Awards Ceremony for Pope John Paul II M.C.S. Students

Last month, 17 students from Moate Community School travelled to St. Mel’s Cathedral in Longford where the presentation by Bishop Francis Duffy of the Pope John Paul II Awards for schools in the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise took place.

Moate Community School was one of many schools who took part in this award, where students have the option to earn a bronze, silver, gold or the Papal Cross medal. The award requires students to take action in their community and parish by fulfilling anything from eight to twenty-six weeks of community work. The seventeen students who received the award were involved in a number of activities, from; taking part in tidy towns committees to visiting nursing homes and St. Hilda’s in Athlone for their community aspect and, reading at mass, travelling to Lourdes with the Carmelites, singing in choirs and cleaning churches for their parish hours.

A short prayer service opened the award-giving ceremony where students took part in readings and prayers and also gave their own, personal experiences of taking part in the award. Those who attended received certificates along with their medals. Our school was proud to be a first for the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise with Michael Hunter receiving the Papal Cross. Following the Prayer Service and Awards Ceremony, there were refreshments in the crypt under the beautiful Cathedral. It was a lovely ceremony and the day was thoroughly enjoyed by all.