Chaplaincy
We support and welcome all students and staff.
Chaplain's Welcome
One of the things that is central to our college community is our Ethos; based on the Gospels we want every member of the college to experience life in a Catholic environment, and we hope you can see for yourselves how our faith is central to everything we do. The Chaplaincy room is open to all, whether you want to talk or just need some quiet space. We have refreshments available so just pop in if you need anything.
However, we are proud of our inclusive tradition and so faith-based activities are entirely voluntary. Our Catholic ethos means that we want every student to reach their potential, and this means we focus on more than just exams, although our students’ academic achievements are impressive.
St Brendan's Chapel
As the last couple of years have certainly taught us, exam results should not define anybody. We are all created by God and have many gifts and talents. No one should feel that they are just the sum of the results on a screen or a piece of paper.
At St Brendan’s we try to offer activities for our students to grow as a whole person through enrichment activities and a range of training and work experience opportunities.
We are currently the only sixth form in the country to have been awarded the Oscar Romero Award for putting faith into action. We are also a College of Sanctuary, which means we have been recognised for our work with welcoming refugees into the college and community. These are just some of the initiatives our students can get involved with to enrich their experience at St Brendan’s and help make a difference to the world.
I hope you will enjoy your time at St Brendan’s College and will come with an open mind and heart and get involved with the many things on offer here. Maybe I will see you up in the Chaplaincy Room - you are welcome any time!
College Chaplain
Prayer of St Brendan
Prayer of St Brendan
Chaplaincy Mission
The mission of our Chaplaincy reflects the rich diversity of our community, engaging with students and staff of different faiths and none. It is also diverse in that different areas of our college community work collaboratively and take lead roles in aspects of the work of our Chaplaincy making it a real whole community mission. Our Chaplaincy develops because of the inspiration, leadership and support of staff and students across our college community.
5 Finger Prayer
Involvement in the Diocese
We are closely involved with the mission of our Catholic Diocese. At the heart of our mission is the call of Bishop Declan, Bishop of Clifton Diocese, for us to work to ‘Deepen prayer, Enable Communion and Strengthen Mission’.
Student Leadership and Support in Chaplaincy
Students are supported in getting involved in leadership roles by our Chaplain and Chaplaincy team.
Students are encouraged to take a lead role in the development of our Chaplaincy. Chaplaincy leaders are supported in exploring faith and areas of Social Justice and to support the wider mission of our college in reaching out to our local and global communities.
Students in the Chapel
Aquinas Group Logo
Our Aquinas community
Our Chaplaincy is active in Supporting the faith journey of young people in our Catholic Primary and Secondary schools through to joining us at St Brendan’s Sixth Form College.
We support Chaplaincy leadership and training across our seven Aquinas Catholic primary schools with a training and activity day for young Chaplaincy leaders involving fun teamwork activities, talks and workshops on the work of Cafod and relevant Diocesan themes which our young Chaplaincy leaders can take back into their school communities to engage and share with their peers in assemblies and chaplaincy prayer and activities. We invite these leaders back in the summer, on St. Brendan’s Day, for a celebration of their leadership in Chaplaincy and encourage them to continue the journey of service and witness into their secondary schools. We hope they will one day be the leaders of Chaplaincy in St. Brendan’s; supporting young chaplaincy leaders in their old primary schools. We partner with St Bernadette’s R.C. Secondary school Chaplaincy to offer a retreat day at the end of the summer term for our Aquinas year 6; celebrating our Aquinas Community and encouraging our young people to aspire to journey forward in their education and faith communities. The year 6 are very familiar with our college community as they have as Year 5 pupils a fantastic Aquinas sports day organised through our St. Brendan’s Sports Union in partnership with sports students in St. Bernadette’s; It is great that they are already beginning to feel they belong in our college community.
Our community is:
- St Bernadette's Secondary School (http://www.stberns.bristol.sch.uk/)
- St Bernadette's Primary School (http://www.st-bernadette-pri.bristol.sch.uk/)
- Christ the King Primary School (http://www.christtheking.bristol.sch.uk/)
- Holy Cross Primary School (http://www.holycross.bristol.sch.uk/)
- St Patricks Primary School (http://www.stpatricksbristol.org.uk/)
- St Joseph's Primary School (http://www.st-josephs-pri.bristol.sch.uk/)
- St Pius Primary School (http://www.st-piusx.bristol.sch.uk/)
- St Nicholas of Tolentine Primary School (https://www.stnicholas.bristol.sch.uk)
Chaplaincy Enrichment at St Brendan's
Chaplaincy also facilitate a number of groups which all students can get involved with, such things as a 'Music Worship and Gospel Choir', 'Social Justice and Action Group', 'SJAG Human Rights group', 'Cafod Young Leaders Programme', as well as being involved in a wide range of cross-college Chaplaincy activities - pop along to the Chaplaincy office (opposite the LRC) to find out more!
