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Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

This year the first Sunday in Advent falls on 30 November, marking the beginning of a new liturgical year. The Gospel reading at Mass is from Luke 21:25-28, and 34-36: Your liberation is near at hand. Themes of joyful preparation and hopeful anticipation intensify throughout the season in the readings from the Holy Scriptures.

Advent culminates with the joyful fulfilment of the long-awaited hope for a Saviour in our celebration of the Nativity of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Shortly after, the Holy Year of Jubilee will close in Dioceses around the world on Sunday 28 December 2025, the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. The Jubilee has been a time of great grace and has brought to many of those in our Catholic schools, colleges and universities a renewal of their faith through prayer and charitable works as ‘Pilgrims of Hope’.

In his recent Apostolic Letter, Drawing New Maps of Hope, our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV has said, “the future demands that we learn to collaborate more and grow together” (§8.2). During the Holy Year, Catholic schools across England and Wales have done just that! Through a ‘Jubilee Pledge’ they have made a long-term, whole-school commitment to journey as Pilgrims of Hope and to live out Catholic Social Teaching by working together to build a better world through prayer, action and solidarity.

Indeed, the Holy Father states that our world needs this very form of hope which is generated through education. By sharing a ‘common educational mission’, Pope Leo calls upon educational communities to “disarm words, raise your eyes, and safeguard the heart... relationships come before opinions, people before programmes” (§11.2). “The Catholic school” he says, “is an environment in which faith, culture and life intertwine. It is not simply an institution, but rather a living environment in which the Christian vision permeates every discipline and every interaction.” (§5.2)  

With these words in mind I offer my profound appreciation to all those employed by or who volunteer in our diocesan schools, colleges and universities. I do so in thanks for their dedication to working within the Catholic education sector, and for giving so much of their time and passion, often beyond what is expected, in helping the children and young people in their care.

I pray that the Lord will bless you, your families and loved ones through these joyful and hopeful days of Advent and Christmas, and may He keep you safe in His love throughout the Year of Our Lord 2026.

With the assurance of my prayers for you all, I remain,

Yours in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Rt Rev Marcus Stock

Chair of the Catholic Education Service

Bishop of Leeds

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Source: Catholic Education Service