Role of School Chaplaincy

Background

Dominican Friars established Newbridge College in 1852 and today it is a mixed school with 900 students.

Role of School Chaplaincy 

As part of the Pastoral Care Team, school chaplains provide a wide range of opportunities to share in the lives of young people. These range from teaching religion and other mainstream school subjects, accompanying students on school trips, involvement in extracurricular activities, for example coaching sports, to exploring creative new ways to engage with students in their faith journey. 

We interact and meet with students in a class and in a one-to-one setting. In our role, we also provide support for students in creating a safe and confidential space to enable them share and explore possible supports and resources in responding to concerns they may present with. 

We organise school retreats, advent services, opportunities for the sacrament of reconciliation and other faith-oriented initiatives. Mass is celebrated for individual classes and for the whole school on feast days and other occasions.

In our role as chaplains and teachers, we are required to attend school staff meetings, training events, and other activities that the school is involved in on a national level. We see our role as integral to the student’s formation as they progress through a secondary school environment.

As staff members, we are required to be Garda vetted and attend safeguarding training events as teachers and also as Dominican Friars.