Religious Education is an integral part of the Catholic education in Willow Park and is embedded in the Willow Mission Statement and Willow daily life.
First Penance
Willow boys make their First Penance in Second Form in the presence of their classmates, teacher and parents in the intimate setting of our school chapel. This is a joyful and loving occasion that marks one of the milestones in the lives of the children as they grow to know and love Jesus.
First Holy Communion
The boys make their First Holy Communion in May following the First Penance. This solemn celebration is held in Booterstown Church and is significant moment in the lives of the boys and their families. The school celebrates as a community in the school afterwards with friends and family welcome to refreshments in the hub and the cafeteria, kindly provided by the parents of First Form and
organised by our wonderful Parents' Association.
Dates for 2019-2012 for 2nd Form:
The dates for the communion are:
Thursday 28th November 2nd Form Enrolment Mass
Monday 27th January – K2 in School Oratory at 2pm for 1st confession
Tuesday 28th January – J2 in School Oratory at 2pm for 1st confession
Wednesday 29th January – P2 in School Oratory at 2pm for 1st confession
Saturday 25th April – First Holy Communion at 11am, Booterstown Church
Confirmation
The Sacrament of Confirmation takes place in the second term of Sixth Class here in Willow.
The Confirmation programme aims to develop a deeper understanding of Faith and the important role the Holy Spirit has to play as a guide to the boys as they enter adolescence and then adulthood. Early in the second term the boys will attend a ‘Commitment Service’ with their classmates and parents which will mark the boy’s intention to remain loyal and true to their faith.
The boys then prepare to accept their faith for themselves through a series of four special Rituals: Enkindling the Spirit, Moved by the Spirit, Called
by Name and Blessed with Oil. These rituals help the boys to examine the history of Confirmation and the role of the Holy Spirit in the Bible, as well as the practical ways in which the Holy Spirit’s action can be seen in today’s world, e.g. through charity
works.
In collaboration with Blackrock College each boy in Sixth Class will take part in the Faith Friends programme. Under the direction of Ronan Barry (Religious Coordinator for the SET), a group of volunteers from Transition Year in Blackrock will visit our school and meet with our boys to discuss the importance of a strong faith in the face of challenges that adolescence brings in today’s society.
One of the last and most significant stages of the Confirmation process takes place during the Service of Light. Here, parents symbolically pass their faith onto their son through the passing of their Baptismal Candle.
It is our intention that the boys will emerge from the Confirmation programme with a refreshed and renewed faith of which they can be proud.
Dates for 2019-2020 for 6th Form
Tuesday 14th January M6 Confirmation talk for parents in classroom at 7.30pm, followed by Service of commitment in School Oratory.
Thursday 16th January J6 Confirmation talk for parents in classroom at 7.30pm, followed by Service of commitment in School Oratory.
Tuesday 21st January K6 Confirmation talk for parents in classroom at 7.30pm, followed by Service of commitment in School Oratory.
Thursday 23rd January P6 Confirmation talk for parents in classroom at 7.30pm, followed by Service of commitment in School Oratory.
Wednesday 4th March – Ceremony of Light for 6th Form, Blackrock Church 8pm
Friday 6th March – Confessions for 6th Form (during School hours)
Saturday 7th March – Confirmation at 11.00am St. John the Baptist, Blackrock.
The Spiritan Education Trust
The Trustee body of Willow Park Junior School is The Spiritan Education Trust (S.E.T.). The S.E.T, as a limited Company, was set up in 1999 by the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, designated to act as Patron of the Holy Ghost schools and colleges in Ireland. (Up to that time the official Patron was the Provincial Superior of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit in Ireland, assisted by the Provincial Council).
Structure
The S.E.T. consists of two bodies, the Members of the Company and a Board of Directors. The Members of the Company are the Provincial Council of the Congregation, together with other co-opted Spiritans.
The affairs and business of the Company are managed by the Board of Directors, who are members of the Congregation and lay persons.
An Education Officer and Faith Development Officer are employed by the Board, subject to approval by the Members. The Chairman and all other Directors of the Board give of their time and expertise voluntarily.
Ethos
The Memorandum and Articles of the Spiritan Educational Trust state the two main objects to which the Trust is committed.
They are:
- To ensure and foster the advancement of education.
- To further the aims and purposes of Roman Catholic education.
The Memorandum directs that these main objects are to be pursued in accordance with the ethos and educational philosophy of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit.
The ethos and educational philosophy of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit is therefore an integral part of the ethos and vision of the Trust. Moreover, since the Trust, by its main objects, is committed to the advancement of education in general and of Catholic education in particular, there are two further sources for its ethos and vision. The first is the ethos and tradition of the Irish education system; the second is the ethos and tradition of Roman Catholic education philosophy.
The Spiritan ethos is a particular expression of the Catholic ethos.
It is worth noting that Catholic education does not mean education for Catholics only. Spiritan schools and colleges in Ireland (and elsewhere) have always welcomed students of other religions. Parents are attracted by the caring and communal ethos of the schools which respects the religious beliefs of all students and bridges ethnic differences
Spiritan Schools in Ireland.
Spiritan schools under the trusteeship of SET include:
Willow Park Junior School
Willow Park 1st Year
Blackrock College
St. Michael’s School
St.Michael’s College
St.Mary’s School
St.Mary’s College
Rockwell College
Templeogue College
Holy Faith Community School
Seven Core Values
The Spiritan Schools in Ireland are a vibrant learning community consisting of over 5000 pupils and 700 Staff. Through the trusteeship of the Spiritan Education Trust, the above listed schools share and foster a common ethos based on seven core values:
- Openness to the Spirit.
- A sense of Community.
- Concern for the poor.
- Commitment to Service.
- Global Vision.
- High Educational Standards.
- Personal and Faith Development.
The offices of the S.E.T. are located on the Kimmage Manor campus and may be contacted via the link on this web-site.
External Evaluation Report
Towards the end of the 2013 - 2014 academic year, Willow Park went through the process of an external Ethos Evaluation. Please see the link below for the final report.
Final Ethos Report