On 23 January 2013, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster, John Sherrington, joined the Holy Family RC primary school’s parents, teachers and pupils to lay and bless the foundation stone of their new school building in West Acton. The Holy Family Primary School is the first new Catholic primary school to be formed in the Diocese of Westminster in the last 40 years.
In his homily, prior to the blessing of the new building Bishop Sherrington spoke about the great trust the parents had placed in the school and the diocese, he said: “Your children are our pioneers. You have the first responsibility in handing on the faith to your children, we promise as a school and a diocese to help you to do this.”
Bishop Sherrington also spoke of the significance of the name Holy Family: “Every school is a family, a family where learning and growth in one’s God given gifts can flourish. Like the family, the school is called to be a place of love and nurture, so that our children can develop to the full and grow in wisdom. That is our prayer today.”
Bishop Sherrington concluded by thanking the parents, teachers, governors and Ealing Borough Council for their hard work on the project; as well as Fr John Wiley and The Holy Family Parish for their hospitality and support for the new school, which is at present housed in the parish centre.
At the event Fr John Wiley, parish priest at The Holy Family, spoke of the history of the project and the growing need for primary school places within the borough. He also spoke of the increasing popularity of the school and their provision of a faith based education in particular.
When it is completed the school will provide primary education for 400 pupils. The new school building will be in operation from September 2013, the beginning of the next academic school year.
Further photographs are available on the diocesan Flickr account here.
