Thanks to a new parternship with Campion College in Australia, we will be happy to welcome two new teachers from Australia in January. Their initial commitment to Chavagnes is for one year.

Mr Thomas (above) and Mr Saunders (below) are both set to complete their degrees in the Liberal Arts from the celebrated Campion College at Christmas. Both are keen musicians and sportsmen and teach a variety of different subjects.

They will be joining the Company of St Gregory, an assocation for teachers at Chavagnes who make a special commitment to common life, prayer and teaching at the College.

 

We send our special thanks and promises of prayers to Father Bede Rowe, who moves on after three years for another mission. Our new priest will be a Scotsman, Father Mark Lawler.

We also say goodbye to Mr Tang who is off to seminary in the USA.

One year sabbaticals have been given to Mr Tyldesley (who will be in Russia this year) and Mr Crawford (who will be teaching English to Ugandan seminarians). We look forward to seeing them again next year.

We welcome Mr Larroque and Mr Bonneau who will be coming to teach Maths and French respectively.

Since Easter we have been incredibly busy. So we are a little late in giving you news of this last term at Chavagnes. Before our 13th year begins next Sunday, here is a round-up of what has been happening over the last few months at the College. There's a lot to tell.

  

Looking back on all the blessings we have received over the last school year will help us to renew our commitment to forming the Christian knights for our age, at this extremely difficult time for our world. Helping the young to grow in faith and to strive for excellence is one of the most important gifts we can offer to them and to Almighty God.

  

You can be part of this work by supporting us with your prayer. We also rely on volunteer help and donations to make Chavagnes work. You can donate online HERE.

  

And if you can tell your friends about us, that would be, as the French say, 'formidable'; if you are reading this, chances are that you know at least another twenty people who would love to know about Chavagnes.

  

Please ask yourself if you can help us in one of these ways in the new school year.

  

God bless you all.

Sincerely,

  

Ferdi McDermott,

MA, PGCE, MEd, MCIL, FRSA, FCollT.

Principal, Chavagnes International College.

 Over the Easter holidays our intrepid chorister/scouts tramped 110km from the Portuguese border to Santiago de Compostella, the shrine of St James, over 5 days. On the way we sang for concerts and Masses in churches along the 'Camino', culminating with our sung participation in Solemn Pontifical Mass in the Cathedral at Santiago, with about 2,000 pilgrims and members of the confraternities of 'Penitentes'.  

It was a fantastic cultural and spiritual experience for the boys who also enjoyed practising their Spanish along the road.

You can see our photos here and here.

 
This year pupils have participated in a wide range of sports and participated with some success in competitions with other schools in football, rugby, cross-country and fencing. Every afternoon pupils have the chance to participate in traditional team sports such as rugby, football and hockey, plus the option of trying out riding and other outdoor activties.

Boys who are still full of energy in the evenings get the chance to participate in boxing, badminton, basketball, table tennis ... Our motto for them is work hard and play hard, and don't forget to pray hard too!  

 

 
The final day of school was marked with all kinds of celebrations. We began with Sung Mass, attended by six priests and celebrated by our local Bishop Alain Castet (see picture at the top of this email). During the Mass one of our Year 8 pupils, Philip from Newcastle, was confirmed. Philip had only received his Baptism and First Communion a few weeks before. So it was a very special day for him. The Choir performed music by Mozart, Palestrina, Byrd and Elgar and was widely complimented.

Next, we held our Annual Prizegiving ceremony, followed by a performance of Moli�re's Les Pr�cieuses Ridicules, in French (photo above), directed by Mlle Latournerie. The day ended with a celebration of three birthdays (!) and a Dinner Dance, much enjoyed by families, pupils and teachers.

 

We hope to see all three of them before the end of the academic year, and to receive their special blessings!