--- title: "Bishop officially opens Mercy Garden" url: "https://bccet.org.uk/news/2024-09-30-bishop-officially-opens-mercy-garden" school: "Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust" --- # Bishop officially opens Mercy Garden ![Image of Bishop officially opens Mercy Garden](https://files.schudio.com/bishop-chadwick-catholic-education-trust/images/news/news_45.jpg) 30 September 2024 St. Anthony’s Girls Catholic Academy, part of the Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, had the great honour of welcoming Bishop Stephen to their school today (26.9.24) to officially open the newly completed Mercy Garden and mark the start of their 120th Anniversary celebrations. During his visit, Bishop Stephen met with members of the school’s staff, engaging in discussions about the academy’s community, mission, and vision for the future. He then joined Year 11 students for an insightful “Ask the Bishop” activity, where students asked thought-provoking questions about his role as Bishop, the Catholic Church’s stance on stewardship, and how the Church might respond to ethical dilemmas such as the famous trolley problem. A highlight of the day was the blessing and official opening of the school’s new Mercy Garden. The garden, dedicated to the memory of former staff and students who have passed away, symbolises the school’s strong commitment to Mercy. Marie Lanaghan, Headteacher of St. Anthony’s, expressed her gratitude, saying, “It was a great honour to have Bishop Stephen visit St Anthony’s and to have him officially open our Mercy Garden. As we celebrate our 120th year, his visit marked the start of our celebrations, as we reflect on our rich history and look forward to the future.” **ENDS** *Press release issued by Liam Milne, St. Anthony’s Girls Catholic Academy Sunderland lmilne@staga.co.uk* [ Olympic medallist returns to inspire students at Peterlee](https://bccet.org.uk/news/2024-09-24-olympic-medallist-returns-to-inspire-students-at-peterlee) [Primary school choir performs at Sunderland Minster ](https://bccet.org.uk/news/2024-10-02-primary-school-choir-performs-at-sunderland-minster) ![Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust](https://files.schudio.com/bishop-chadwick-catholic-education-trust/images/logo/logo-footer-with-diocese-02_(1).png) ### Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust Evolve Business Centre Cygnet Way, Rainton Bridge South Business Park Houghton-le-Spring Tyne & Wear DH4 5QY ### Quick Links - [Website Terms](https://bccet.org.uk/website-terms) - [Accessibility Statement](https://bccet.org.uk/accessibility-statement) - [Privacy Notice](https://bccet.org.uk/privacy-policy) - [FOI Statement](https://bccet.org.uk/freedom-of-information) ### Useful Links - [Key Documents](https://bccet.org.uk/key-documents) - [Teach First/SCITT](https://bccet.org.uk/work-for-us/teach-first-scitt) - [Our Schools](https://bccet.org.uk/our-schools) - [Job Vacancies](https://bccet.org.uk/job-vacancies) - [Contact Us](https://bccet.org.uk/contact) ### Social Media - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/BishopChadwickCET) - [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/@bishopchadwickcet) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/78414337/admin/) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/bishopchadwickcet/) © Copyright 2025–2026 Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust School & Trust Websites by [ ![Schudio logo](https://bccet.org.uk/img/logo/light.png) ](https://www.schudio.com/)