Faith & Formation

Christ is the foundation of the whole educational enterprise in a Catholic school. His revelation gives new meaning to life and helps man to direct his thought, action and will according to the Gospel, making the beatitudes his norm of life. The fact that in their own individual way all member of the school community share this Christian vision, make the school “Catholic”; principles of the Gospel in this manner become the educational norms since the school then has them as its internal motivation and final goal.

The Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education 19 March 1977

The life of St Cuthbert, the patron of our school and Diocese, inspires our Catholic life.  As both a Prior and a Bishop, Cuthbert taught us that leadership involves showing compassion and commitment to those who you meet and also service of others.

We strive to put Christ at the Centre of all we do and challenge our pupils to become young men of integrity, educated in faith and for justice. In keeping with the finest traditions of Catholic education, we strive to form young men of competence, conscience, compassion and commitment. Above all, St Cuthbert’s prepares young men to find their God-given calling and answer it with energy and passion. In our school, in our local community and around the world, our young men serve, lead, and strive to make a difference in the lives of others.

Our values of faith, Catholic spirituality, formation of the whole person, a world affirming perspective, diversity, scholarship, service and leadership underpin our Catholic Life.

Catholic Life at St Cuthbert’ includes all pupils and staff, for it is they, through their own individual contributions to the Gospel message, that make St Cuthbert’s a Catholic school in the truest sense.

The Church proclaims the faith and reveals “to all ages the transcendent goal which alone gives life its full meaning”. She establishes her own schools because she considers them as a privileged means of promoting the formation of the whole man.

The Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education 19 March 1977

‘Formation’ involves helping our young men develop into the people God intended them to be. Helping them to grow deeper in their relationship with Christ in order that they can respond to God’s calling which is unique to them.

The school’s motto ‘Quies In Caelo’ (Rest in Heaven) encourages all members of the school community to work for the greater glory of God and the common good. After all, you can ‘rest in heaven’ but for now, there is plenty of work to do.

This ‘work’ could include involvement in our Catholic co-curricular programme which further enhances their personal formation and consists of:

• The Fortis Dux Award
• SVP Youth
• CAFOD Club
• Laudato Si Club
• Excellence in Theology seminars
• Pope John Paul II Award
• Guild of St Stephen
• Catenians Public Speaking Competition
• Bible Study Group
• Fairtrade team
• Almsgiving/collecting items for ‘The People’s Kitchen’, ‘Wet End Foodbank’ and Missio

We believe the links between parishes and schools are key to the future of Catholicism. We actively encourage our pupils to attend Sunday Mass and we have eight young men who currently serve the altar in their parishes and in school.

We work with Blackfriar's Partnership and the parish of The Sacred Heart North Gosforth to ensure our pupils can receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. A unit of work in the Year 8 Religious Education curriculum is devoted to Confirmation preparation which usually begins in Years 9 or 10.

St Cuthbert’s has a proud tradition of Old Cuthbertians answering God’s call to serve Him through the priesthood, with over 210 men devoting their life to the service of God and others. It is in their honour we hold a Vocations Week in the week following Vocations Sunday (4th Sunday of Easter) which involves prayer, discernment, assemblies and input from our Diocesan clergy.