3rd October News from our Parish Schools

Parish School pages on our website

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

https://stjosephsgilesgate.bwcet.com/

We would like to thank everyone in the school and parish community for their generous donations who supported the Macmillan Coffee Morning in school. It was a resounding success, and we are delighted to say that we raised £200 for such an amazing charity and another £65 from the raffle for St Cuthbert's Care.

On Monday 6^th October our youngest children would love your prayers as they start the beginning of their learning journey. Nursery and Reception would like to invite friends and families to the Welcome Liturgy at 9am. All are welcome to attend.

On Friday 10^th October it is World Mental Health Day and we will all be wearing yellow to show children and young people they’re not alone with their mental health. The children will be raising money to install a 'Happy to Chat' bench in the school yard and to ' TURN THE BENCH YELLOW' . This will encourage people to sit down and have a conversation with others. These benches give people an opportunity to connect and interact with each other. Our next aim is to install ' Happy to Chat' benches along the driveway for our friends and families to enjoy. 

At 2.45pm on Friday 10^th October we would like to invite friends and families to school for a Harvest Festival Celebration of the Word. Any donations of hats, scarves and gloves would be kindly received and donated to Sanctuary 21 to support the vulnerable people in and around the North East. 

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St Godric's Catholic Primary School

https://stgodricsdurham.bwcet.com/

We welcome some of our Year 4 children and their families to Mass this weekend as we start our First Holy communion preparation. The children will then attend their first catechist led session on Monday after school.' 

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St Thomas More Catholic Primary School

https://stthomasmorebelmont.bwcet.com/

St. Thomas More School are looking for some volunteers amongst the catechists or parishioners to help run some sessions to Year 4, ahead of their First Holy Communion Preparation.  These sessions would be run every few weeks, after school, from 3:30pm until 4:30pm. The idea behind them is to extend the children's learning and knowledge (from what they learn in the school curriculum) about the blessed Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

 Please contact St. Thomas More school office (0191 386 4761) for more information, or if you think you could assist.

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St Leonard's Catholic Secondary School

https://stleonardsdurham.bwcet.com/

Our Holistic Curriculum focus next week is ‘Mental: Awareness of how to help ourselves mentally’. As part of this focus Mrs Stewart will be doing assemblies on aspirations and how these can bring us a positive and confidence frame of mind.

We mark World Mental Health Day in school on Friday 10^th  October. Our Year 13 tutor groups will also celebrate their pupil led Celebration of the Word on Monday morning which ties into the Holistic theme on ‘Hope and healing’.  

We also have our Sixth Form Opening Evening on Thursday 9^th October from 6pm. All those who are interested in attending our Sixth Form are welcome to come and see our amazing departments and achievements. 

5th October 2025 - Thought from Fr. Colm

Because of unexpected weakness found in the old concrete window frames, it is taking more time than expected to install the new windows at St Joseph’s. The scaffolding will remain in the central nave of the church this weekend reminiscent to a West Side Story stage set, and probably next weekend as well.

Sorry for any inconvenience. The alternative was to close the church until the work was completed or alternatively seek permission to use St. Joseph’s school hall. I’m hoping the work will be completed by 15^th October.

Sadly, Frida March’s death is the third in a list of recent losses to the parish after the passing of Margaret Graham and Ken Haswell. All were involved in the numerous groups and ministries over the years.

We give thanks for their service to the Church community in Durham. Bless their souls.

Our first Saturday evening Youth Group

A wonderful time was had by all who attended our first monthly youth group on Saturday evening after 5pm Mass. We even got a shout out from the Youth Ministry Team on their Facebook