5th December 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 who came to support our school at the Christmas Fayre. It was such a special occasion and we really appreciate the support from our school community.

Tuesday 9^th December - we will be hosting a violin music concert in the school hall at 10.30am. All are welcome to attend and in the afternoon at 2.30pm we would like to invite families and friends to our ‘Carols Around The Crib’ event in the school hall. This will include traditional carols and reflections for the season. Doors will be open for 2.15pm and refreshments and a festive treat will be served. 

Wednesday 10^th December - we are delighted to perform our Whole School Christmas Play ‘The Magical Christmas Jigsaw.’ The children have worked so hard to learn their lines, practice songs, and bring this wonderful story to life. Doors open at 2.15pm and refreshments and mince pies will be served. Call in to the school reception for tickets. 

Thursday 11^th December - the children will wear their Christmas jumpers and enjoy a delicious Christmas dinner in school. 

Friday 12^th December - the children will take part in their second performance of the Whole School Christmas Play ‘The Magical Christmas Jigsaw.’ Doors open at 2.15pm and refreshments and mince pies will be served. Call in to the school reception for tickets. 

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St Godric's Catholic Primary School

https://stgodricsdurham.bwcet.com/

The season of Advent has begun at St. Godric's, a special time of waiting and preparation.  The cloths on our class prayer tables have all been changed to purple and we have our Advent wreaths on display to remind us of the hope and joy we share as we look forward to the birth of Jesus.   

This week, our Early Years children enjoyed a wonderful visit to Hardwick Park for a workshop linked to the Stick Man book they have been studying in class.   We also had a fabulous turnout for our annual Christmas movie night with hot dogs and hot chocolate, led by our Friends of St. Godric’s.  

Looking ahead, we are excited for our Nativity plays next week, and we keep our Year 4 children in our prayers as they prepare to make the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

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St Thomas More Catholic Primary School

https://stthomasmorebelmont.bwcet.com/

A huge thank you to Father Colm, and John Hayton, who both joined us in school this week for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The children were reverent and respectful during the Sacrament, as they prepare on their Holy Communion journey. 

We're also looking forward to welcoming John into school, on a monthly basis, to help the children in their Holy Communion preparation beginning in January. Thank you John, for all of your support. 

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St Leonard's Catholic Secondary School

https://stleonardsdurham.bwcet.com/

It is wonderful to share the news that St. Leonard’s has won all three awards for the Northeast in this year’s Sunday Times Parent Power Awards. The awards are School of the Year, Top School for Academic Achievement and Top Comprehensive School. You can read more about the awards here. Credit for these awards belongs to our entire community of families, pupils, teachers, support staff, parishes and governors. 

To win just one award would be significant, but to win all three awards is very unusual and says something very powerful about our school community. We are blessed to have such supportive families and parishes, and we would not have won these awards without your support. 

Thought from Fr. Colm - 7th December 2025

There are some parish events the are standout occasions, and last Saturdays Parish Fayre was one such occasion. It was an event that went beyond the parish and into the heart of the local community. There was a feel good factor that had depth of connection to so many. I met a cyclist this week who dismounted to ask two simple questions: How did the Fayre go?…and when was the next one? Thank you so many who contributed.

 The many groups who simply exist to help and make this world a better place for so many, especially those who are vulnerable. In a world of negative news, events like last Saturday lift our spirits. I must add a special word of thanks to Cynthia and Erica for their hard graft behind the scenes. Believe you me , they put an enormous amount of time and effort into it. Roll on next year.

“The community stagnates without the impulse of the individual. The impulse dies away without the sympathy of the community.”

William James

Wednesdays PC meeting discussed :

Live streaming. Though I have reservations about it, perhaps it’s time to bite the bullet. How do we (the Parish Council) support the many parish groups? How do we support our stretched school teachers? We had a brief but extremely lively sharing of thoughts and reflections between members of the Parish Council and our BOP group on the Bishop Stephen’s recent Pastoral Letter.

Also discussed were some concerns for the senior members of our society especially regarding enabling them how to access welfare entitlements etc. ( This is the blessing of having a council member who was on the front line for many years with Age Concern).

We also discussed the attendances at all our Masses,  and noticed the changing profile ie the absence of so many familiar faces from St Joseph’s Saturday Vigil especially. The legacy of Covid still looms.

On a positive note; there is a noticeable increase in young people coming to both Sunday Masses.

How do we support the increased number of students who come and who don’t participate in the main chaplaincy facilities . Updates were given on Safeguarding and buildings. My thanks to our Council members.

Filipino woman shares with Pope Leo her work helping refugees

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4YtGLsu4Bs

Loren Capobres, a former domestic worker from the Philippines who now serves with the Jesuit Refugee Service in Lebanon, speaks about helping migrants before Pope Leo XIV during his meeting with bishops, priests, consecrated persons, and pastoral workers at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa on Dec. 1, 2025. ​