In celebrating the first anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the UK, schools and parishes have been able to encourage people to look back on those four days with great warmth and envisage many happy scenes in Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Birmingham.
In addition to the activities organised within schools to help young people to reflect on the Pope’s words during the visit, a nunber of larger events were organised by Dioceses. On Thursday 15th September the Diocese of Paisley, led by Bishop Philip Tartaglia, celebrated their Vocations Mass in St Mirin’s Cathedral. On Friday 16th September, 3,500 school pupils form the Diocese of Motherwell assembled at Carfin Grotto to celebrate Mass with Bishop Jospeh Devine, school chaplains and parish clergy. Later that day, secondary school pupils from across the Archdiocese of Glasgow gathered in St Andrew’s Cathedral for a celebration, including Mass concelebrated by Archbishop Mario Conti. On the same day, the Feast of St Ninian, Cardinal Keith Patrick O’Brien visited St Ninian’s Primary School in Edinburgh and recalled the memories of last year’s St Ninians’s Day Parade along Princes Street in Edinburgh.
On the SCES website you will find a number of resources which can support your memories and deepen your understanding.
- You can still access the texts of the Pope’s addresses and homilies: Papal Homilies and Speeches
- You can also still view some video clips of some of the events: Papal Visit Videos
- You can use the Study Pack on the Pope’s visit to reflect at a deeper level on the significance of the Holy Father’s words and actions: Papal Visit Study Pack Introduction