Meet new people and talk about faith at a series of special walks.
Organised by the Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, the series of five faith walks are an opportunity to meet with other families from school and the local community and talk about what faith means to you ahead of the Trust’s launch of a new mass setting.
In November, the BCCET is launching Gaudete: A Mass Setting, which has been created with pupils from the Trust’s 30 schools, composer Will Toddand local parishes. Faith: A Celebration will be held at Rainton Arena on 23rd November, where the audience can listen to excerpts from the new Mass Setting and other liturgical and secular music.
Walkers can share their favourite songs or pieces of music with others on a Walk for Joy, which are being held across the region.
The first walk was held last night [Thursday 7th September] from St Godric’s Catholic Primary School in Wheatley Hill to St Joseph’s Church in Blackhall and was attended by the recently appointed Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle Bishop Stephen Wright.
“I would like to thank Brendan Tapping, CEO from Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust for inviting me to attend the first of the Trust’s walks,” he said.
“It has been an absolute joy, and reminded me of the road to Emmaus, when the disciples said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road’. It was a great opportunity, and I would recommend others to attend – plus there is tea and cake at the end!”
Walk 2 on Friday 8th September, 5pm-7.30pm, starting at St Joseph’s Church, Blackhall, TS27 4HW, to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, Shotton, DH6 2JQ.
Walk 3 on Saturday 9th September, 10am-12.30pm, starting at St Cuthbert’s Catholic Primary School, Seaham, SR7 0HW, to St Anthony’s Convent of Mercy, Sunderland, SR2 7JR.
Walk 4 on Monday 11th September, 5pm-7.30pm, starting at St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, Ryhope, SR2 0RQ to English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, Sunderland, SR5 5AU.
Walk 5 on Tuesday 12th September, 4.30pm-6.30pm, starting at St Aloysius Junior School, Hebburn, NE31 1BQ to St Wilfrid’s RC College, South Shields, NE34 0QA.
All walks will be at an easy pace and conclude with refreshments at the final location. Those with mobility issues or those who are unable to complete the walks are welcome to attend the event and enjoy some refreshments. Under 18-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult. Please wear appropriate footwear.
The walks are part of a series of creative collaborations across BCCET enabling pupils and staff to explore and celebrate their identity and spirit of community. The project was launched in 2020 and unites the Trust’s 25 primary and five secondary schools along with local communities through music, dance, poetry and visual arts.
Previous events have included a virtual choir of more than 180 pupils from 11 schools performing We’ll Meet Again for VE Day in May 2020; Angels we have heard on high, a carol written by Bishop Chadwick, performed by their virtual choir of almost 2,000 pupils; and Footsteps into Paradise, an immersive musical and art experience held over two nights at Durham Cathedral in July 2022.
For more information, please visit www.bccet.org.uk/walk-for-joy/
ENDS
Photo captions: Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle Bishop Stephen Wright joins the first Walk for Joy with Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust.
Press release issued by SASS media on behalf of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust. For more information, contact Sarah Dale on 07814 976582.