113 students gathered on Friday morning for our Voluntary Mass celebrated by Fr Liam Carpenter.

Fr Liam was a student at English Martyrs’ between 1996 and 2001(Fisher), and is currently the Assistant Vocations Director for Nottingham Diocese.

The reading for our Mass spoke to us about vocation. Both readings remind us that we are uniquely made in the image and likeness of God and called to our own unique vocation.

The first reading was Moses and the burning bush, where Moses asks God who God is, and God replies “I am who I am.” This reminds us that we cannot be limited by labels – God is who God is, and isn’t named or owned.

Our Gospel was the Parable of the fig tree, in which the owner of the fig tree sees no fruit so asks for the tree to be cut down. The gardener says that he will tend it and feed it and then, hopefully, it will produce fruit the next year. In our own lives the hard work put into nourishing us might not always bear fruit at first and we make make mistakes, but with care and encouragement we will hopefully bear much fruit.

Our Junior Choir provided the choir for the mass and were led by Mrs Handley (Class of 1996 – 2001(Fisher)). It was truly lovely to see our Mass led by two former students who used to sit next to each other in class!

Fr Liam stayed in school for the morning to discuss his own vocation with the students of 8 Fisher and 9X, encouraging them to seek their own vocation (as our school prayer says) to bring happiness to themselves and happiness to others.

We feel blessed to have Fr Liam as one of our alumni priests, and we are looking forward to welcoming back Fr Neil Peoples (Vocations Director), who was 3 years ahead of Fr Liam in school, during our Pentecost term.