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The Diocesan Education Mass is the occasion in the year when we come together for a Celebration of our educational endeavour and commitment.

Photo Gallery Education Mass Ushaw 2009:
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Bishop Seamus Cunningham presided at the Mass, which took place in the Chapel at Ushaw College on 25th June. Celebrating the Mass with Bishop Seamus were Fr John Marsland (President of Ushaw College), Fr Michael McCoy (Adult Education), Fr Chris Jackson (Diocesan Trustee), Fr Adrian Dixon (Liturgical Commission), Fr Andrew Downie, (Diocesan Director of Vocations), Canon Alex Barrass (St Mary's, Sunderland), Fr Oliver Keyes (St Benet’s, Sunderland) and Rev Deacon Peter Lavery (Diocesan Coordinator for Marriage and Family Life).

Key figures in education in the diocese joined with invited guests to share in this special celebration of educational endeavour and commitment, including retiring headteachers, teachers and other retiring staff from our schools, and all those who had studied and completed Diocesan Certificates in Religious Studies (Stage 1or 2) or Catholic Certificates in Religious Studies during the year, and many catechists.

The particular focus of the Mass was to give thanks for the work of people who have made a specific contribution or who have achieved educational milestones of some kind during the previous twelve months.

The diocesan music group and director Philip Robinson led the inspiring and uplifting music for the mass, some of which was written specially for the occasion.

Bishop Seamus welcomed everybody and said how delighted he was to see so many people involved in education and who were "touching people's lives for the good."

The first reading, read by Jenny Pate, Deputy Director of Education, who is retiring in the Summer, was taken from St Paul's letter to the Ephesians: "Out of his infinite glory, may he give you the power through his spirit for your hidden self to grow strong, so that Christ may live in your hearts through faith...."

In his homily Bishop Seamus referred to this reading and told the congregation:

"If we are to be effective we must be prepared to speak from the heart as well as the head and we must first of all have entered into a deep personal relationship with Christ. If we really know Christ we can speak with conviction and authority. This is divine energy touching us in the depths of our being and making us whole."

He went on to encourage all those gathered and thank God for their work:

"Tonight we have gathered here all those involved in education throughout the year. You have witnessed by faith and example and have seen what you are doing not just as a job but as a vocation. You are people who have taught with conviction - great love in your hearts and authority - people who know what the Good News is all about and are eager to pass it on. This evening we thank you for all of this: With all the saints, may you have the strength to grasp the breadth and the length, the height and the depth, until knowing the love of Christ, which is beyond all knowledge, you are filled with the utter fullness of God."

During the mass special prayers were said for specific groups of people, mentioning them by  name.

Firstly all those involved in parish education, including catechists and all those working with adults, young people and children: "May their faith and their knowledge proclaim the Good News and bring the Kingdom of God nearer to us."

In relation to schools, all those retiring were prayed for by name, and also all those taking up positions as headteachers and chaplains: "May their wisdom and vision be empowered by your spirit, and filled with confidence and hope."

All those who have this year successfully completed the CCRS course, and those who had completed either stage 1 or 2 of the DCRS  were named and prayed for: "May their labours bring a rich harvest."

Marking in a special way their contribution and commitment to Catholic education, at the end of Mass Bishop Seamus presented Papal Blessings to retiring headteachers and to Jenny Pate, our Deputy Director of Education who is also retiring.

Dr Harry O'Neill, Director of Education, and Bishop Seamus thanked Jenny Pate for all her service to the diocese. Harry said:

"I'd like to say a huge thank you to Jenny for the time she has given us as Deputy Director of Education. She's been a tremendous support through her work and committment. There are so many aspects of the work we do that she has developed. She will be a huge miss.

" I'd also like to celebrate not just the work that Jenny has done for the Education Service of Hexham and Newcastle but also for the work that she did previously in the Diocese of Lancaster and also for the tremendous work she has done for the Church nationally."

Jenny Pate thanked everybody for their good wishes for her retirement, and for all their support.