Catholic schools revive 'Fish Friday' tradition

'Fish Fridays' are back on the menu at two Jesuit schools in Derbyshire.  Mount St Mary's College, and its preparatory school, Barlborough Hall, have revived the Catholic tradition of abstaining from meat on Friday, serving pupils fish for lunch.

Both of the schools have adopted the practice to honour the church's tradition of fasting as an act of penance.  The first of the new official 'Fish Fridays' took place to mark the anniversary of Pope Benedict XV1's visit to the UK.

Ms Wanda Parkinson, head teacher at Barlborough Hall School, explained: 'Spiritual life is at the heart of both schools and introducing the 'Fish on Fridays' tradition is just one of the ways we are bringing faith into the daily lives of pupils.

'Meat will be an option on the school menu throughout the rest of the week, but all the pupils are enjoying 'Fish Friday' already!'

Barlborough Hall School is a Catholic preparatory school, welcoming and catering for the needs of children aged 3-11 from all backgrounds.  The school links with Mount St Mary's College - an 11-18, co-educational, boarding and day school.

Father Simon Ellis, the schools' new director of chaplaincy, said: 'It's been good for the Mount and Barlborough Hall, as Catholic schools, to embrace the tradition of refraining from meat on Fridays, given that it is an important day of devotion together with Sundays.'