Formation Morning for Holy Cross & All Saints Staff

This morning, we were delighted to welcome around twenty teachers from Holy Cross & All Saints Catholic primary school in Eccles, to All Saints for their INSET Day – a morning designed to strengthen their spiritual, pastoral, and practical formation as they begin a new term.

The day opened with Holy Mass at 9:30am celebrated by Fr Brian Murphy, grounding the staff in prayer before moving into a short break and the first teaching session. The teachers then gathered for a presentation on the Catholic history of Eccles, followed by a structured series of seven focused catecheses on their class saints: St Catherine of Siena, St Francis of Assisi, St Cecilia, St Jude, St Joseph, St Anthony, and St Peter. Each saint was introduced in a 7‑minute reflection, delivered by members of our team Gary, Mike and Daniella. The staff were attentive, open, and deeply engaged throughout the session.

At 11:45am, the morning shifted into a dynamic and practical mode with Catechetical Boxing*, led by Mike and Gary. This innovative approach uses non‑contact boxing to explore Christian virtues, discipline, resilience, and personal life skills. The teachers embraced the session with enthusiasm and energy, making it a memorable highlight of the day.

We concluded at 12:30pm after receiving excellent feedback from the staff, who expressed gratitude for the blend of prayer, catechesis, and practical formation.

We are thankful for the opportunity to support our local Catholic schools and their mission. We invite you to keep these teachers and their pupils in prayer as they begin the new year and term.

*Special Thanks

We would like to thank David Lloyd Clubs (Manchester Trafford City) for their generous donation of two punch bags, which will support the diverse community that trains with us each week, from children and young people to families and adults of all ages.