Cardinal Vincent Nichols visits Stonyhurst

Daniel Fitzgerald, Andrew Johnson (Headmaster), Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Harriet Shepherd and John Cowdall (Chairman of governors)

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, was the guest of honour at Stonyhurst’s prize-giving this year. In his address to parents and pupils at the historic Jesuit school in Lancashire, Cardinal Nichols described Pope Francis as the finest exponent of Jesuit education, for his focus on the human person. Cardinal Nichols said that, from meeting his Holiness in Rome, it was clear that the generosity and love Pope Francis shows to everyone he encounters springs from a profound sense of peace and faith.

The Headmaster, Andrew Johnson, spoke about St Ignatius, the founder of the Jesuits, and of the core benefits of a Jesuit education; Stonyhurst, he said, seeks to enable the ‘human flourishing’ Ignatius cited as the main purpose of education, by developing young people’s faith, self-awareness and leadership so that they may be a force for good. “Stonyhurst is the oldest surviving Jesuit school in the world and part of an educational continuum whose values and approach really have stood the test of time, being as relevant today as they were 450 years ago” said Mr Johnson.

There are 3,780 Jesuit schools, colleges and universities worldwide, educating 3.5 million people in 70 different countries.

For more information on Stonyhurst see: www.stonyhurst.ac.uk/