This week we celebrated our very last College Mass for 2023. This was a very special Mass: All Souls' Day, which is in fact a solemnity in the Church calendar. Solemnities are the highest form of celebration in the Catholic world, even more so than feast days. On All Saints' Day this week we brought to mind the many great men and women who dedicated their lives to Christ and His church. All Souls' Day is a special day to commemorate our very own loved ones who have passed on from this life, asking for God's mercy and grace on their souls. This time of year is always special as many of the seniors have left, passing their mantels of music and reading to junior students. We were blessed to have some seniors still with us, including our Head Prefect, Michel Tu'akalau, serving as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist for the last time, and John Tangi leading the sung Mass parts. This week's Mass band were courageous and professional in the way that they led the Mass, which is no easy feat in front of the whole school. The young readers also shared from the Book of Wisdom and beautifully read Psalm 23 for the College. 

Our very own College Chaplain Fr Glenford Lowe celebrated the mass, sharing another cracking and memorable homily. Today's message was that we should not think of the "faithful departed", instead the "faithful returned" as they have finally gone home to where they belong. This was also Mr Schryvers' very last Mass at St Paul's College, having taught here for the past six years. He will greatly miss these Masses, especially our young men's singing and service.