GOOD SHEPHERDS SING SHEEPS PRAISE WITH RISING STARS
Catholic Care, in partnership with the Diocese of Leeds Schools' Singing Programme and St. Winefride's Catholic Primary School and Parish teamed up to create a night to remember with the ‘Born to be the Good Shepherd' Christmas Carol Concert that filled the church of St. Winefride's, Bradford with songs, readings, reflections and the occasional bleating of sheep! The stars for the evening were provided by the participating Catholic Secondary and Primary Schools from the Bradford and Keighley areas, who like pieces of a colourful jigsaw, joined together perfectly on the night to form a beautiful picture that celebrated not only the start of Advent but their aspirations and talents as well.
The theme of sheep and lambs was skilfully woven through the concert programme that mixed traditional arrangements like ‘Rise Up Shepherd and Follow' with the contemporary and humorous arrangement of ‘Sheep, Sheep'. The programme culminated in the arrival of six little lambs from St. Winefride's Primary School captured the mood for the evening as they pranced and danced their way down the aisle of the church that was filled to capacity with an estimated 600 guests. Christopher McElroy, Assistant Director of Music said "it was certainly heart warming to see and hear so many young people performing high quality music to a capacity audience". The programme was completed by a Blessing from Fr. Kieron Walker who thanked everyone for participating in such a meaningful preparation for Christmas.
The evening was summed up by Mark Wiggin, the Chief Executive of Catholic Care, the social care and children's charity of the Diocese of Leeds, who said that he was proud to be associated with such a tremendous occasion where so many children and young people are so positive about what they do. He said that the concert not only raised over £600 for Catholic Care but raised the awareness of the Charity and its work in the Bradford area where services supported schools, children in care, people with learning disability and long term mental health needs. He concluded, "we too want to raise the expectations and aspirations of the children, adults and families we support. We also want vulnerable people to have a secure and better future. The people Catholic Care works with are sometimes that missing piece of the jigsaw without which the beautiful picture of our community is incomplete. Our job, is to find that missing piece of the jigsaw and put it back to make the picture of our world complete. With your generosity and support we can do that."
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Catholic Care acts to support those in need of its services, especiallly the weak and the vunerable and it acts as an advocate for those unable to represent themselves
The primary purpose of the agency is to foster and influence a vision of how people can live together in Christian charity, love and justice, by taking the "Caring Church into the Community
