Feast Day of St John Bosco

On Wednesday, 31st January, we celebrated the Feast Day of of our patron saint, St John Bosco.

The annual celebration is an opportunity for the school community to come together for collective worship and a chance for pupils to participate in Salesian activities.
The Feast Day celebrations began with a school-wide mass, led by Fr Tony Frain.

This year’s theme highlighted the bicentennial of St John Bosco’s dream he had at the age of nine and the focus of the Strenna, a Salesian theme for the year that is published by the Rector Major Cardinal Angel Fernandez.

Salesian Strenna 2024 is ‘the dream that makes you dream’, ‘a heart that transforms wolves into lambs’.

Each year group participated in different activities throughout the day. Year 7 pupils were tasked with designing and creating their own Salesian superhero masks, followed by a catwalk to showcase their creations.

Year 8 and 9 pupils attended a local cinema to watch the new Wonka movie, while pupils from Year 10 participated in a game of Bosco Bingo and even got to compete to create a form mascot. Year 11 students played inflatable games and created bespoke dream catchers.

For a special treat, sixth form students headed off the school grounds to Hollywood Bowl for a round of bowling.

The jam-packed schedule allowed students to enjoy some time away from the day-to-day of school life.

The Headteacher at St John Bosco Arts College, Mr Darren Gidman, said: “The Feast Day of St John Bosco is one of the most important dates in our calendar and is a chance for our school community to come together to give thanks and celebrate the life and teachings of St John Bosco.

“As the patron saint of youth, St John Bosco dedicated his life to the service of young people. His teachings and determination to respond to the needs of the young are a powerful reminder that we must support, encourage, and nurture young people.

“Through faith, hope and love, we can create an environment where our students can truly flourish academically, emotionally, socially and morally.”

Born in Turin, Italy, St John Bosco spent much of his life as a parish priest. St John Bosco’s insistence that boys in his care learn a trade made him a pioneer in modern-day vocational training.

In his later years, St John Bosco founded two religious orders, the Salesians and the Daughters of Mary Auxiliatrix.