On Friday 10 June 2016 we celebrated Mass for the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the School Feast Day - a celebration of the love of Jesus and of His many blessings and graces on the Community that is Farnborough Hill. The Mass, held in Chapel and attended by the whole school, was very uplifting and joyful and included lovely scripture readings and singing.
The statue of Jesus outside Chapel is always specially decorated by Sister Mannion for this occasion and this year she was able to use blooms from the Rhododendrons in the grounds.
After Mass, the whole school gathered on the Hollybush Lawn around a new sculpture by Ian Gill commissioned in thanksgiving for 125 years of "educating the whole person" - the mission at the heart of this school. The sculpture, entitled 'Joyfulness', depicts four girls and expresses a real sense of youth, vitality, friendship and happiness. The sculpture was blessed by Father Tony using the following prayer:
The sculpture is full of movement and life;
May we be open to receive Your gifts
It speaks of the joy and joyfulness that is abundantly present in lives lived to the full;
May we accept your invitation to grow
in lives that are open and free;
May we be motivated and excited at the freedom You offer
in lives that are receptive to the Holy Spirit of God;
May we be surprised by all You desire for us
in lives that acknowledge there is always more to be discovered and so much to be thankful for;
May we always be courageous in following Your plan for our lives and grateful for Your abundant goodness to us.
The celebrations ended with 'lollies on the lawn' - another favourite Farnborough Hill tradition!
More photos from School Feast Day