Student Catholic Life
Collective Worship
Each morning begins with an Act of Collective Worship in form groups or as a whole year group. The Act of Collective Worship is led by the Prayer Leader of each form group.
Students also come together throughout the year to celebrate Mass as a College community. In September we welcome students back with our Welcome Masses. This also welcomes our new Year 7 students as well as new members of staff. We also celebrate Mass on Holy Days of Obligation, for example All Saints Day and the Feast Day of St Peter and St Paul. We celebrate a special Mass for the Feast Day of our College martyr Blessed Edward Olcorne on 27th January. At the end of their time at Blessed Edward Oldcorne Year 11 join together in a Mass of Celebration. In the summer term Mrs Thomas supports the Archdiocese by helping to organise The Good Shepherd Mass which is celebrated at St George’s Catholic Church and attended by local Catholic schools.
Each week students have the opportunity to attend Mass in the chapel. RE classes prepare the Mass. They use the readings of the day to choose a theme, create artwork and reflections about the Gospel reading. Students will also write the bidding prayers, choose hymns and decide how to use the space in the chapel to celebrate Mass as a community.
During Lent and Advent our students take part in a Reconciliation Liturgy. Our local parish priests visit school and administer the Sacrament of Reconciliation to students.
Lourdes Pilgrimage
Each year students in Year 7 -10 have the opportunity to go on pilgrimage to Lourdes with the Archdiocese of Birmingham Catholic Community. This trip is always hugely popular.
Each year we dedicate a Friday lunchtime Mass to the pilgrims. The pilgrims lead the readings and prayers.
Youth SVP
At Blessed Edward Oldcorne we have a thriving Youth SVP group. Our SVP group is made up of members from Year 7, 8 and 9. They are supported by students from year 10 and 11. We are also fortunate to have the support of a local SVP group from Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Worcester.
Our SVP group raises money to help the local community. We have raised money through cake sales and a sponsored walk. We have also visited local hospitals and care homes. As a group we are keen to support our local community.
The SVP group meets on the last Wednesday of the month to plan events in school.
For more information about SVP please visit https://www.svp.org.uk/
Catholic Life Student Voice
Mrs. Thomas is the Person in Charge of the Catholic Life of the School. He meets with the Catholic Life student voice group .
During the meetings Mrs. Thomas updates the group on the Catholic Life of our college and the group are able to share their thoughts about how to develop the Catholic Life of our college.
Outreach
As part of our Catholic mission our students are encouraged to support local, national and international causes.
Harvest Appeal: During the month of October students are asked to donate food to the local Foodbank in Worcester.
Operation Christmas Child: In November students create shoeboxes full of gifts that are given to children and young people in other countries. For these children this will be their only Christmas present
Lent fundraising: Throughout Lent each form group organises a charity event to raise money for the chosen College charity.
Zimbabwe Medical Centre: As a school we have been raising funds over the last two years for a local community to support the community in Nyandora in Zimbabwe. There have been difficult times politically and economically for this community. This means the community is sometimes without power, so building work is quite slow, however with our support the community can continue to build a medical centre so that they no longer have to walk for hours to their nearest medical centre.
The Liturgical Year
Throughout the school year we follow the Liturgical Year. In November students are asked to remember those we have loved and lost. On Remembrance Day we hold a 1 minutes silence. There is a Remembrance Book in the chapel all month for students to write names into. During Advent students can attend Advent Liturgies on Monday morning before school begins. Each RE class visits the chapel during Advent to reflect on the coming of Jesus Christ. We mark the start of Lent with Ash Wednesday Services. In the Season of Lent we have Lent Liturgies on a Monday morning before school begins. Each RE class visits the chapel for a student led Stations of the Cross Liturgy. Students are also encouraged to take part in the Lent Fast Day by swapping their usual lunch for soup. Students are asked to donate the amount they would normally spend on lunch to CAFOD. In May students plan and lead a Marian Liturgy.
Visit to the Shrine of Blessed Edward Oldcorne
Each year a group of students visit the Blessed Edward Oldcorne Shrine on Red Hill. We are joined by staff and students from St Joseph’s Warndon who prepare and read prayers during the liturgy. The liturgy is led by students.
Soli House
Year 9 students have the opportunity to visit Soli House in June. The spiritual residential trip is hugely popular with Year 9 students. Throughout the residential students reflect on key themes as well as taking part in team building activities.
Holocaust Memorial Day
In January we remember the victims of the Holocaust in World War II as well as the victims of genocides that have happened since World War II.