Catholic Schools Week January '24

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH VISIT

Students from four different classes and year groups visited the Greystones Presbyterian Church as part of Catholic Schools Week and the week of Christian Unity.  Thank you to Ms Foynes, our Ethos Coordinator, for organising the visit and the pastor, Gary McDowell, who facilitated it and treated us to a lovely occasion of encounter, story, music and architecture.  We are also very grateful for our Head Girl, Lisa Garcia, who is a member of the Presbyterian community, and who spoke to the students of her experience as a young member of the faith community.  The following is an account written by Kate Walker, Moya Marrinan and Ethan Ward Mooney from First Year for giving us a synopsis of their visit.  

We learned that the walls were made out of stones from the beach and then a couple of years ago they plastered the walls.

We also thought it was really good to see two people’s different perspectives of how they see the Church, old and young.  

We learned that the burning but flourishing in Latin is ‘Ardens sed Virens’ and this is a motto of the Presbyterian Church.

We also learned that they meet every Sunday for religious service.  Half way though, the children go to the Sunday Club to learn more about their church.  We also learned that our Head Girl, Lisa, sometimes helps out with Sunday Club.  

Presbyterian is a word from an old Greek word meaning Elder.

They have different rituals and ways of doing things in their community.

They play a lot of joyful music at their ceremonies.