St. Mary’s is a school of the Catholic Church within the Archdiocese of Cardiff - Menevia.

The work of our school forms a part of the mission of the Church, which is clearly explained in Christ at the Centre (Why the Church Provides Catholic Schools):

Jesus Christ is “the way, the truth and the life”. Those who profess this faith believe that in Christ the truth about Almighty God and the truth about the human person is revealed. The unfolding of this truth constitutes the Church’s teaching. The acceptance of this truth brings true freedom and the fullness of life. Proclaiming this truth, this Gospel (Good News), by making Christ known to all peoples, constitutes the mission of the Church  (P7).

We have created a Pupil Profile which has enabled us to put this mission into words as far as is possible. This has been adapted from the Jesuit Pupil Profile (full details can be found in this link). 

At St Mary’s, we encourage children to reflect on the question asked by Pope Benedict XVI:

What kind of person would you really like to be?

Our Pupil Profile supports everyone’s journey within the school to become that person. It is made up of 8 virtue pairs of what makes you a good person, based on Jesus’ teaching.

We aim to develop and foster a range of virtues in the day-to-day life of the school so that we all grow to become: 

Grateful and Generous,                                     Eloquent and Truthful,

Attentive and Discerning,                                  Learned and Wise,

Compassionate and Loving,                              Curious and Active,

Faith Filled and Hopeful,                                    Intentional and Prophetic.

 

In practice, we aim to achieve this by:

• Valuing each child as a precious creation of God,
• Providing an excellent level of collective worship for all pupils,
• Doing all we can to develop pupils’ well-being and spirituality,
• Expecting all staff to provide excellent models of Catholic life for pupils and by
• Always working towards excellence in practice.

 

Catholic Social Teaching

What is Catholic Social Teaching?

Catholic Social Teaching is founded in Scripture and includes statements and letters written by Church leaders. It offers wisdom and insights on living the Gospel in today’s world. Jesus tells us to love God and to love our neighbours, especially our sisters and brothers living in poverty. Modern Catholic Social Teaching is said to have originated in 1891 with the encyclical letter, Rerum Novarum. Since then, a wealth of teaching continues to give new life to the Scriptures and shape the Church’s response to our modern world.

For example, Pope Francis continued to add Catholic Social Teaching within his encyclicals (letters); Laudato Si (2015) and Fratelli Tutti (2020).

Each half term, we explore a different principle of Catholic Social Teaching  - learning how to put our faith into action through kindness, justice, and care for others.

CAFOD have created a collection of animals to illustrate the Catholic Social Teaching principles.

Human Dignity - We should care for each other and help those in need and stand up for what is right. 

The Common Good - Little acts of kindness contributes to the common good. St Therese said, 'Do the little things with great love.'

Participation - God calls us to get involved to help build a better world. We should use our gifts and talents to put our love into action. 

Subsidiarity - We are called to empower communities, to let everyone have a say.

Stewardship - Pope Francis said, 'Creation is a gift, it is a wonderful gift that God has given us, so that we care for it and we use it for the benefit of all.' (Laudato Si'). We should take a moment to appreciate the beauty and wonder of the world around us, and should always look after it. 

Preferential Option for the Poor - Pope Leo XIV said, 'I am convinced that the preferential choice for the poor is a source of extraordinary renewal both for the Church and for society, if we can only set ourselves free of our self-centeredness and open our ears to their cry.' We should always put the needs of poor and vulnerable people first.

Solidarity - It is important that we stand together and show our brothers and sisters in need around the world that we care. 

Distributive Justice - Everyone should have access to their fair share of resources.

Promoting Peace - Pope Leo XIV said that we need to, 'Cultivate peace in our own hearts.' We can be God’s instruments of peace through seeking justice.