Alpha and Omega

Today was the first school mass of the year which was led by my Year 6 class. It was also the final mass said by our Parish priest Fr Simon, who is moving to a parish in Nuneaton in a few weeks time.

It was a lovely celebration. The new school band did me proud as ever, with three new recorder player and 4 new chime-bar players joining the two violinists from last year. It's been a quick turn around, with our liturgical band performing even before our first band practice. Once we add the cellos, ocarinas and violas next week we should be making some beautiful music together.

Father Simon is a wonderful character who manages to walk a difficult line in our school. As a Catholic Primary with a higher percentage of Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus and non-Catholics than Catholic children you would think it would be difficult to engage pupils in a liturgy which has no relevance to their home religion. Father Simon has no such problem, and does so with humour and humility and the children from all creeds love him just the same, as do the staff.

We're going to miss him dreadfully. We sent him on his way today with a basket of "Birmingham Balti Spices"; he may not be able to purchase these as readily in Nuneaton as he does in Perry Barr.

He is pictured here with our headteacher; a final farewell! (I have their permission to use this as today's blip - so thanks both!)