Year of Catholic Education 'Unfolding Wisdom'

‘Unfolding Wisdom’ is theme of this special Year of Catholic Education in our diocese. 

Bishop Malcolm McMahon, Chair of the Catholic Education Service, announced 2010 to 2011 as the Year of Catholic Education at ‘The Big Assembly’ led by His Holiness the Pope during his historic visit.

The year began on 17 September and runs until October 2011.

We are calling this special year ‘Unfolding Wisdom’.  This theme reflects the prayer which the Holy Father prayed at the beginning of ‘The Big Assembly’ during his historic recent visit.  Our theme also reflects the Pope’s address to teachers when he said: “As you know, the task of a teacher is not simply to impart information or to provide training in skills intended to deliver some economic benefit to society; education is not and must never be considered as purely utilitarian.  It is about forming the human person, equipping him or her to live life to the full – in short it is about imparting wisdom.  And true wisdom is inseparable from knowledge of the Creator, for ‘both we and our words are in his hand, as are all understanding and skill in crafts’.”

Prayercards and a posters are available to help you promote ‘Unfolding Wisdom’ in our schools, colleges, parishes and other communities.   A prayercard for everyone in all our school communities has been printed.  Bishop Declan encourages schools and colleges to make use of the prayercard and to make them available to each child, teacher, governor and all involved in the life of local communities.  He suggests the prayercards are available at schools' reception to be given to visitors.  

We are richly blessed in the contribution which our schools and colleges make to the mission of the Church and we trust ‘Unfolding Wisdom’ will deepen our appreciation of Catholic education.

Bishop Declan wrote to all our schools in November to begin the Year of Catholic Education. The Bishop’s invited all involved in the life of our schools and colleges to a special Thanksgiving Mass on Thursday 11 November.  Ian McNiff also recorded a podcast inviting us all to the Thanksgiving Mass.

Our Director of Schools and Colleges Ian McNiff told us more about ‘Unfolding Wisdom’ in a special podcast.

We reported on the busy start to ‘Unfolding Wisdom’ as our beautiful prayercard and striking poster were distributed.

Bishop Declan organised a meeting on Saturday 13 November for Catholic teachers working in non-Catholic schools.  Ian McNiff reported in the success of that meeting in a special podcast.

Pupils, teachers, staff and governors joined Bishop Declan and priests from all over our diocese for a special Thanksgiving Mass for all involved in education in our diocese.  The Mass was celebrated in the Cathedral on Thursday 11 November and focused on how we’re celebrating the Year of Catholic Education by ‘Unfolding Wisdom’.

You can download high resolution photographs of your school's representative being presented with a special candle by Bishop Declan at the Thanksgiving Mass.

You can download and print our ‘Unfolding Wisdom’ prayercards and posters in the multimedia panel on the right.

Our audio series  ‘Unfolding Wisdom with Our Saints’ is part of ‘Unfolding Wisdom’ find out more with our special preiew.

In the series we've visited:
St Mary's Primary School in Chippenham
St Paul's Primary School in Yate
St Peter's Primary School in Gloucester
St George's Primary School in Taunton
Holy Family Primary School in Swindon
St Augustine's College in Trowbridge
St Bonaventure's Primary School in Bishopston, Bristol
St Francis Primary School in Nailsea
Holy Rood Junior School in Swindon
St Bede's Catholic College in Lawrence, Weston, Bristol

Young people can enter a special essay competition to mark the Year of Catholic Education.

Bishop Declan wrote a pastoral letter for Education Sunday and as Lent began our prayer book 'Unfolding Wisdom Through Prayer' was given to every child in our diocese.

The latest event in our celebration of the Year for Catholic Education sees Chairman of the Catholic Education Service, Bishop Malcolm McMahon, gives us his vision of the role of school governors. The event takes plave on Saturday 14 May.