This morning, our school community came together to celebrate our Beginning of Year Mass—a moment of reflection, gratitude and hope as we step into a new academic year.
Following the Mass, we invited everyone to remain with us for a special tree-planting ceremony outside the chapel. Together we planted an ash tree, a powerful symbol of hope, to mark both the Jubilee Year of Hope and the start of our new school journey.
This meaningful act also represents the second stage of An Bhealach Naofa – The Holy Path, a symbolic camino connecting our school to our place of worship.
As we look ahead to the new school year, we also give thanks for the centenary of Our Lady of Lourdes Church. For 100 years, this church has been a place of faith, devotion and community. Today, we honoured all those who have worshipped here and helped shape its legacy.
We were delighted to welcome Dr Donaldson and Mr Donnelly from the Down & Connor Catholic Schools’ Trustee Support Service whose support has been instrumental in the An Bhealach Naofa project. Our sincere thanks also go to Rev Fr Cahill for celebrating the Mass and planting the tree.
We hope this ash tree will stand tall for the next hundred years—just as the church has—and that future generations will continue to learn about the rich history and faith of this community.
