At the start of each academic year Year 6 pupils are invited to be leaders of the school values. They are therefore invited to live the school values in their lives so that in this way they can ‘minister’ them to rest of the school.
This offers a good opportunity to present the Sacrament of Holy Orders to the children and staff. Apart from the introduction given by the Priest Chaplain there follows a liturgy of commitment.
Baptism
Baptism is the first of seven sacraments. Its symbols of water and washing remind us of a kind of “birth”. Through Baptism, God adopts us as his children, sharing his life with us by the gift of sanctifying grace (a free gift to help us choose good, to choose eternal life). Our soul is changed and has an indelible mark on it as a consequence of Baptism.
For infants parents and Godparents speak on behalf of the child and make commitments. They are then responsible for nurturing the gift that is given to the baptised child until the child is able to take responsibility for this themselves.
This will be modelled in a ceremony at the end of the first half term when Year 6 promise to be Buddies to the new reception children. They will guide the new children sharing, modelling and living the school values.