Pilgrims of Hope: Our Special Visit from the Jubilee Banner

This week, our school was blessed to receive the Diocese of Leeds Jubilee Banner as part of its special journey around Catholic schools in our Diocese. The banner, a powerful symbol of faith and unity, arrived at St. Joseph's on Ash Wednesday, making the occasion even more meaningful as we reflected on the themes of hope, renewal, and service.

To mark this special visit, we held a short but reflective collective worship, where the banner’s design reminded us that we are all Pilgrims of Hope, journeying together in faith.

During our time together, we explored the symbols on the banner:

• The ship – representing the Church, carrying us forward in faith.
• The cross – leaning towards us, showing Christ’s closeness in our lives.
• The figures – a reminder that we are one family, united in love.
• The water – symbolising the challenges we face, with God always guiding us.
• The anchor – a sign of hope, holding us steady in difficult times.

We listened to the Gospel of Luke, where Jesus proclaims:
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me… He has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and to set the oppressed free." This powerful message reminded us of our mission to bring hope to others in our everyday actions.

Our worship concluded with prayers for our school, community, and the world, asking God to strengthen us as bearers of hope.

Before the banner continued on its journey, we added our school logo, joining with schools across the Diocese in this shared pilgrimage of faith. It was a privilege to host the banner, and we look forward to seeing how it inspires other schools as it continues its journey.

We send our prayers with the banner as it travels next to St. Robert’s in Harrogate, carrying with it our commitment to live with hope and share Christ’s love with all.