Scottish Catholic Observer

Each year, when the Catholic Education Commission searches for a particular Catholic Education Week theme to provide schools and parishes with a focus to use in their reflections and celebrations, it usually takes some time to settle on something suitable. The challenge is always to identify a theme which is fresh but familiar and connects with the education issues of the day.

This year we had no difficulty in finding a theme, thanks to Pope Benedict XVI and all the marvellous things he said during his visit in September.  Of course, he delivered so many messages to many different groups: politicians, the media, bishops, priests, the lay Faithful, teachers, young people and children. We felt it was best to focus on the words that he spoke to children and young people, words that caught their attention, words that we feel call for deep reflection.

I was fortunate to be able to attend a number of the events and services during the Papal visit. The experience of each one of these is still vivid in my memory.  Even though I have read and re-read the texts of the various addresses and homilies many times since then, what I recall most is the Pope’s use of some particular words and phrases, because of their powerful impact at the time.

Like many other parents and teachers, I listened closely when, towards the end of his homily at the Holy Mass in Bellahouston Park, the Holy Father addressed ‘my dear young Catholics of Scotland.’ He urged them to resist the ‘glittering but superficial’ existence offered by today’s society and to ‘lead lives worthy of the Lord and of yourselves.’ He assured them that, if they searched for Jesus in their lives and came to know Him and love Him, their lives would be transformed.

In the remarkable period of silent reflection that followed the homily, many of the congregation, and many more viewing  the broadcast, must have considered the implications of these words for their own lives and for the lives of their children and grandchildren.  I thanked God for the example of parents who try to form their children in Faith. I praised God for the expertise of teachers who have been working hard to develop our new syllabus for religious education—This Is Our Faith. I prayed that the Holy Spirit will inspire our efforts in the coming years to provide in our homes, parishes and schools, powerful experiences of faith and of religious education which help young people to come to know, love and serve God.

Early on the following morning, I stood in the sunshine on the playing fields of St Mary’s University College in Twickenham, one of 4000 who had gathered from across Britain to participate in the Big Assembly, joined by Catholic schools across the UK, thanks to the wonders of the internet.

I was delighted to be there with 120 senior pupils from all the Catholic secondary schools in Scotland.  They had travelled by coach and stayed overnight in the college before travelling back to homes in Dumfries, Edinburgh, Motherwell, Glasgow, Paisley, Perth, Dundee, Inverness, Barra and many other places en route.  They—and the splendid teachers and priests who accompanied them—were wonderful ambassadors for our Church.  Adorned in the new St Ninian’s tartan and in their school uniforms, they sang hymns, listened closely and prayed fervently as the Holy Father expressed his astonishing hope that, among those listening, there would be ‘some of the future saints of the 21st century.’  He taught them, like the great teacher he is, that God loves each of them more than they can ever imagine and that he wants the very best for them, which is to ‘grow in holiness.’

The rest of the Pope’s address in Twickenham consisted of clear guidance to young people about how they could grow in holiness by responding to God’s loving invitation to know Him and to be like Him.  The actions he encouraged them to undertake—simple corporal works of mercy, in support of the most needy— are precisely the kinds of commitment which Catholic schools are promoting every day of the week.  What he made very clear, however, is that we should undertake these acts out of love for God and out of respect for the dignity and worth of each human life which is made in God’s image and likeness.

This is precisely the understanding which we are trying to promote through a range of our work with Catholic schools. By means of various resources and opportunities, we are encouraging teachers to make explicit the faith foundations which underpin all their school activities: in the Gospel values they proclaim, in the loving relationships they nurture and in the Christian witness they promote.

The resources provided for this year’s celebration of Catholic Education Week have been designed to help teachers ‘unpack’ the Pope’s words with children and young people so that they can learn: how to grow in holiness, how the saints are models of virtue and how we are all called to sainthood in our daily lives. Such lessons are not, of course, confined to one week of the school year but are typical of the religious education lessons taught daily in Catholic schools.

Catholic Education Week this year gives us all the opportunity to reflect on the messages which Pope Benedict left with us in September, in particular his encouragement of young people towards the highest levels of happiness and fulfilment: “When I invite you to become saints I am asking you not to be content with second best.” The Holy Father’s invitation offers us a challenge and a promise, both of which will be life-changing.

For more information visit http://www.sces.org.uk

Papal visit reflections from Scottish Catholic pupils

Danielle Gallagher

St Peter the Apostle, Clydebank

I was very excited about the Papal visit as I was about to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I would share with only 4000 pupils and students. With one other pupil from my school, I attended the Big Assembly in Twickenham, a celebration of Catholic education in the UK.

