Since 2022, we have held year group ‘Mission Days’ at Saint Peter and Saint Paul’s. These protected times give our students the opportunity to be involved in a day devoted to prayer and mission, highlighting our faith as being at the heart of all of our actions. During a student’s time at our school, they will have the opportunity to experience a Mission Day in each academic year. Each year group’s Mission Day falls within a different part of the liturgical year. This has been planned purposefully to promote seasonality and to improve the liturgical awareness of our staff and students.
Our Mission Days support and promote our Diocesan themes of Encounter, Discipleship and Missionary Discipleship, incorporate links to Catholic Social Teaching and raise awareness of our wider responsibilities as a part of a global Catholic community. Where possible, our Mission Days begin with Mass in church with members of our parish community.
Below is an overview of the seasonality and theme linked with each year group Mission Day.
Year 7 Mission Day:
The Year 7 Mission Day is the first in the academic calendar, occurring early on in the Advent 1 term during Ordinary Time and the Season of Creation. The theme of this is foundation stones, and invites the students to learn more about our patron saints – Saint Peter and Saint Paul – and what it means to be a disciple of Christ. There will also be a link to stewardship to tie in the Season of Creation, especially this academic year in the Year of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Year 8 Mission Day:
The Year 8 Mission Day is held during the liturgical season of Lent. Entitled ‘Wilderness to Witness’, the day encourages the students to identify areas of ‘wilderness’ that are disadvantaging people within our local and global communities today (such as homelessness, loneliness and poor mental health) and encourages them to think about how they can make a positive difference to people experiencing these.
Year 9 Mission Day
The Year 9 Mission Day takes place during Eastertide and is based on the story of The Road to Emmaus. It encourages the students to recognise the face of Jesus in one another, particularly in the stranger.
Year 10 Mission Day
Held during Ordinary Time in the Lent 1 term, the Year 10 Mission Day is based on the theme of ‘Rebuild My Church’. Using the story of Saint Francis of Assisi, students are invited to work in teams to design their own ‘Catholic church of the future’, giving reasons for what their church building would look like and offer.
Year 11 Mission Day
TBC.
