Scottish Catholic Observer

Nine pupils from St Peter the Apostle High School came equipped with sleeping bags to St Eunan’s Chapel Hall, where they turned off the heating in the building and bedded in for a night of rough sleeping. Fr Patrick Boyle—parish priest at St Eunan’s and chaplain to the school—started the event with evening prayer before joining pupils (above) as they prepared for the long night ahead.

Parishioners who turned up to support the Caritas students were given an insight into the lives of the homeless and offered food from a makeshift soup kitchen. A total of £173 was raised by the sleep-in along with donations of money,toiletries and clothes, all of which will be passed on to hostels.

The St Peter the Apostle pupils have been working with the homeless in Glasgow, with a groups going out each Saturday to the Bellgrove Hotel—a hostel in the east end—and working with The Sisters of The Missionaries of Charity in supporting those in need.

One pupil who took part, 17-year-old Shannon Friel from Drumchapel, said: “We are so grateful to the generous people of St Eunan’s Parish, both in terms of raising £173 and the donations of clothing and toiletries but also in terms of their support spiritually.

“Despite the discomfort, I think all of us would do it again in a minute. Our little hardship for one night is so very little compared to the plight of the homeless, especially in winter.”

Stephanie McVey, 17, said she felt that more needed to be done to tackle the issue of homelessness.

“Everyone has problems, but homelessness is a key issue, which society needs to tackle together,” she said. “Through this event, we hope to give the message that there are people out there willing to help the most vulnerable; we just need to work together.”

Áine Lynch, an English teacher at St Peter the Apostle who coordinates the school’s Caritas programme, said that the pupils have built a really good relationship with their parishes through the awards.

“They are a great bunch of kids,” she said. “Sometimes people think kids do this in sixth year and then it leaves them, because they are just going for an award, but they are not. The Caritas group from last year still attend Mass together—and the new students have noticed. It’s great because they are all at university and they come together at Mass on a Sunday and stay for a cup of tea afterwards. [Caritas] has continued for them.”

Ms Lynch said enrolling in the Caritas Award has changed the pupils’ whole attitude and that their work with the homeless had opened their eyes.

“It is quite sad and hits a nerve,” she said. “Last year when we were at the Bellgrove, there was a guy not much older than the kids that they spoke to. It really hit home and made it real for them. They forget that it is on their doorstep.”

St Peter the Apostle has 40 pupils currently enrolled in the Caritas Award, four times the number they had last year. The pupils have a number of future events planned, including a trip to Barlinnie prison and bringing the Stations of the Cross into the parish during Lent.

—Read the full version of this story in the February 6 edition of the SCO in parishes from Friday.