Bishop of Salford John Arnold paid a visit to a Lancashire school this week to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its school chapel.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel RC High School in Accrington held a special celebratory Mass on Tuesday 23rd January, led by Bishop John and parish priest, Fr Francis Wadsworth.
The Mass was attended by staff, pupils, and governors of the school, as well as invited guests from the Hyndburn Catholic Partnership of primary schools and the Diocese of Salford.
During his visit, Bishop John blessed the chapel and the plaque that had been made to mark the occasion, before enjoying a tour of the school and meeting a number of pupils who shared details of some of their current projects and plans.
Headteacher Xavier Bowers was delighted to welcome Bishop John and guests to celebrate the event and the impact the chapel has had on school life over the past decade.
The school has described the chapel as “a quiet, peaceful sanctuary, and a valuable place for prayer and comfort where both pupils and staff can support each other”.
Helping to enhance and shape the Catholic life of the school, the chapel is not only a place to celebrate Mass and prepare the school community for important points in the liturgical calendar, but it also provides a space to meet and train chaplaincy and charity form representatives. It also provides a space for the YSVP group and anti-bullying ambassadors to meet and offers a safe, peaceful space for bereavement and mental health counselling to take place.
Mr Bowers asked Bishop John to bless the chapel and plaque that had been made to mark this special occasion in the school’s history.
Guests were then invited into the school library where there were refreshments and a celebratory cake.
The school pupil ECO representatives were introduced to Bishop John and chatted to him about their current projects and plans.