Sacramental Preparation
The parish of Our Lady and St. Columba and St. Columba’s Primary School work in partnership to deliver a parish based Sacramental Preparation programme for First Confession and First Holy Communion to pupils in Year Four.
Please keep the children and their families in your prayers as they prepare for these important Sacraments.
Mini Vinnies
Mini Vinnies at St. Columba’s
‘Mini Vinnies’ is a St Vincent de Paul Group in a Primary School. It is a group of young people aged 7-11 who get together, organise and talk about helping others in need within their school community and beyond. What makes Mini Vinnies such a valuable experience for the children who are part of it, is the change it makes in school communities. Mini Vinnies groups usually meet once a week or fortnight during lunchtime or after school and are either run by school staff members, an SVP Conference Member or a combination of both.
What happens at a Mini Vinnies meeting?
A President is elected by the Mini Vinnies to lead the meeting and organise the group. An adult will co-ordinate the group and give help and practical advice. Meetings should be as brief as possible.
- The President opens the meeting with a prayer.
- A short spiritual reading/reflection/piece of music/meditation follows. The Group members could take turns to do this.
- Group members then talk about the Mini Vinnies activities they have done since the previous meeting.
- Any future plans are then discussed.
- The President concludes the meeting with a prayer.
For more information on Mini Vinnies, please feel free to visit their website here
Faith In Action Award
At St Columba’s, we are proud to offer our Year 6 children an opportunity to take part in the Catholic Youth Mission Federation award ‘Faith in Action’.
The Faith in Action Award encourages young people to take that service into their wider community and accept greater responsibility for their faith in action.
There are four levels of award: Pin, Bronze, Silver and Gold. Participants accrue credits of service in their parish and / or school and the wider community. The Faith in Action Award builds on what young people already experience in serving others, asking them to reflect upon it so that they may find new ways of living out and exploring their faith. There is an opportunity for both guided reflections, through group reflection points and personal reflection, through journaling.
In Year 6, pupils are able to achieve their ‘Pin’ award which allows them to continue on their journey to Bronze, Silver and Gold, if they wish to, at high school.
For more information on the Faith in Action Award, please visit the CYMed website.
