Weekly Message from the Principal

Dear Staff, Parents and most importantly the boys in the Junior school,

Firstly, welcome back and I hope you all had a wonderful mid-term break. Before we finished on Friday the 15th of February five Junior school teachers travelled with the Willow Wheelers over the mid-term break to look at the phenomenal work of our Spiritan Priests and community in Brazil. The group visited many projects created by Father Pat Clarke and Fr. Pat McNamara in Sao Paulo. Please take some time to read Eoin O’Sullivan’s (Fourth Year transition student in Blackrock College) account of his experience visiting all the projects.

Willow Wheelers Mission Trip 2019

This year, the Willow Wheelers Mission Trip took place in Brazil. There is a long history of Holy Ghost Spiritan missionary work in the city of Sao Paulo. Over the mid-term break, thirty members of the Willow Wheelers Cycling Club visited various projects in Sao Paulo run by Spiritan priests. The population of Sao Paulo is almost 20 million, with vast needs. The clothes and goods donated by Willow Park families were greatly appreciated. Some of the projects visited included:

- Vila Prudente Cultural Centre, founded and run by Fr. Pat Clarke

- Perus mission – visiting and identifying need in a poor parish 40 mins outside Sao Paulo, including health and community centre.

- City of Angels – retreat and camp in the countryside for city children.

- Cooperative recycling centre near the Villa Prudente that employed over 15 women.

- Various Favelas receiving help and missionary direction from Spiritan priests.

- Arsenal de Esperanca, which is a homeless shelter that cares for 1200 men per night.

- Belem: a shelter for drug addicts, that takes in people from the street. - Fr Pat McNamara.

It was an incredible experience to see this first hand. The Transition Year boys identified those most in need and will channel the money raised from this year's 100 - mile cycle in May to projects in Brazil. After 7 days in Sao Paulo, the group went to Rio de Janeiro for 2 days of sightseeing before flying home to Dublin. It was an amazing experience for all involved.

Eoin O’Sullivan - 4th Year