On Sunday 5th February 2017, a special event is taking place to combine a parish welcome to Monsignor Jeremy Garratt and to strengthen the links between St Peter’s and one of the two parishes from which it draws many children, the Waterlooville parish of The Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and St Peter the Apostle.  At the 10:30am Mass all children in the parish are invited to attend church in their school uniforms to take a lead role in the celebration of Mass, and volunteering if willing to help with readings, the offertory, etc.  When this special Mass was first discussed, I was keen from the start for it to be for all children of any school in the local area to attend Mass in their school uniform, and not just those children at St Peter’s.  So if you know of families with children who are not at St Peter’s but who attend Mass at The Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and St Peter the Apostle, please do encourage them to come along.  In time, it is hoped that such a celebration of Mass can take place in other Catholic parishes in the area, so Sunday 5th February really is a test run.  I know it happens elsewhere, and I have recollections of attending the same when I was a child at St Bede’s Catholic Primary School in Weaverham back in the 1980s (in short trousers with scratched knees and bruised shins as is de rigeur for small boys I am sure), so am keen for us as a school community to place children at the heart of our local parishes.

We were lucky enough this week to host Fr Jeremy as he celebrated Mass with our Year 3 and 4 pupils.  Fr Jeremy then set out on what was intended to be a visit to all the classes, but conversations with Year 3 about their taste in literature and quick-fire questions from Year 1 slowed his progress; a sign I am sure of a great relationship being forged between Fr Jeremy and the children of St Peter’s.

Mr R Cunningham

Headteacher