Catholic Schools Week is an annual all-Ireland celebration which invites schools to give expression in an exceptional way to the ethos of Catholic education. This year Catholic Schools week will take place from 29 January to 4 February.

This year’s theme, ‘Catholic schools: Learning with Pope Francis to care for our common home’ has been informed by Laudato Si’, the 2015 encyclical by Pope Francis on care for our common home.  Catholic Schools Week also acknowledges the tremendous contribution that our Catholic primary and post-primary schools make, not just to Irish society, but to the mission of the Church.

Catholic Schools week will be celebrated in all Primary and Post Primary Schools in Kilmore,

A highlight of the celebrations in Primary School will be on Wednesday: Grandparents’ Day, recognising the special role that grandparents play in our lives, teaching us about the past and about the importance of our common home and how to cherish it. 

Post Primary schools throughout the diocese attended Mass for Catholic Schools Week, in St Aidan’s Church, Butlersbridge on Tuesday 31st January at 12 noon, hosted by St. Patrick’s College Cavan.

Bishop Leo O’Reilly was principal celebrant and Fr. Paul Connell, Chairperson on Joint Managerial Board, delivered the homily.

In his homily Fr. Paul, reminded those present of the importance of their baptism. The day we were all called, like the apostles in the Gospel, to  live as Jesus lived, to be faithful to our Christian calling. Faithful to our calling by loving God, and loving, caring and respecting those around us. Quoting Cardinal Suenens, who once said that “the greatest moment in the life of a pope is not the day of his installation, but rather the day of his baptism”.  

Like the apostle before him, Pope Francis’s life changed in an instant when he answered Gods call to lead His Church. He left behind his life in Argentina, never to return, walking into the unknown with his home now the wider world. 

Fr. Paul encouraged the congregation to “Always trust in your God given inner strength and goodness. And answer that call as best you can but in particular by trusting God and asking him to help you make right decisions”.

Fr. Paul’s homily is available here.

In keeping with the theme of Catholic Schools week “Caring for our common home‘ each school pinned leaves on the tree, illustrating how we can care for our environment. 

Afterwards bishop Leo presented each school with a young tree, which they will plant at their school.

Special educational resources have been prepared to support students and teachers at primary and at post-primary level.  #CSW2017 resources are now available here