March 2020 Update: During this very difficult period the Chaplaincy team from across the Trust have worked together to provide prayer resources, links and support, please click here to find out more.
Mrs Burgess is our Chaplaincy Co-ordinator. She is based in the Prayer room which is placed at the heart of our school community. It’s one of the first building that you will see as you approach the school.
Mrs Burgess works Monday to Thursday and during that time the Prayer room is open for drop in visits or to attend a regular prayer event, class visit or club. Mrs Burgess receives considerable support from the staff team at St Thomas More who work with her throughout the year in delivering chaplaincy initiatives.
Parish links
We work closely with the parishes of the Bedford Deanery and receive support and regular visits from our Priests and Deacons. We also welcome our two local seminarians to school both previous St Thomas More students, Father Malcolm Bull our Director and Father Brendan from the Milton Keynes Cluster of Churches.
Sacramental life
As a Catholic community our Sacramental life is of great importance to us. We have the Blessed Sacrament in School every Tuesday for Adoration and quiet prayer. Students visit with their form teacher and staff and students can also drop in during the day for this special time of prayer. On Wednesday morning we celebrate Mass in the Prayer room supported by our local Priests and Deacon Quinlan, who will share with us a Service of the Word with Communion.
Cross curriculum working
The Chaplaincy team find innovative ways of utilising and enhancing curriculum time. Recent examples would include cross curricular working with for example the History department and a Year 8 trip to Elstow Abbey, the 6th Form Design Technology students as part of their induction programme and with the RE department with regular retreat time in the Prayer room during the year.
Diocesan activities
Throughout the school year we regularly join with the wider Catholic Diocesan community, highlights include the Diocesan Schools Mass at the end of Catholic Schools week in October and the Year 10 Faith in Action Day in July.
Ecumenical activities
The St Thomas More Community welcomes students from a range of cultural and religious backgrounds. It is a source of great joy to share their journey and to welcome members of their communities to our school for example the Youth workers from Christ Church Bedford who support our Christian Union and Woodside Church who have helped run our 6th Form Alpha programme as well as providing a worship group for our Easter celebration evening.
6th Form Faith Ambassadors
Throughout the year we encourage St Thomas More students to get involved in our faith based activities. In 6th Form we have a dedicated group of Faith Ambassadors who take on a leadership role and work closely with the chaplaincy team. As the year progresses they develop their own interpersonal skills and faith experiences.
To find out about how our Chaplains work together across the trust of Bedford Catholic Schools, please click here