The day was phenomenal. There was great excitement among all of us and we felt united. Everyone cheered and sang hymns with such vigour—it made the day unforgettable. Being able to see the Holy Father from where we were standing, and praying with him made the whole experience almost surreal.

But it was Pope Benedict XVI’s speech that remains with me today. Hearing his words made me realise that in order for me to live my life to the full, I need to focus on not accepting second best; I need to become a saint. Having reflected on the Holy Father’s sermon, I realise that I want to explore the vocation of being a teacher to help the community and make a difference in people’s lives. The Holy Father has also made me realise that I should put what matters first: my faith in God is more important than anything, and my true happiness can only be found in God. I think I have found both.

I am trying to bring the Pope’s message into my daily life by continuing to follow what I believe, and by trying my hardest in everything I do. Within school, I am currently helping to set up a Lenten programme to promote the importance of Lent and the themes of reconciliation and forgiveness. Within my parish, I participate in Mass by using my talents in the music group. Ultimately, I am seeking to practise my Faith by attending the sacraments and saying my prayers.

For us all to become the saints of the 21st century we have to follow what the Holy Father said that day at The Big Assembly: “When I invite you to become saints, I am asking you not to be content with second best. I am asking you not to pursue one limited  goal and ignore all the others.”

Rachael Delaney and Kieran Kane, St John’s High School, Dundee

Being able to participate in the Big Assembly was truly amazing and an unforgettable experience, which inspired us to continue to develop our Faith and become saints in the 21st century. Our Holy Father’s words made a great impression on us and opened our eyes to how we should and can live to follow God’s plan and achieve happiness.

One of the most profound lessons we learned involved becoming saints in our everyday lives. When we first heard this request it seemed a daunting and impossible task. However as the Pope explained how we can be good, kind and compassionate people, we all realised this was in fact something which we all could achieve. Through this message we were able to gain a new outlook on how to live our lives and become who God wants us to be.

The Big Assembly was not only a chance to hear the words of our Holy Father and act upon his message but also an opportunity to meet and socialise with other young people who shared our views about our Faith. It was very easy to discuss and grow in our Faith together, as well as forming deep and long-lasting friendships, despite only meeting for a short time. This helped to make the experience truly unforgettable as we were able to share this rare opportunity with like-minded young people.

Our Holy Father’s message left a lasting impact on us, especially when he spoke of the kind person we would like to be.

“What are the qualities you see in others that you would most like to have yourselves?” he asked. “What kind of person would you really like to be?”

These questions were thought-provoking and really made us think about who we want to be in our lives and how we are able to overcome any obstacles we may face to become the saint-like figure we aspire to be.

When we returned from Twickenham, this message remained with us and we shared it with our friends and families to help them become enlightened about how to live our lives in the way that God intended.

One of the key messages that Our Holy Father conveyed was to never settle for second place and always strive to be the best in everything that you do. This is something which, even now, we try to do every day and we will never forget this truly remarkable experience which taught us how to be not only better Catholics, but truly better people.

Kirsten Dammer and Scott Smith

St Paul’s High School, Dundee

When we first found out that we had been chosen to represent our school in going to see the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, we had expected to be going to Bellahouston Park with our families. However, when we realised that we were actually to travel to Twickenham, we were delighted and honoured.

During the Holy Father’s homily at St Mary’s College, Twickenham, he delivered his message to tie in with Catholic Education Week: “Grow in holiness, become saints of the 21st century,” he said. “I hope that among those of you listening to me today there are some of the future saints of the 21st century… what God wants most of all for each one of you is that you should become holy.”

We felt that this message was relevant to us in our daily lives as, although we may not feel saintly, people around us show saintliness every day. For us and those around us, the thought of being a ‘saint’ was quite intimidating, though the Pope made it clear that actions we consider as ordinary parts of our lives could be considered saint-like. For example, if we take part in volunteer organisations or if we help those less fortunate than ourselves. The Holy Father made it clear that being a saint today was not difficult—by simply showing we care for others, we are taking on the role of a 21st century saint.

After listening to the Pope’s message, we reflected on what he had said. Many of us had perceived ‘being a saint’ as something unattainable and thought that it would be difficult in the course of our everyday lives. However, through our thoughts and reflections and practising our Faith at Mass, we were able to interpret the Pope’s message more clearly. It is now obvious to us that being a 21st century saint is something that we all can be, in our own individual ways. Whether it be teaching, caring for others, healing the sick, or simply listening to a friend in need. Through our words and actions, we can all be saints in the 21st century.

Although it took us some time to fully appreciate Pope Benedict’s message, we now feel that our spirituality and, indeed, our lives have been enriched by our time in Twickenham.