Home | Contact Us

Chaplaincy: Mr Cornally

Throughout my life I have always believed that example is the most powerful teacher.

I was very lucky to grow up in a large, caring family and within a close community of neighbours and friends.

I spent my childhood and teenage years surrounded by people who lived a life of faith in their words and in their actions – these people taught me a great deal and had a profound influence on my own faith development. Simply watching the way they lived their lives, sometimes in adversity, was humbling to witness and shaped my own Catholic faith.

A few years ago a very prominent archbishop, Michael Ramsay, said that there is a space within each one of us that can only be filled by God. I believe that to be very true. I believe that my faith has given me comfort and support in times of difficulty but has also helped me to an understanding of a deeper meaning of my life. Looking around during one of our school masses, or when I see the Fair Trade group giving up their spare time to promote Fair Trade goods, or when I see the amounts of money generously donated to help others, I believe God to be present in our school.

In any job you learn a great deal, particularly so if you are lucky enough to be the Headteacher of a Catholic school. I have met young people with whom it has been a privilege to work and who have taught me a great deal. Equally this has been true of the majority of staff I have worked with throughout my career.

At Blessed Thomas Holford we are blessed with great pupils and caring and committed staff. Fortunately, not all of us have all the answers. Not all of us hold all the truths about faith but each individual, pupil or teacher, has a tiny piece of the jigsaw and when we work together the picture begins to emerge.

J Cornally

Back