St Anselm’s College

Pilgrims of Hope

In October, our Sixth Form completed the final stage of the St Philomena Way pilgrimage to the Church of St Peter, Paul and Philomena in New Brighton. Along the route, they reflected on the theme of Hope, drawing inspiration from St Philomena and Blessed Edmund Rice. Beginning at our College Chapel, they celebrated Mass at Our Lady’s Church before continuing their journey, praying a decade of the Living Rosary at each stop.

Jubilee Icon Celebrations

We were delighted to welcome the students and staff of St. Michael & All Angels Primary School as they presented the Jubilee Icon of the Visitation, as it travels through the Shrewsbury Diocese.  Its arrival was marked by a special procession with choir, scripture, and prayer. Throughout the week, the icon guided our Celebrations of the Word, helping us reflect on Mary’s comforting presence in our lives. We then passed the Icon on to St. Pauls RC Primary school Wirral and participated in a beautiful Celebration of the Word.   Earlier in October, students in Years 9–11 visited Jaén, Andalusia, where they too took part in local Jubilee celebrations and had the privilege of seeing the Santo Rostro, the Holy Face of Jesus at the Cathedral.

Year Seven Edmund Rice Formation Induction

Our new Year Seven students took part in their Edmund Rice Formation induction, led by guest speaker Ann Nichols. This inspiring morning invited them to reflect on our Christian Brother’s Charism and to consider how they can contribute to our global Edmund Rice family through their life in the College.  As a result of this we are very excited to get involved in the ‘Girls Empowerment Project’ as part of our Advent charity underpinning our ‘Education for justice’ theme.

Edmund Rice Advocacy

The Edmund Rice Society has been active in promoting our Charism through service and advocacy. After leading a highly successful Harvest Festival collection, they are now supporting the Samaritan’s Purse Shoebox Appeal. Their assemblies explore the injustices that drive poverty and highlight why our charitable work matters.

The Society also prepares weekly prayer materials on national and global issues and has written to members of the House of Lords regarding the Assisted Dying Bill. To deepen this conversation, they invited Baroness Jacqueline Foster of Oxton to speak with Years 12 and 13.

Our Sixth Form ‘Faith in Action’ group have now partnered with our Year 7 cookery class to prepare weekly hot meals for those experiencing homelessness across Wirral. Their homemade bangers and mash have been warmly received and deeply appreciated by the local community.  Meanwhile, other members of the ‘Faith in Action’ team have been visiting residents at Nazareth House, spending time in conversation and enjoying board games together.

Edmund Rice Headteacher’s Awards

A huge congratulations to this half-term’s Headteacher’s Award winners. These students have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to living out the Edmund Rice Eight Essentials, truly walking in the footsteps of Blessed Edmund. They are exceptional ambassadors for our College, and we are incredibly proud of their example.

Our Mission Statement Review

As part of our Christian Life and Mission review, students, staff, and Governors have taken time to reflect on our current Mission Statement. Together, we have considered our call from God and the challenge set before us by Edmund Rice and how we can actively make positive changes in our lives every day to ‘Look outside our window’ and support those most in need.