Mass of the Holy Spirit 2021

Mass of the Holy Spirit took place this year on Friday 24 September, and was the School’s first Mass of the academic year. The Mass is an opportunity to ask for blessings on our entire School community, including pupils past and present, staff, families, governors and our founding RCE Sisters, for the year ahead.

It was fitting to have Mass in the beautiful grounds, allowing us to give thanks and praise in this Season of Creation, and to come together as a Farnborough Hill community for a Eucharistic celebration. The School’s new altar cloth was in use for the first time and pupils used their House books to follow the Order of Mass and to sing the hymns, as they sat on picnic blankets on the hill.

We were delighted to welcome Canon PJ Smith, Episcopal Vicar for Education and Cathedral Dean for the Diocese of Portsmouth. Fr PJ supports Catholic schools around Portsmouth Diocese, as well as serving as the Diocesan link for school chaplains. Thank you to Dr Ian Taylor and the Sixth Form Senior Choir members for leading the School in song, to the Year 11 staff and pupils who helped with the readings, the Lower Sixth students who served as ushers and the many people who made this beautiful event possible.