This month we are joining forces with Blessed Dominic’s primary school and St Margaret Clitherow Parish to collect clothes for Mary’s Meals. LAst year, between the three communities we collected enough clothes to feed 88 children for a year.
Mary’s Meals is a excellent charity based in Scotland. The video below tells you all about the work of the charity and follows the story of several people whose lives have been transformed by their work.
To contribute to our clothes drive, bring in unwanted clothes and leave them in a bag at the collection point in the chapel. The deadline for the collection is Friday 17th November 2017.
This month is a month dedicated to Our Lady. At St James we will be going on our annual pilgrimage to Walsingham with the Dominicans. The pilgrimage takes place on 14th May. For more information please contact our Chaplain.
May is also a month where we say goodbye to our Year 13 students. Masses of thanksgiving take place towards the end of the month. Let’s keep all those taking exams in our prayers:
Father,
Be with me as I take this exam.
Keep my mind alert and my memory sharp.
Calm my nerves and help me concentrate.
I know that you walk with me,
Guiding my path and inspiring my heart.
I pray that I would feel you with me,
And that your friendship would soften the pressure I feel.
I pray that I would pass this exam and go on to new things with you.
Thank you for your peace and your love in my life.
Thank you for your kindness and care for me.
Amen
This week we are pondering the power of giving. When you give, you often receive as much as the gift through the joy it brings by the act.
Over the next 4 weeks each form is putting together a backpack in order to give a gift of education to students in Malawi.
A box will be in the staffroom in order to swap doubles of items. The final backpack is to be handed in as part of the Advent Liturgy.
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace.
That is enough for me.
Christmas is now over, the Wise Men have made their visitations and two weeks ago, we celebrated the Baptism of the Lord. We are now beginning ordinary time, and Jesus is preparing to begin his public ministry. John the Baptist sees Jesus coming towards him and speaks to crowds. John tells them that he did not know Jesus until he was revealed by the Holy Spirit as the Chosen One of God at his baptism (Gospel).
We pray that, through the grace of our baptism, we may know the love and presence of Jesus in our lives.
Here I am Lord! I come to do your will (Psalm 39) 
I waited, I waited for the Lord
and he stooped down to me; he heard my cry.
He put a new song into my mouth,
praise of our God.
You do not ask for sacrifice and offerings,
but an open ear,
you do not ask for holocaust and victim.
Instead, here I am.
In the scroll of the book it stands written
that I should do your will.
My God, I delight in your law in the depth of my heart.
Your justice I have proclaimed in the great assembly.
My lips I have not sealed; you know it, O Lord
