St Michael"s adds its own special patch to quilt

The Glory Glory Quilt created by students in Loreto schools around the country to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the organisation is visiting Loreto St Michael"s Secondary School in Navan this week. The patch created by the St Michael"s girls shows a little white dove in felt with five yellow ribbons streaming from it in memory of the five students from the school who died in the Navan bus crash in 2005. The patch was made by third year students Bronwyn Cunningham and Aisling White. Today there are 35 Loreto schools in Ireland and each school contributed squares to make up the quilt, including the squares from Navan. The squares were all sent to Loreto Grammar School in Omagh, Co Tyrone, where the students and their teacher arranged, sewed and quilted the squares to make a guilty. The quilt was used as part of the offertory procession at the 400 year celebration Mass in Mullingar Cathedral on 24th January. The many squares of colour in the quilt reflect the vibrancy and energy of Loreto schools, teacher and students in Ireland today. The symbols of the school crest were appliqued onto the quilt with the letters IBVM (Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary). The quilt arrived in Navan last week as part of the St Michael"s Peace and Social Justice Week. The week was opened by sister Gabrielle Murphy who has been involved in education for many years but has spent the last few years in South Africa working with the people of the townships. Other speakers during the week included representatives of the Aisling Group, which is involved in education about drug and alcohol abuse; Sr Noelle Corscadden who has been involved in issues of social justice for many years and has spent time in Tanzania and South Sudan; Dale Threadwell an Australian working with the environmental organisation ENFO; Fr Peter McVerry, a Jesuit priest noted for his lifelong work with the homeless in Dublin, and Sr Kathleen McLennon who worked as a teacher in Loreto St Michael"s before spending a number of years in Peru. Peace and Social Justice week took place during National Fairtrade Fortnight during which Fairtrade products were enjoyed and sold in the school.