Holocaust Memorial Day was marked nationally on the 27th January. This day helps us to remember the millions of people murdered in the Holocaust, under Nazi Persecution, and in the genocides which followed around the world. In the Catholic High School, Mrs Nordmann led a Liturgical Worship on this theme with all year groups, encouraging students and staff to reflect on those who fell victim to these atrocities. During tutor time, students were able to look at genocides around the world and individual stories from those who caught up in these conflicts. Years 7-8 studied the genocide in Cambodia, Years 9 and 10 the genocide in Rwanda, Year 11 Bosnia and Years 12 and 13 studied the genocide in Darfur). We lit a candle and prayed for end for all genocides in the world.
On this day, we come before you to remember the victims of the Holocaust and other genocides such as that in Rwanda.
May our minds be clear and attentive to their memory and our hearts be moved to bear witness to their lives.
Today, help us to remember and recognise the sanctity of each human life, that all people are made in Your image.
One day, we pray that genocide and hatred will be no more, and that love will triumph over evil.
In our prayers and in our actions, help us to show this love in the world today.
Amen.
On 29th January, 75 students in years 9 and 10 visited the Picturehouse in Chester to watch the film ‘One Life’ as part of our activities to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. The film tells the story of Sir Nicholas Winton, a young London stockbroker, who in the months leading up to World War II, rescued 669 predominately Jewish children from the Nazis and organised their emergency foster care in Britain. Years later, in 1988, Nicholas Winton appeared on an episode of the TV show ‘That’s Life’ in an iconic moment in television History in which he was given a poignant reunion with many of the children he had managed to save, who made up part of the studio audience. The film linked to the curriculum studied in Year 9 on the Holocaust and to the GCSE in which we study Nazi Germany. Below is a picture of Solomon Clarke and Harrison Farrell enjoying some cinema treats before the film began.
