Special mass to celebrate milestone

Special mass to celebrate milestone

27 September 2017

CELEBRATIONS to mark St Mary’s High School’s 60th anniversary continued on Friday with a thanksgiving mass.

Bishop Anthony Farquhar joined local priests, Sisters of Mercy, parents, staff and students for the special mass at the school in Downpatrick.

St Mary’s High School was opened in September 1957 by the Sisters of Mercy, marking a historic move away from the traditional education of older girls in commercial schools and offering instead a more academic outlet.

Almost 10,000 girls have since been educated at the popular high school and many of those former pupils attended the Diamond Jubilee mass, including Sr Vianney, who is one of just two surviving Sisters of Mercy in the town.

Speaking to Friday’s congregation, school principal, Sheila Darling, said St Mary’s High School remained true to the founding principle of supporting every young person to be the best they can be.

She said students considered the school their extended family, which she said was testament to the pivotal position St Mary’s holds in their lives. 

“This school is brimming with life, with prayer, with history and with vision,” she said.

“The students are our shining light, they are the reason we exist, the reason we have been here for these last 60 years. 

“They bring joy, they bring sorrow, they bring laughter, they bring 

pain, they bring life and we are here to ensure every student is welcomed and cherished and provided with an outstanding education that provides not only academic excellence but also supports their personal development.

“Each person enriches us with their special gifts and talents making us who we are. 

“Today we recognise the vast contributions of so many individuals across our 60-year history, proud to be celebrating our heritage and our uniqueness here with you all today.”  

Mrs Darling said the Downpatrick school was a place of welcome, of forgiveness and healing.

“As any wise parent knows, children are not helped when we do things for them, rather they are helped to grow, to learn and to care when we enable them to do things for themselves,” she said.

“Over these last 60 years St Mary’s High School has been blessed with staff who have worked hard, each bringing their own gifts and talents to support students in our care. 

“We are especially indebted to Sisters of Mercy for their vision and actions that resulted in this school being set up and for it being able to make such a valuable contribution to the local community for the last 60 years.”

Mrs Darling said she felt fortunate to be the principal of such a great school with a rich history and tradition.

“A wise person once said, all we can hope for is that we leave a place better than we found it, may sure that you bring love, joy, and support to those you are blessed to touch,” she said.

“Christ is at work in our school, reflect that in your life, try to be a force for good and see if you can be the light in someone’s world.”