Our Faith in Action
“You too, dear young people, can be joyful witnesses of his love, courageous witnesses of his Gospel, carrying to this world a ray of his light”
(Pope Francis at world youth day 2013)
At St John Fisher we are proud of our faith and hope that others can see our light shining in the wider community in which we live. We strive to live out Gospel Values, exemplified in The Beatitudes, and follow Catholic Social Teaching through our charity work and the way that we treat others.
The Beatitudes and Gospel Values
The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12)
The teachings of Jesus in the Beatitudes inspire everything we do at St John Fisher. These blessings call us to live with compassion, humility, and love for others:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
Our Gospel Values
We nurture the following Gospel Values to help pupils grow as faithful and just individuals:
Faithfulness & Integrity
Dignity & Compassion
Forgiveness & Mercy
Tolerance & Peace
Humility & Gentleness
Truth & Justice
Purity & Holiness
Service & Sacrifice
Through our Religious Education, SMSC lessons, and extracurricular programs, pupils explore these values in depth. They’re not just taught but experienced every day in our school community.
Catholic Life and Mission Teams
At St John Fisher, Catholic Life and Mission is at the heart of everything we do. Our staff and pupils work together to create a vibrant and faith-filled community:
Staff Team
The staff team meet on a voluntary basis each half term and includes staff from across the curriculum departments, including support staff, teaching staff, middle and senior leaders, governors and our local parish priest. Our meetings have covered a variety of topics including how we can improve our prayer and liturgy in form and the new inspection framework to the new chapel design and addressing the practicalities of having a tabernacle.
Pupil Ambassadors
Our Catholic Life and Mission Pupil Ambassadors are selected from Years 7 to 10. These 28 dedicated pupils take a leadership role in school worship, charity events, and community service. Their involvement strengthens their faith and helps develop key leadership skills, making them an invaluable part of our community.
Highlights of their work include:
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Supporting prayer and liturgy by leading collective worship.
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Organizing charity events like food drives and environmental clean-ups.
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Assisting as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion during school Masses.
Faith in Action
Living out our faith extends beyond the classroom. Pupils participate in various programs and initiatives that inspire them to make a difference.
“Human persons are imprinted with God’s image. Their dignity does not come from the work they do, but from the persons they are.”
— Pope John Paul II
Charity and Service
Our school community continues to participate in various charity events. In recent years, we have helped to raise significant funds to support numerous charities including those close to our community, such as The Brick and Daffodils Dreams, those at a national level, including Macmillan, Guide Dogs and Young Minds, and internationally including Cafod and the DEC Ukraine Appeal.
In addition to fundraising, pupils have also been involved in other aspects of charity work such as gathering food donations for The Brick, organising concerts for senior citizens, and planning the restoration of a garden at a local care home.
Our commitment to charity is a cornerstone of our Catholic ethos. In recent years, St John Fisher pupils have raised significant funds for causes close to our hearts, including:
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The Brick – Supporting the homeless.
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Daffodils Dreams – Helping local families.
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CAFOD – Responding to global crises like the Ukraine Appeal.
For more information about all that we are involved in at St John Fisher, please visit our Facebook and Twitter pages.
