We came from near and far drawn by a sense of community with the feeling that this was a moment that could not pass without our being here!

Here in this great city of Liverpool, in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, representatives of all the Notre Dame Secondary Schools in the UK gathered to be reconnected with The Year of St. Julie baton which had been brought back to where it started its journey back in March, 2016.  It was a delight to have so many Sisters with us on this occasion, a number of whom had been heads of the schools that congregated.

As far as anyone can make out, this is the first time all of the UK Notre Dame schools have come together to celebrate the legacy of St. Julie Billiart, the patron saint of our school and the founder of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur who started many schools here and across the world. 

Although it is 200 years since St Julie died, her legacy continues, symbolised in the picking up and passing on of The Year of St. Julie baton which has been wending its way around Britain.  Mr Alderman related how the baton relay started in March before the relay was re-enacted around the Cathedral. 

The baton was presented to Sr. Margaret Walsh who is taking it to the Heritage Centre in Namur and the Mother House of the Sisters.  Sr Pat Ellen Gribbin challenged us all to continue ‘carrying the baton’ of the spirit of St. Julie and, as a reminder, each school was presented with a golden replica of the original blue baton.

It was a beautiful service including singing, dancing, drama, prayer and parades of flags and banners.  Thanks to all at Notre Dame Catholic College, Liverpool who hosted the event.  Thanks to ND Sheffield, ND Norwich, ND Southwark, ND Plymouth, ND Glasgow and Our Lady’s and St. Patrick’s, Dumbarton for making such long journeys to be there.  Thanks to our own Y7 and staff who represented St. Julie’s so magnificently!

A wonderful day and one wonders what St. Julie, ‘the smiling saint’, would have been saying as she looked down on us from heaven.  Maybe it would have just been:   

“Ah! Qu’il est bon, le bon Dieu!”

Speaking after the ceremony, Mr Alderman reflected on the unifying spirit of the event: 

"The homecoming of our symbolic baton was a historic occasion for the British Notre Dame community, with students from every one of the UK’s Notre Dame schools assembling together in worship for the first time.

Having completed a tour of the UK the baton, symbolising the spirit of St. Julie, is now to be placed in the Notre Dame Heritage Centre in Namur where students on future pilgrimages will be able to see it.

The ceremony gave our students a memorable insight into the breadth and diversity of St. Julie’s 200 year legacy even within our own country, and was a joyous culmination of our celebrations as the Year of St. Julie draws towards a close."