2 March 2020
Fr Gerry Devlin, Chaplin
As we gathered together to celebrate Mass on Ash Wednesday we reflected on the season of Lent, which encourages us to do more in terms of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. We listened to the parable of the talents in Matthew’s Gospel (25:14-23) in which a master, before he went travelling, entrusted one servant with five talents, a second with two, and the third servant with a single talent. When the master returned he went through the accounts with the three servants and each had to give an account of what they had done with the talents they had been given.
We have set ourselves a similar challenge. During the season of Lent, along with five other schools in the English network of Sacred Heart Schools,we are raising money for projects in the Philippines.
During the Ash Wednesday homily, I gave an envelope containing £30 to our four Heads of House, our Head Girl and Ribbons team, our support staff and the School Leadership Team. I have challenged the groups to use the money as part of an enterprise scheme to fundraise. There are no rules or regulations. It is up to them to be inventive and, challenged by the Parable of the Talents, try to raise £1,000 – the amount we have pledged as a school to the Sacred Heart project in the Philippines, which helps young people in that country.
I also gave 50 pence to Woldingham's Sacred Heart Co-ordinator, Mr Ross, and my hope is that he will also be successful in raising money with this. We will see!
If anyone would like to contribute to the Sacred Heart Lenten Project please contact Mrs Sue Hooper in the School Office at hoopers@woldinghamschool.co.uk
Please be assured that everyone is in my thoughts and prayers as we journey through the season of Lent together. I look forward to seeing how much the eight groups raise when we gather together as a school community after the Easter break.