Welcome to Year 6

Saint John Paul

Dear Parents/Carers, 

Welcome to our class page. 

We hope it enables you to help your child during their time in Year 6. 

Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any queries or concerns. 

With best wishes, 

Miss Rhodes 

Our Mission Statement

To love, learn, share and respect in the light of Jesus.

Our Aims:

• We will create a caring Catholic community in which all members can grow in love, trust and respect for one another.

• We will ensure that each member of our Catholic school community feels special as a child of God.

• We will celebrate our differences and similarities.

• We will help each other to develop our particular talents.

• We will communicate clearly and honestly with each other.

• We will create a sense of belonging between our school, our Church and our families.

   

OUR CLASS SAINT JOHN PAUL

Saint John Paul, who was Polish, was the first non-Italian pope in 455 years.

He was born Karol Wojtyla. His mother died when he was eight years old and his father was a Polish Officer. Karol often helped the priest at the local church. Wojtyła graduated as the top student in his class and moved to Kraków, Poland, to attend a university there.

After his father’s death in 1941, Wojtyła decided to become a priest. Again he had to study in secret but he finally achieved his dream in November 1946.

At this time, Poland was ruled by a communist government. There were many restrictions on religion but John Paul impressed church leaders with his ability In 1964, Father Karol was appointed archbishop of Krakow; just three years later he was made a cardinal.

In 1978, Cardinal Wojtyla was elected Pope, the 264th in the Church’s history. He took the name John Paul II and began his papacy by telling the world, “Be not afraid”; his life showed everyone that to change the world, we must “cast into the deep for a great catch.”

From the start of his papacy, Pope John Paul II made preaching the gospel a key part of his mission and thus made visits to all parts of the world.

In 1981, a Turkish man named Mehmet Ali Agca shot the Pope twice in an assassination attempt and wounded him. Following Jesus’ example of forgiveness and compassion for the sinner, Pope John Paul II later met with Agca in his prison cell and, gently speaking to him of the forgiveness of Christ, forgave him for what he had done.

Throughout his life, Pope John Paul II was an avid sportsman, hiking and skiing even in his sixties. In 1992, however, his health began to decline. It was later revealed that he suffered from Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. Near the end of his papacy, it became difficult for him to speak, and his poor health and physical suffering made public appearances difficult. Still, he bore his suffering patiently, and continued his pastoral work despite his physical pain. He entrusted his health to God, and joined his suffering with that of Christ.

Pope John Paul II died April 2, 2005, and he was declared blessed on May 1, 2011. He was declared a saint on April 27, 2014 along with Pope John XXIII. His feast day is October 22.

Pope St. John Paul II fast facts

First non-Italian pope since Adrian VI (1522-23)
First Polish pope ever
Youngest pope since Pius IX (1846-78)
Third longest pontificate in history of the Church (nearly 27 years)
Most-travelled pope in history
First pope to visit a synagogue
First pope to visit a mosque
First pope to call for a day of pardon
First pope to add five new mysteries to the Rosary

Here are our RE Topics for the year...

The Way, the Truth and the Life

RE Topics

Autumn 1 - The Kingdom of God

Autumn 2 -  Justice

Spring 1 -  Exploring the Mass

Spring 2 - Jesus the Messiah

Summer 1 - The Transforming Spirit 

Summer 2 -  Called to Serve