'Enthusiasm and curiosity' at first Jesuit Week

The first 'Jesuit Week' at Stonyhurst College infiltrated many of the curriculum subjects, including English, History, Art and Science.  The aim of the week was to raise awareness among the pupils and staff of the work of the Jesuits around the world, in both the past and the present.

Pupils in the Art department made etchings using plates relating to St Ignatius' life that are over 400 yrs old, while the English department at Stonyhurst took a group down to St Beuno's, the Jesuits' Spirituality Centre in North Wales.  As part of their AS and A2 examinations, English Literature students are required to write about various poets and genres of poetry.  The Jesuit poet Gerard Manley Hopkins studied at St Beuno's from 1874 - 77, before his ordination to the priesthood.  Pupils visited the exhibition in the Hopkins Gallery and experienced the magnificent view that inspired Hopkins to write his famous poem God's Grandeur.

A number of Jesuits explained their work to the students at the college, including Dave Stewart SJ, who is the Director of the programmes for former Jesuit students, and Novice Director Brendan Comerford SJ, who visited Stonyhurst with three novices.  Reflecting the fact that the college is now fully 'co-ed' school, speakers also included Sr Ewa Bem IBVM and Sr Amadeus Bulger CJ.  Sarah Rogers, the Co-ordinator of the Jesuit Volunteer Community and Alan Fernandes from Jesuit Missions also spoke about the work that lay people do alongside Jesuits in Britain and overseas.

'The history of Stonyhurst and its intrinsic link with the British Province was a major reason for celebrating and dedicating a whole week in the school to the theme of Jesuits and the works of the wider Jesuit family,' said Steve Patterson SJ, whose work with the British Jesuits includes encouraging vocations. 'It's the first time the school has held such an event and it was greeted with tremendous enthusiasm and not just a little curiosity by both staff and pupils.'

Stonyhurst's Headmaster, Adrian Aylward, concurred, saying:
'We take our Jesuit heritage very seriously here at Stonyhurst.  It is right that our pupils fully understand and share that living heritage that has had such a profound effect upon the Church and our country for over 200 years.  I'm very grateful to the priests, sisters and lay people who have shared their experiences with our pupils, and given them an insight into what the Jesuits and their co-workers do.'



 Jesuit Volunteer Communities

 Jesuit Missions

 GMH at St Beuno's