On 22 September, Holy Rood Catholic Primary School in Watford celebrated 120 years of Catholic education. The school first opened its doors in September 1896 and was at that time, the only Catholic primary school in South Hertfordshire. The pupils and staff of 2016 were very pleased to be able to welcome Cardinal Vincent, as well as priests from the parishes served by the school, to celebrate Mass to mark this special occasion. The school community was also joined by a large number of guests to help them in this celebration including past and present parents, former pupils and staff members, representatives of the other Catholic schools in the Watford Deanery and representatives from the Diocesan Education Service. With almost 700 people in attendance, the Mass was held in a beautiful Marquee on the schools grounds, decorated with 120th themed bunting designed by each of the pupils at the school.
The theme of the anniversary Mass was Christ’s call to love one another, as reflected in the school’s mission statement: ‘The family of Holy Rood School will try to live, learn, grow and celebrate together, as friends, through the love of Christ.’
Cardinal Vincent spoke to the children about the importance of loving others in the way that Christ has loved us. He spoke about how the school community was a community that had been built on this love, given and shared by many people, over many, many years, bringing the school to the point that it is at today.
During the Mass the school presented a cheque for £11,000.00 to Monica Basham, representing the Missionaries of the Poor Supporters Association (MoPSA), whom the school have been working with for three years to provide support for Missionary brothers living and working in Nairobi, rescuing young children from a life on the streets and providing them with an education. This money was the result of a special fundraising drive over the past 12 months as part of the school’s 120th year. When receiving the cheque, Monica revealed to the children the news that in recognition of the work that the school has done to support the Nairobi Mission, the brothers have taken the decision to name their school ‘Holy Rood’, a very humbling and touching gesture, linking the two schools and communities together in a very tangible way.
Following the celebration of Mass, His Eminence met with a number of the pupils and their parents in the playground and contributed his signature to the school’s new ‘Garden of Mercy’, recording the names of all members of the school community in this 120th year and this Year of Mercy and representing the school’s ongoing commitment to living lives of mercy.
