John Coulam reflects on the life of our schools, and shares an invitation to all to the Catholic Schools Day Mass, being celebrated on the 28th of May.

On visiting schools over the recent school holiday break it was clear that the life of a school is not about the buildings, it's the people that breathe life into a school. Term two welcomes back just over 9500 students into the Catholic schools within the Diocese and along with the school staff and parents, they make up an important part of a parish.

While students and teachers look forward to the break between terms, there is often disappointment when the rituals and rich liturgies of Holy week, beginning with Palm Sunday and climaxing at Easter Sunday, fall outside a school term. This year Easter Sunday was in the middle week of the school break. Not to be deterred, I’m sure that the teachers in the schools prepared the students well for this memorable week of the Church’s year. 

At the end of term one, long serving Catholic School principal, Ms Kath Joblin retired from St Thomas More School Mount Maunganui where she had served as principal since the school opened in January 2001. Thank you Kath for your faith filled leadership, may you now get the well deserved break that awaits. At the start of term, the school welcomed Mrs Lisa Broadmore as their new principal.  Mrs Broadmore was formerly the Deputy Principal of St Mary’s Catholic School in Tauranga.

I feel truly blessed to be part of such a vibrant, faith-filled community where love, service, and excellence are not only spoken about, but lived out each and every day. ~ Lisa Broadmore, St Thomas More facebook post on her first day.

Recently the position of Principal at St Joseph’s Opotiki has been advertised, signalling the pending retirement of another faithful and hardworking long serving principal, Ms Raewyn Clark. It will be a sad day for the Opotiki school community when Ms Clarke retires, she too has served her community tirelessly for decades and will be missed by not only the local community but those who have worked alongside her in the Catholic Education network.

Easter brings new life and the start of a new term brings a freshen energy into the school.

Catholic Schools day is celebrated annually in May with both diocesan and school wide events. A special Mass to celebrate Catholic Schools Day will be held at the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Wednesday 28 May at 10 a.m. All are welcome to attend and join in with representatives of the schools present to pray for and celebrate with our schools and the wider communities. A wonderful initiative and an opportunity for all to come together this Jubilee Year of Hope.

You can read more about the theme chosen for the Catholic Schools day here.