This year St Cuthbert’s again held two celebratory masses to mark the end of our Good Shepherd Appeal. This made it more convenient for schools in both the north and the south of the Diocese to attend and resulted in a large turn out for both services.
The masses bring together representatives of both staff and pupils from the various schools who have held fundraising events to support us.
The first mass, for schools in the north of the region, was hosted by Sacred Heart High School in Newcastle and was concelebrated by Fr. Cornelius O’Connor, Fr. Michael Hickey and Fr. Jim Dunne, with the surprise addition of Fr. Lorenzo Baccin who is visiting from Italy.
32 schools attended, three of whom provided choirs to lead the hymns. At the Offertory pupils presented their cheques along with posters and photographs illustrating the fundraising events they had held. Over £9,000 was presented at this mass, with more still to come.
The second mass, for schools in the south of our area, was held at The English Martyrs School in Hartlepool. Long standing supporter and chaplain of St Cuthbert’s Care, Canon Robert Spence of All Saints, Lanchester, officiated, assisted by Fr. George who is visiting from Goa.
We were joined by pupils and staff from St Bede’s, Peterlee and St. Michael’s, Billingham – both secondary schools. English Martyrs’ six primary feeder schools also attended.
Perhaps the most inventive of many great fundraising ideas was that of sixth formers at English Martyrs, who were each given £5 to invest and multiply in any way they could. So far they have increased their kitty to £600. Their final total will be added to the £1,315 which was presented at the mass and the donations which will follow later from other schools in the area.
This is an invaluable contribution towards our £30,000 target for 2010. All of the money raised will be used support our 5p Bus, which visits over 60 venues in deprived areas of the Diocese providing items of clothing to those who have little or no source of income.
Our sincere thanks go to everyone involved both for the money raised and for the excellent work the pupils did in creating their posters, which will be put on display for visitors to St Cuthbert’s House – head office of both St Cuthbert’s Care and of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle.