At St Cecilia’s all pupils experience a retreat either in school or externally. Organised retreat days take place once a year separately for all year groups. These retreats are usually organised by our School Chaplain (Mrs Bretherton) and our Catholic Youth worker (Terry Mattinson). We have also been lucky to have external speakers in the past.
Highlights of some of our year group retreats this year can be seen below:
Retreat Programme
Retreat Programme
Castlerigg Manor
At St Cecilia’s pupils have the opportunity to visit Castlerigg Manor in Year 8 and Year 10. This is often very popular and is something that pupils reflect on in their Year 11 Leaver’s Mass. Pupils have been going to Castlerigg Manor at St Cecilia’s for generations and many of our pupils often cite one of the reasons they want to go is because one of their parents or grandparents remember their time there. Castlerigg Manor is set in the beautiful countryside of Keswick in the Lake District. It is the perfect setting for students to admire the beauty of God’s creation and have the opportunity to reflect on their journey, and spend time together as a family. For more information about Castlerigg click the link below:
Castlerigg Manor – Diocese of Lancaster Youth Service
Walsingham
Catholic National Shrine & Basilica of Our Lady, Walsingham
Friday 19th May saw some of the chaplaincy crew get on the coach to make the Pilgrimage to Walsingham. Two pick ups later Salford and Oldham we were on the way. It was a long journey but very pleasant. We arrived at Walsingham and then the pilgrimage really started. We had a walk along the procession route and wrote prayers of intention and put them in the box in the beautiful slipper chapel, we then visited the shrine and had some down time. The coach picked us up to take us to Wells on Sea for a fish and chip tea. Tea was followed by a short coastal walk before getting the coach back for prayers in the chapel. At 9:pm we all gathered around for the torchlight procession around Walsingham. This lasted for around an hour.
Lights went out about Midnight however the talk went on for a couple of hours more.
Saturday was very busy – Breakfast, packing, free time around Walsingham and then the youth reconciliation service, before gathering in the square for the Pilgrimage to the shrine led by the youth of Salford Diocese (us) we then had lunch singing and dancing before the main mass in front of over 500 people with some of the chaplaincy crew reading. It was a wonderful experience and every one was buzzing as they got on the coach to make the long Journey home Tired but happy.
Walsingham Trip
