Catholic Life

At Cardinal Wiseman our faith is at the heart of everything that we do. As a Catholic school we believe in helping our young people encounter Jesus, know that they are loved by God and helping them to become the person God made them to be. All our young people leave Cardinal Wiseman knowing that they are called to be Saints and head into the world with the power to become the Saints of today.

At the centre of the school is our wonderful Chapel. This is a space students know they can always access for prayer and reflection. It is a space where weekly Mass is celebrated, and the Blessed Sacrament is kept ensuring that Jesus is physically always at the centre of our school. The Chapel is a vibrant space where students can find someone to chat to, a space to reflect and “be still” and various opportunities to pray. We encourage students to bring others to the Chapel to help to grow the kingdom of God by coming to know Jesus.

At Cardinal Wiseman we developed a “compass for life” as a way of showing how our values can guide students through life. This compass, comprised of four “Points” – Knowledge, Respect, Ambition and Resilience – with Christ at the centre is an integral part of how we raise and grow our young people. The four values are ones which we believe are vital to helping our young people become the Saints God calls them to be.

The Churches liturgical year is observed and celebrated throughout the school year. Our prayer corners change regularly to reflect the changings seasons of the Churches year, assemblies reflect the different celebrations and feasts of the Church, and we strive wherever possible to find a link between society, current affairs, modern issues, and our faith. This helps our young people understand that faith is not something that is boxed off from the world but is a part of every moment of our lives. In addition, all subjects must provide a link between their curriculum and the compass for life – this ensures students see a clear connection between our subjects and our faith.

Mass is the most important thing we do here as a school. We celebrate Mass every week with our Chaplain – Fr Des – with different classes taking the lead each week. Major feasts and Solemnities are also celebrated, and we hold special masses for school leavers and a whole school mass on the last day of term! Masses provide students with opportunities to take the lead through reading, singing in the Choir or Altar Serving.

Jesus calls us to serve other people, to love and to support people in the way we would want to be loved and supported. Our young people regularly show examples of a “servant heart” in the way they support charities, care for those who are suffering and come together as a whole school community when the need arises. This includes regularly supporting local charities, collecting for the food bank, and responding to global needs as they arise.