Role of Chaplaincy

• To support and encourage the whole college community in their relationship with God, founded in the knowledge of the person of Jesus Christ and to live out their Christian lives and vocations.
  
  
• To help young people to recognise the presence of Christ in each human being.
  
  
• To provide opportunities to experience different styles of prayer and worship, in order to enable growth in friendship with God. 
  
  
•  To encourage students to experience and build enduring friendships and take opportunities to serve others in the community.
  
  
• To strengthen links with the parishes in the Deanery and with the Brentwood Catholic Youth Service BCYS).
  
  
• To encourage the students from St Benedict’s to be involved in events run locally which will nourish the life of faith.

• To develop students’ sense of mission and evangelism through the promotion of acts of charity.

• To share in the life and faith of the Catholic Community of St Benedict’s College.

The Chaplaincy Office is located on the first floor of the Blyth building by the library

College Chaplain Deacon Richard Cerson

Worship

Masses

Each year group prepares a Mass to which their families are invited. Additionally, around the major feasts or on Holy Days of Obligation we gather together for worship as a college community. Each RE class has at least one Mass during the year. Mass is also offered in the chapel each Tuesday morning at 8.15 am. All students and staff are welcome to attend.

Prayer

The chapel is open every day from 8.00 am for private prayer. With the exception of Tuesday, Morning Prayer, led by a senior prefect, is said at 8.30 am. Form time collective worship and prayers and an opportunity for personal reflection take place every day during first registration. Lunchtime activities in the chapel also include prayer and meditation

Retreats

All students in Year 7 participate in a spiritual retreat day during their first half term at St Benedict’s. Year 9 students join a retreat at the diocesan youth centre, Walsingham House. Students also attend the CYMFed FLAME congress and a pilgrimage to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. The Chaplaincy team will also inform students of other events run externally by BCYS including the annual diocesan pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes and Youth Gather events.

Support

Our chaplain offers support and a listening ear to anyone who needs it. Additionally, on a weekly basis there are opportunities for prayer, worship and reflection during lunchtime activities. Students are also invited to be part of our Caritas Justice and Peace Group. Other activities include: The Hot Topic debate, Quiet Prayer, meditation and Bible study. Some of the senior prefects assist the Chaplain in building the spiritual life of the College by leading morning prayer each day at 8.30. 

Chaplaincy Representatives 

We believe that faith grows when you put it into action. There are many ways to be involved. Each form has a Chaplaincy Representative who both brings ideas from the class and also lets them know what’s going on. We encourage students to find and develop their individual gifts and prayer life. They can do this by assisting in the preparation of liturgies, assemblies, PSHE lessons, helping with displays and taking part in various clubs and groups that are on offer.

There is an electronic display board by the chapel where Chaplaincy news is displayed.

Chaplaincy Activities

The Chaplaincy team offers a range of activities to which all students are welcome to participate. All our activities are published in weekly chaplaincy newsletter. This is what a typical week looks like:

Useful links

Diocese of Brentwood

Youth links

BCYS

Lifeteen

Tweeting with God

CYMFed

Busted Halo

Parish Links

St James the Less and St Helen, Colchester

St Teresa of Lisieux, Lexden

St John Payne, Greenstead

Our Lady of Light, Clacton on Sea

Our Lady Queen of Heaven, Harwich

St Mary Immaculate, Kelvedon

Catholic parish of Brightlingsea with Wivenhoe

Chaplaincy social media pages

Twitter

Facebook

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