Fr Stephen's title is Co-ordinator of Spiritual and Pastoral Formation, and this encompasses many pastoral activities undertaken with staff and students, under the auspices of the St Andrew's Foundation.
Much of this work is co-ordinated by the Student Pastoral Planning Team (SPPT), which was founded in early 2016, and which comprises students from a variety of year groups and courses (MARPE, PGDE and MEduc).
Highlights of the work of the SPPT so far are:
- staff/student pilgrimages to Rome in May 2017 and June 2019, and the Holy Land in June 2018.
- month-long student study visit to the Institut Catholique Ecossaise in Paris to study French, in July/August 2018 and 2019
- summer school in Salamanca, Spain in July 2018 and July 2019.
- MARE students leading a retreat in Bergen, Norway, in February 2017 and January 2019
- World Porridge Day events in October 2017 and 2018 which raised over £300 for Mary's Meals
- social events for staff and students on several feast days (e.g. All Saints, St John Bosco day, Pancake Tuesday)
- Lenten School of Prayer for staff and students.
- Holy Doors Challenge, involving students in a dash around the 8 Scottish cathedral Holy Doors in 24 hours using public transport. This event raised £4,000 for Classrooms for Malawi.
- 2 music groups trip to Hosanna House in Lourdes involving 10 students and 2 staff members.
- student music groups which have played at Nighfever Glasgow and St Columbkille's Rutherglen, PGDE Welcome Mass, and other School of Education events.
- 3 students leading prayers and addressing the annual Caritas Awards.
- student walking pilgrimage from the St Andrew's Building to Schoenstaat shrine in Clachan of Campsie, involving 15 students and 2 staff.
- student pilgrimage to Inchcolm Abbey.
Upcoming events:
- MARPE student paricipation in Propaedeudic year in the Royal Scots College, Salamanca, Spain April 2020
- staff/student pigrimage to Lake Garda, Venice, Padua and Verona, June 2020
- month-long student study visit to the Institut Catholique Ecossaise in Paris to study French, July or August 2020
- staff/student summer school in the Royal Scots College, Salamanca, Spain, July 2020