Last Friday Fr Padraig O’Donovan visited Loreto Clonmel to make a presentation to Roise Curtin who is one of this year’s winners in the Columban Schools Media Competition. Roise secured third place in the images section.
Fr Padraig writes: Thank you to Martina Williams who met me on my arrival, welcomed me and brought me to the CSPE (Civic, Social, Political, Education) Class where I met Roise. Before making the presentation to Roise, I gave a short talk on the Columbans, who we are and where we work on Mission today.
Over the last number of years, the Far East magazine has been running a Columban Schools Media Competition. This competition is open to all students between the ages of 13 – 18 years and this year 2024 students were invited to produce a piece of writing or create an image on the topic ‘Biodiversity Matters’.
Loreto Clonmel students with Fr Padraig O’Donovan and prize-winner Roise Curtin in the 2024 Columban Schools Media competition.
Their work had to demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the issue of biodiversity and highlight people, communities and/or organisations trying to build a sustainable future.
As we all know so well today protecting biodiversity – which humanity relies on for health, food and well-being is a mission priority of Columban missionaries.
As part of your CSPE class I am delighted to learn that this year’s course focused on climate change, fair trade, poverty, water, animal extinction, rights, and deforestation. These are all vital areas of importance for all of us in our world today.
I am so happy to hear that your principal sent an email highlighting the Columban Schools Media Competition and because you felt that you had covered so much about the earth, you felt it would be a nice cross curricular link with religion in the school.
I see your school Motto is ‘Love, Laughter and Learning’. Sinead Mullins your teacher in CSPE (who was away for the week with the TY years) told me that you all enjoy being creative in class. That art is one of Roise’s favourite subjects. That you excel at expressing yourself through the medium of art and are taking this subject for your Junior Cert.
I hear Roise you are an extremely helpful and attentive student in school. And that you enjoy working and helping others.
Fr Padraig and Loreto Clonmel teacher Martina Williams.
After the talk and presentation in the class Fr Padraig, Roise and the class went outside in the lovely sunshine to take some photographs in the school grounds.
Fr Padraig described Roise as “a lovely down to earth and very talented young woman” and paid tribute to her classmates who were “so supportive and friendly”. He added, “I enjoyed my visit very much to Loreto Clonmel.”
For more information on Biodiversity and the Columban Schools Media competition see: www.columbancompetition.com
