St Benedict's Day

Published on isbi School News dated Monday 22nd of April 2013

St Benedict's School, Ealing celebrated its patronal feast with a special Mass in the Abbey Church and fundraising activities for charity. The school welcomed Bishop John Arnold, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster, who toured the school and took part in some of the activities before concelebrating Mass in the afternoon with the Monastic Community.
The school was a hive of activity in the morning as staff and pupils vied with each other to persuade friends and colleagues to part with their ready cash. The Junior School hosted a special edition of 'Bennies got Talent' and pupils visited the Senior School stalls and took part in the many activities. The assault course was popular but the biggest money-spinner was the barbecue which raised over £1,000. Stalls with cakes and sweets abounded and there was sumo wrestling in the sports hall, air rifle shooting in the Glendyne room, Knock down the teacher (cardboard images!) in the playground, fencing in the Orchard Hall, a haunted house and many more challenges and competitions. I'm a Sixth Former�get me out of here played to a packed house in the Sixth Form area.
Almost £10,000 was collected for the four chosen charities: Harrison's Fund (Fighting duchenne muscular dystrophy), The Passage (Westminster Catholic Charity for the homeless founded by Cardinal Hume), The Hearth of the Fathers (Philippines project for the poor), The Good Counsel Network (Parish Lenten Project).
The mood changed in the afternoon as the whole school community joined with Bishop Arnold and the monks of Ealing Abbey for Mass in the Abbey Church. It was a time for thanksgiving and also a time for reflection. In his homily, Bishop Arnold reminded everybody that Christ had to be at the centre of this day and of every day. As the church resounded to the thunderous overtones of the school hymn, 'Reigning in glory, Benedict our Father', a day of celebration and service was brought to a fitting end.