St Patrick’s Grammar School scoop Catholic Education Award

St Patrick’s Grammar School, Downpatrick, was honoured as the Recipient of the Spirit of Catholic Education Award 2024 at the annual awards this month.

The Spirit of Catholic Education Award is an annual award that recognises the outstanding contributions of Catholic schools and educators in various categories.  The award celebrates the ethos and values of Catholic education, as well as the achievements and impact of the nominees.

This year’s ceremony was held at St Mary’s University College, Belfast, on Wednesday January 24th, and the following citation was delivered by Mrs Joan McCombe, School Support Advisor. 

 Sitting proudly on the skyline of Downpatrick with views to the majestic Mourne Mountains and to the Quoile Nature Reserve, being aware of the importance of caring for our common home is something that easily resonates with the school community of St Patrick’s Grammar School.

As part of their Cephas programme, the senior students formulated and planned for developing a sacred space.  This was to have a dual function as a place of prayer and as a place of cherishing the environment.

The plans of the students followed time spent on researching and studying the writings of Pope Francis as recorded in Laudato Si.  They wanted to share with the school community the importance of caring for our world not just from a “right thing to do”, but from a deeper appreciation of the sacred responsibility of humanity to acknowledge that our world and all who live here are created by God and that as such we must appreciate the natural world in a spirit of wonder and awe, praise, joy and gratitude.

At St Patrick’s Grammar School there has been a collective response to the planning of the sacred space that required the involvement of special assemblies, contributions from a variety of subject departments, the school leadership and governors.
Throughout the process the students have been creative in their ideas and ambition for connecting the whole school to this initiative.

During the adjudication of the award the judging panel were particularly impressed by the comments from the students around the importance and relevance of caring for our world and all who live here.

They spoke of the wonder of our Creator God who provides a most beautiful world, full of colour, beauty and magnificent scenery that gives solace and peacefulness for those troubled, depressed and anxious.

Others referred to the carelessness that is shown by many with regards to throw-away culture, unfair use and distribution of the world’s resources, lip-service paid to being ecologically aware and to the need for people of all ages to be the change for good.

Collectively, the work of the student and staff community of St Patrick’s are examples of how raising the profile of caring for our common home, planning and actioning an understanding of the message of Pope Francis can forge changes in attitude alongside a willingness to take seriously the need to act now for the good of our world.

I am delighted to invite the representatives of St Partick’s Grammar School to come forward to receive their award.

Mrs Joan McCombe, School Support Advisor