Welcome to the Archdiocese of Birmingham Education Service 

​Message from Fr Jonathan

Dear Colleagues in Catholic education,
 
The end of another full and busy term is crowned with our celebration of Holy Week. The great mysteries of our faith which we celebrate this week give meaning and purpose to our Christian lives as well as the work we undertake for Catholic education. 

​From the February Headteacher Briefings 
On Thursday 17th May, the whole Winterfold School community in Chaddesley Corbett came together for the blessing of the statue of Our Lady in a newly completed grotto in the School’s garden.
The children scattered rose petals as they led the way to the statue in the garden.  Together, the pupils recited the Angelus prayer, sang Immaculate Mary and crowned the statue of Mary, to honour her as the Mother of Christ.  Father Lamb, the School’s Chaplain then granted an official blessing to the statue and talked to the children about Mary. The pupil Worship Leaders created their own bidding prayers to share, based on Mary’s example. 
This was a very special occasion for the whole school community, celebrating the faith which is at the heart of the School’s ethos.
A little bit about the Marian tradition:
Devotion to our Blessed Mother Mary originates in the earliest days of the church. Concerning the significance of the month of May, towards the end of the 18th century, Father Latomia of the Roman College of the Society of Jesus instituted the practice of dedicating this month to our Blessed Mother. His desire was to promote devotion to Mary among the students as a way to counteract infidelity and immorality. From Rome, the May devotion spread throughout the Jesuit colleges, and eventually throughout the whole church.
May probably seemed most appropriate because the liturgical calendars, former and present, mark several feast days honouring our Blessed Mother: Our Lady, Queen of Apostles; Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament; Our Lady of Fatima; Mary, Help of Christians; Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces (May 31); and the Visitation (May 31).
Article taken from the Catholic Herald
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