Franciscan Friars visit East London school

Franciscan Frs Roberto 'Tito' Serrano, Jason Damon and Yusuf Bagh

St Bonaventure's Roman Catholic Secondary School in Forest Gate, East London, was blessed to host a delegation of Franciscan brothers from the United States, marking a significant moment of spiritual enrichment for the school community. The visiting friars included Fr Casey Cole OFM, who runs the popular 'Breaking in the Habit' YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram channel, and is the author of many books, including 'How to Evangelise Wherever You Are'.

He visited the school with Fr Jason Damon OFM, Fr Roberto 'Tito' Serrano OFM, and Fr Yusuf Bagh OFM, from nearby St Francis of Assisi Parish, Stratford.

The day of mission and reflection, which was part of the school's ongoing celebration for the Jubilee Year of St Francis, centred around talks with students across various year groups, sharing insights into the life of a Franciscan friar and the beauty of a vocation dedicated to service and the Gospel. The friars' message focused on the Franciscan way of life and its core values in humility, respect, and unconditional love, encouraging students to be instruments of peace in their daily lives with their families, friends, and people around them in the community.

The friars also joined students in celebrating Holy Mass at St Antony of Padua Church in Forest Gate, a beautiful moment of prayer and thanksgiving for theschool and its foundations and Franciscan heritage. The Friars are in the UK for the International Franciscan Conference in Durham, which members of the leadership attended. They have then been visiting university chaplaincies around the country before heading to London, including a personal pilgrimage to St Francis of Assisi Parish in Stratford, as one of the dedicated churches for the Jubilee year.

The impact of the friars' presence was deeply felt by students, who said: "It was a great opportunity to meet the brothers and be inspired by their way of Franciscan Life. They provided excellent insight into the reality of being a friar in the modern world and the work they do on a daily basis."

"Seeing them in their traditional brown robes and sandals was striking because it showed they are not influenced by trends and gave me a clear understanding of the simple life they live. The best part was realising that they are humble, down to earth, and bring positive energy to those around them. "

"It's always a privilege to discuss faith with those who are fully devoted to it. The experience felt like a mini spiritual retreat at school."

Headteacher, Mr McCormack, said: St Bonaventure's was founded on its current site in 1877 by the Franciscan Friars, making it one of the oldest Catholic boys' schools in the country, and also one of the most successful schools in Newham borough, with 35% of Year 13 students securing places at Oxbridge and prestigious Russell Group universities in 2025. Next Year, the school is planning to celebrate its 150th anniversary with a series of events.

St Bonaventure's is a voluntary-aided Catholic Secondary School in Forest Gate for boys aged 11-16 and for boys and girls aged 16-18 in the Sixth Form. For more information, visit: www.stbons.org/

Watch Fr Casey Cole on Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=95QkfhXfitc